Deer Permit Area 159: deer harvest, seasons and public land
Minnesota's Deer Permit Area 159 covers 579 square miles of Pine County, around Sandstone. Hunters registered 1,863 deer here in 2025, 1,451 of them adult bucks, by the DNR's 2025 Deer Harvest Report. That is up 16% from 2024. 8% of DPA 159 is public land open to the public, the largest share state forest and other DNR land (22,291 acres), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: DNR Deer Harvest Reports, 2021 to 2025. Seasons: the DNR's 2026 deer permit area map. Land: PAD-US 4.1, DNR WMA and Walk-In Access layers.
State wildlife management areasState forest and other DNR landState parksNational park landDPA 159Neighboring deer permit areasLakeHighway
| Counties | Pine County |
|---|---|
| Size | 370,770 acres (579 square miles) |
| 2026 bag limit | One-deer limit: either sex |
| Firearm A season, 2026 | Nov. 7 to Nov. 22, 2026 |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 1,863 (1,451 adult bucks) |
| Firearms hunters, 2025 | 6,001 |
| Public land | 8% (29,633 acres) |
| WMAs | 4 (2,230 acres inside DPA 159) |
| Walk-In Access | None mapped this year |
| Towns in and near it | Sandstone, Pine City, Hinckley, Askov, Rock Creek and Finlayson |
How many deer are harvested in DPA 159?
The DNR registered 1,863 deer in DPA 159 in 2025: 1,451 adult bucks, 308 adult does and 104 fawns, about 3.3 deer for each of the 571 square miles of land the DNR counts in it. 6,001 hunters used their firearms license here in the A season and registered 1,551 deer, about 26 deer for every 100 of them. Archers: 1,209 hunters, 191 deer.
| Year | Deer registered | Adult bucks | Adult does | Fawns | Deer per square mile | Firearms hunters | Firearms harvest | Archery hunters | Archery harvest | Muzzleloader hunters | Muzzleloader harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,863 | 1,451 | 308 | 104 | 3.26 | 6,001 | 1,551 | 1,209 | 191 | 171 | 27 |
| 2024 | 1,609 | 1,295 | 232 | 82 | 2.82 | 5,958 | 1,378 | 1,156 | 153 | 167 | 10 |
| 2023 | 1,344 | 1,069 | 208 | 67 | 2.35 | 6,040 | 1,201 | 1,140 | 92 | 211 | 9 |
| 2022 | 1,938 | 1,078 | 623 | 237 | 3.39 | 6,338 | 1,721 | 1,050 | 130 | 258 | 23 |
| 2021 | 2,121 | 1,249 | 647 | 225 | 3.71 | 6,443 | 1,884 | 1,097 | 133 | 248 | 33 |
Source: Minnesota DNR Deer Harvest Reports, 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022 and 2021: Table 3 (all deer, special hunts left out), Tables 4 to 6 (archery, firearms A season, muzzleloader). Deer per square mile is the DNR's total divided by the DNR's land area for the permit area. A blank means the DNR printed no row for DPA 159 that year.
When are the 2026 deer seasons in DPA 159?
DPA 159 is a "One-deer limit: either sex" area for 2026. It is in the 100 series, which sets its firearms dates. Firearm A season: Nov. 7 to Nov. 22, 2026.
| Season | 2026 dates or rule |
|---|---|
| Bag limit designation | One-deer limit: either sex |
| Archery | Sept. 19 to Dec. 31, 2026 |
| Firearm A season | Nov. 7 to Nov. 22, 2026 |
| Muzzleloader | Nov. 28 to Dec. 13, 2026 |
| Youth season | Oct. 15 to Oct. 18, 2026 |
| CWD testing | Optional CWD testing available |
Source: Minnesota DNR deer permit areas, 2026 seasons (July 2026 - June 2027). Check the DNR's regulations before you go: dates and limits can change during the year.
How much public land is in DPA 159?
29,633 of DPA 159's 370,770 acres are public land open to the public (8%). The biggest share is state forest and other DNR land: 22,291 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of DPA 159 |
|---|---|---|
| State forest and other DNR land | 22,291 | 6% |
| State parks | 3,142 | 0.8% |
| State wildlife management areas | 2,446 | 0.7% |
| National park land | 1,722 | 0.5% |
| County, city and regional land | 32 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 29,633 | 8% |
Measured by FilledTag inside the DNR's boundary from USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public). Hunting rules differ by manager: state wildlife management areas, state forest land and national forests are open to hunting in season; refuges and waterfowl production areas follow U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rules; state parks allow hunting only in special hunts; national park land is closed to hunting; city and county parks set their own rules. PAD-US 4.1 leaves out most of the tax-forfeited land Minnesota counties manage, much of it open to hunting, so the public land here may be more than shown; the county land department has the maps.
Wildlife Management Areas in DPA 159
DNR WMAs in DPA 159, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Sandstone WMA: 2,046 acres
- McGowan WMA: 125 acres
- Rock Marsh WMA: 38 acres
- Kettle River WMA: 21 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Chengwatana State Forest (15,915 acres) and Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway (1,937 acres).
How do you get to DPA 159?
Highways through it: I-35 (about 52 miles inside), MN 23 (about 28 miles inside), MN 48 (about 24 miles inside) and MN 123 (about 8 miles inside). Towns inside: Sandstone, Pine City and Hinckley. Nearby: Askov (on the line), Rock Creek (on the line), Finlayson (4 miles) and Brook Park (5 miles).
Which deer permit areas border DPA 159?
DPA 159 touches 5 other deer permit areas. Their latest DNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| DPA | Deer harvested | Year | Public land | Walk-In Access sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 153 | 1,144 | 2025 | 8.7% | |
| DPA 154 | 502 | 2025 | 49.2% | |
| DPA 156 | 1,900 | 2025 | 17.7% | |
| DPA 157 | 4,606 | 2025 | 6.8% | |
| DPA 225 | 5,598 | 2025 | 4.2% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in DPA 159 in 2025?
1,863 deer were registered: 1,451 adult bucks, 308 adult does and 104 fawns (DNR 2025 Deer Harvest Report, Table 3). The most in the 5 years shown was 2,121, in 2021.
What is the 2026 bag limit in DPA 159?
The DNR lists DPA 159 as "One-deer limit: either sex" for 2026. Firearm A season: Nov. 7 to Nov. 22, 2026.
Is there public land to hunt in DPA 159?
Yes. 29,633 acres, 8% of the permit area, are public land open to the public by PAD-US 4.1, mostly state forest and other DNR land. The DNR's map shows 4 wildlife management areas here, the largest Sandstone WMA (2,046 acres).
How many firearms hunters hunt DPA 159?
6,001 in the 2025 firearms A season, by the DNR's Table 5. They registered 1,551 deer, 1,268 of them adult bucks.
Get a Minnesota hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Minnesota are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Minnesota included.
Where these numbers come from
- Deer harvest: Minnesota DNR Deer Harvest Reports (2021 to 2025, 2025 report).
- Seasons: Minnesota DNR deer permit areas, 2026 seasons; DNR season calendar.
- Public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public). Wildlife Management Areas: Minnesota DNR Wildlife Management Area boundaries, publicly accessible. Walk-In Access: Minnesota DNR Walk-In Access sites.
- Boundaries: Minnesota DNR deer permit areas, 2026 seasons. Highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 primary and secondary roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer, places.
FilledTag is not part of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Numbers are copied from the DNR and the federal sources above, or measured from their maps; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag.