Deer Permit Area 203: deer harvest, seasons and public land
Minnesota's Deer Permit Area 203 covers 132 square miles of Marshall County, near Holt. Hunters registered 85 deer here in 2025, 73 of them adult bucks, by the DNR's 2025 Deer Harvest Report. That is up 10% from 2024. 99.9% of DPA 203 is public land open to the public, the largest share national wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas (61,750 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 areasNational wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areasDPA 203Neighboring deer permit areasLakeHighway
| Counties | Marshall County |
|---|---|
| Size | 84,350 acres (132 square miles) |
| 2026 bag limit | One-deer limit: bucks only |
| Firearm A season, 2026 | Nov. 7 to Nov. 15, 2026 |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 85 (73 adult bucks) |
| Firearms hunters, 2025 | 154 |
| Public land | 99.9% (84,248 acres) |
| WMAs | 3 (22,454 acres inside DPA 203) |
| Walk-In Access | None mapped this year |
| Towns in and near it | Holt, Middle River and Grygla |
How many deer are harvested in DPA 203?
The DNR registered 85 deer in DPA 203 in 2025: 73 adult bucks, 10 adult does and 2 fawns, about 0.7 deer for each of the 118 square miles of land the DNR counts in it. 154 hunters used their firearms license here in the A season and registered 64 deer, about 42 deer for every 100 of them. Archers: 31 hunters, 4 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 | 85 | 73 | 10 | 2 | 0.72 | 154 | 64 | 31 | 4 | 14 | 15 |
| 2024 | 77 | 73 | 4 | 0 | 0.65 | 159 | 63 | 30 | 2 | 16 | 9 |
| 2023 | 47 | 43 | 3 | 1 | 0.40 | 177 | 42 | 22 | 2 | 9 | 0 |
| 2022 | 68 | 49 | 12 | 7 | 0.58 | 189 | 39 | 20 | 1 | 15 | 26 |
| 2021 | 96 | 73 | 15 | 8 | 0.81 | 190 | 77 | 24 | 2 | 26 | 15 |
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 203 that year.
When are the 2026 deer seasons in DPA 203?
DPA 203 is a "One-deer limit: bucks only" area for 2026. It is in the 200 series, which sets its firearms dates. Firearm A season: Nov. 7 to Nov. 15, 2026.
| Season | 2026 dates or rule |
|---|---|
| Bag limit designation | One-deer limit: bucks only |
| Archery | Sept. 19 to Dec. 31, 2026 |
| Firearm A season | Nov. 7 to Nov. 15, 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). Special regulations for WMAs in this permit area. Details are on the DNR's WMA rules page. Check the DNR's regulations before you go: dates and limits can change during the year.
How much public land is in DPA 203?
84,248 of DPA 203's 84,350 acres are public land open to the public (99.9%). The biggest share is national wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas: 61,750 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of DPA 203 |
|---|---|---|
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 61,750 | 73.2% |
| State wildlife management areas | 22,498 | 26.7% |
| All public land open to the public | 84,248 | 99.9% |
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 203
DNR WMAs in DPA 203, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Elm Lake WMA: 15,730 acres
- Eckvoll WMA: 6,486 acres
- Mudlac WMA: 238 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge (61,810 acres).
How do you get to DPA 203?
No numbered highway crosses it. Nearby: Holt (6 miles), Middle River (6 miles), Grygla (6 miles) and Goodridge (9 miles).
Which deer permit areas border DPA 203?
DPA 203 touches one other deer permit area. Their latest DNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| DPA | Deer harvested | Year | Public land | Walk-In Access sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 208 | 465 | 2025 | 3.8% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in DPA 203 in 2025?
85 deer were registered: 73 adult bucks, 10 adult does and 2 fawns (DNR 2025 Deer Harvest Report, Table 3). The most in the 5 years shown was 96, in 2021.
What is the 2026 bag limit in DPA 203?
The DNR lists DPA 203 as "One-deer limit: bucks only" for 2026. Firearm A season: Nov. 7 to Nov. 15, 2026.
Is there public land to hunt in DPA 203?
Yes. 84,248 acres, 99.9% of the permit area, are public land open to the public by PAD-US 4.1, mostly national wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas. The DNR's map shows 3 wildlife management areas here, the largest Elm Lake WMA (15,730 acres).
How many firearms hunters hunt DPA 203?
154 in the 2025 firearms A season, by the DNR's Table 5. They registered 64 deer, 62 of them adult bucks.
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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.