Deer Permit Area 224: deer harvest, seasons and public land
Minnesota's Deer Permit Area 224 covers 48 square miles of Sherburne County, near Zimmerman. Hunters registered 294 deer here in 2025, 175 of them adult bucks, by the DNR's 2025 Deer Harvest Report. That is down 5% from 2024. 100% of DPA 224 is public land open to the public, the largest share national wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas (30,648 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 areasCounty, city and regional landDPA 224Neighboring deer permit areasLakeHighway
| Counties | Sherburne County |
|---|---|
| Size | 30,656 acres (48 square miles) |
| 2026 bag limit | Two-deer limit |
| Firearm A season, 2026 | Nov. 7 to Nov. 15, 2026 |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 294 (175 adult bucks) |
| Firearms hunters, 2025 | 588 |
| Public land | 100% (30,652 acres) |
| WMAs | None mapped |
| Walk-In Access | None mapped this year |
| Towns in and near it | Zimmerman, Princeton and Big Lake |
How many deer are harvested in DPA 224?
The DNR registered 294 deer in DPA 224 in 2025: 175 adult bucks, 77 adult does and 42 fawns, about 6.3 deer for each of the 47 square miles of land the DNR counts in it. 588 hunters used their firearms license here in the A season and registered 198 deer, about 34 deer for every 100 of them. Archers: 392 hunters, 83 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 | 294 | 175 | 77 | 42 | 6.26 | 588 | 198 | 392 | 83 | 74 | 8 |
| 2024 | 310 | 153 | 111 | 46 | 6.60 | 545 | 215 | 338 | 72 | 80 | 16 |
| 2023 | 221 | 133 | 58 | 30 | 4.70 | 561 | 154 | 328 | 55 | 56 | 9 |
| 2022 | 247 | 132 | 80 | 35 | 5.26 | 582 | 183 | 334 | 50 | 60 | 13 |
| 2021 | 199 | 133 | 43 | 23 | 4.23 | 566 | 157 | 291 | 33 | 46 | 3 |
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 224 that year.
When are the 2026 deer seasons in DPA 224?
DPA 224 is a "Two-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 | Two-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 |
| CWD testing | Optional CWD testing available |
Source: Minnesota DNR deer permit areas, 2026 seasons (July 2026 - June 2027). See the Sherburne NWR hunting brochure. https://www.fws.gov/refuge/sherburne/visit-us/activities/hunting. Check the DNR's regulations before you go: dates and limits can change during the year.
How much public land is in DPA 224?
30,652 of DPA 224's 30,656 acres are public land open to the public (100%). The biggest share is national wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas: 30,648 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of DPA 224 |
|---|---|---|
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 30,648 | 100% |
| State forest and other DNR land | 4 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 30,652 | 100% |
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.
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge (30,652 acres).
How do you get to DPA 224?
No numbered highway crosses it. Nearby: Zimmerman (2 miles), Princeton (4 miles), Big Lake (5 miles) and Elk River (7 miles).
Which deer permit areas border DPA 224?
DPA 224 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 223 | 2,839 | 2025 | 4.6% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in DPA 224 in 2025?
294 deer were registered: 175 adult bucks, 77 adult does and 42 fawns (DNR 2025 Deer Harvest Report, Table 3). The most in the 5 years shown was 310, in 2024.
What is the 2026 bag limit in DPA 224?
The DNR lists DPA 224 as "Two-deer limit" for 2026. Firearm A season: Nov. 7 to Nov. 15, 2026.
Is there public land to hunt in DPA 224?
Yes. 30,652 acres, 100% of the permit area, are public land open to the public by PAD-US 4.1, mostly national wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas.
How many firearms hunters hunt DPA 224?
588 in the 2025 firearms A season, by the DNR's Table 5. They registered 198 deer, 129 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.