Deer Permit Area 222: deer harvest, seasons and public land
Minnesota's Deer Permit Area 222 covers 413 square miles of Mille Lacs, Benton and Morrison counties, around Milaca. Hunters registered 3,420 deer here in 2025, 1,680 of them adult bucks, by the DNR's 2025 Deer Harvest Report. That is up 5% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 3.6% of DPA 222 is public land open to the public, the largest share state wildlife management areas (5,337 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 landNational wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areasOther federal landState parksCounty, city and regional landDPA 222Neighboring deer permit areasLakeHighway
| Counties | Mille Lacs County, Benton County and Morrison County |
|---|---|
| Size | 264,509 acres (413 square miles) |
| 2026 bag limit | Three-deer limit |
| Firearm A season, 2026 | Nov. 7 to Nov. 15, 2026 |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 3,420 (1,680 adult bucks) |
| Firearms hunters, 2025 | 5,901 |
| Public land | 3.6% (9,506 acres) |
| WMAs | 6 (5,230 acres inside DPA 222) |
| Walk-In Access | None mapped this year |
| Towns in and near it | Milaca, Foley, Foreston, Gilman, Princeton and Bock |
How many deer are harvested in DPA 222?
The DNR registered 3,420 deer in DPA 222 in 2025: 1,680 adult bucks, 1,168 adult does and 572 fawns, about 8.3 deer for each of the 413 square miles of land the DNR counts in it. 5,901 hunters used their firearms license here in the A season and registered 2,480 deer, about 42 deer for every 100 of them. Archers: 1,764 hunters, 430 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 | 3,420 | 1,680 | 1,168 | 572 | 8.28 | 5,901 | 2,480 | 1,764 | 430 | 649 | 156 |
| 2024 | 3,270 | 1,599 | 1,081 | 590 | 7.92 | 5,738 | 2,407 | 1,651 | 386 | 663 | 127 |
| 2023 | 2,734 | 1,262 | 941 | 531 | 6.62 | 5,618 | 2,090 | 1,596 | 264 | 782 | 115 |
| 2022 | 2,951 | 1,297 | 1,115 | 539 | 7.15 | 5,592 | 2,128 | 1,508 | 382 | 729 | 141 |
| 2021 | 2,904 | 1,447 | 948 | 509 | 7.03 | 5,358 | 2,290 | 1,476 | 310 | 678 | 134 |
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 222 that year.
When are the 2026 deer seasons in DPA 222?
DPA 222 is a "Three-deer limit" 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 | Three-deer limit |
| 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 |
| Early antlerless 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 222?
9,506 of DPA 222's 264,509 acres are public land open to the public (3.6%). The biggest share is state wildlife management areas: 5,337 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of DPA 222 |
|---|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 5,337 | 2% |
| State forest and other DNR land | 4,102 | 1.6% |
| Other federal land | 38 | under 0.1% |
| County, city and regional land | 29 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 9,506 | 3.6% |
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 222
DNR WMAs in DPA 222, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Four Brooks WMA: 4,201 acres
- BenLacs WMA: 620 acres
- Ivan Jindra Memorial WMA: 243 acres
- Adams WMA: 81 acres
- Bibles Slough WMA: 68 acres
- Kunkel WMA: 17 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Rum River State Forest (3,580 acres).
How do you get to DPA 222?
Highways through it: MN 23 (about 16 miles inside), US 169 (about 16 miles inside), MN 95 (about 8 miles inside), MN 27 (about 8 miles inside) and MN 25 (about 6 miles inside). Towns inside: Milaca, Foley, Foreston, Onamia, Hillman and Pease. Nearby: Gilman (on the line), Princeton (on the line), Bock (4 miles) and Wahkon (7 miles).
Which deer permit areas border DPA 222?
DPA 222 touches 6 other deer permit areas. Their latest DNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| DPA | Deer harvested | Year | Public land | Walk-In Access sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 157 | 4,606 | 2025 | 6.8% | |
| DPA 221 | 4,908 | 2025 | 1.8% | |
| DPA 223 | 2,839 | 2025 | 4.6% | |
| DPA 225 | 5,598 | 2025 | 4.2% | |
| DPA 227 | 4,198 | 2025 | 3.8% | |
| DPA 249 | 3,126 | 2025 | 4.9% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in DPA 222 in 2025?
3,420 deer were registered: 1,680 adult bucks, 1,168 adult does and 572 fawns (DNR 2025 Deer Harvest Report, Table 3). The most in the 5 years shown was 3,420, in 2025.
What is the 2026 bag limit in DPA 222?
The DNR lists DPA 222 as "Three-deer limit" for 2026. Firearm A season: Nov. 7 to Nov. 15, 2026.
Is there public land to hunt in DPA 222?
Yes. 9,506 acres, 3.6% of the permit area, are public land open to the public by PAD-US 4.1, mostly state wildlife management areas. The DNR's map shows 6 wildlife management areas here, the largest Four Brooks WMA (4,201 acres).
How many firearms hunters hunt DPA 222?
5,901 in the 2025 firearms A season, by the DNR's Table 5. They registered 2,480 deer, 1,401 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.
Minnesota hunting Mille Lacs County Benton County Morrison County DPA 157 DPA 221 DPA 223 DPA 225 DPA 227 DPA 249