Deer Permit Area 227: deer harvest, seasons and public land
Minnesota's Deer Permit Area 227 covers 491 square miles of Isanti, Anoka and Sherburne counties, around East Bethel. Hunters registered 4,198 deer here in 2025, 2,031 of them adult bucks, by the DNR's 2025 Deer Harvest Report. That is up 8% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 3.8% of DPA 227 is public land open to the public, the largest share county, city and regional land (6,007 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 landLand trusts and other open landDPA 227Neighboring deer permit areasLakeHighway
| Counties | Isanti County, Anoka County, Sherburne County, Chisago County and Mille Lacs County |
|---|---|
| Size | 314,506 acres (491 square miles) |
| 2026 bag limit | Three-deer limit |
| Firearm A season, 2026 | Nov. 7 to Nov. 15, 2026 |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 4,198 (2,031 adult bucks) |
| Firearms hunters, 2025 | 5,322 |
| Public land | 3.8% (11,917 acres) |
| WMAs | 13 (4,329 acres inside DPA 227) |
| Walk-In Access | None mapped this year |
| Towns in and near it | East Bethel, Oak Grove, Nowthen, Elk River, Zimmerman and Stacy |
How many deer are harvested in DPA 227?
The DNR registered 4,198 deer in DPA 227 in 2025: 2,031 adult bucks, 1,585 adult does and 582 fawns, about 8.9 deer for each of the 472 square miles of land the DNR counts in it. 5,322 hunters used their firearms license here in the A season and registered 2,310 deer, about 43 deer for every 100 of them. Archers: 3,715 hunters, 1,331 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 | 4,198 | 2,031 | 1,585 | 582 | 8.89 | 5,322 | 2,310 | 3,715 | 1,331 | 963 | 294 |
| 2024 | 3,893 | 2,005 | 1,360 | 528 | 8.25 | 5,206 | 2,234 | 3,336 | 1,186 | 1,025 | 264 |
| 2023 | 3,470 | 1,745 | 1,224 | 501 | 7.35 | 5,074 | 2,066 | 3,256 | 997 | 1,141 | 204 |
| 2022 | 3,520 | 1,696 | 1,260 | 564 | 7.46 | 5,013 | 2,062 | 3,036 | 954 | 1,132 | 297 |
| 2021 | 3,378 | 1,754 | 1,139 | 485 | 7.16 | 4,968 | 2,025 | 2,956 | 882 | 1,023 | 241 |
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 227 that year.
When are the 2026 deer seasons in DPA 227?
DPA 227 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 227?
11,917 of DPA 227's 314,506 acres are public land open to the public (3.8%). The biggest share is county, city and regional land: 6,007 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of DPA 227 |
|---|---|---|
| County, city and regional land | 6,007 | 1.9% |
| State wildlife management areas | 4,396 | 1.4% |
| State forest and other DNR land | 1,514 | 0.5% |
| All public land open to the public | 11,917 | 3.8% |
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 227
DNR WMAs in DPA 227, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Gordie Mikkelson WMA: 860 acres
- Bethel WMA: 755 acres
- Marget Lake WMA: 508 acres
- Spectacle WMA: 505 acres
- Crooked Road WMA: 390 acres
- Spencer Brook WMA: 310 acres
- Marvin W. Schubring Memorial WMA: 285 acres
- Robert and Marilyn Burman WMA: 204 acres
- Athens WMA: 192 acres
- Hoffman Lake WMA: 115 acres
- Carl E. Bonnell WMA: 78 acres
- Vietnam Veterans WMA: 71 acres
- Mallard Marsh WMA: 56 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Cedar Creek Nha (3,183 acres), Sandhill Crane Natural Area (628 acres), Lake George Regional Park (258 acres) and Spirit River Nature Area (128 acres).
How do you get to DPA 227?
Highways through it: MN 65 (about 40 miles inside), MN 47 (about 20 miles inside), MN 95 (about 10 miles inside), US 169 (about 8 miles inside) and I-35 (about 4 miles inside). Towns inside: East Bethel, Oak Grove, Nowthen, St. Francis, Cambridge and Isanti. Nearby: Elk River (on the line), Zimmerman (on the line), Stacy (on the line) and North Branch (2 miles).
Which deer permit areas border DPA 227?
DPA 227 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 222 | 3,420 | 2025 | 3.6% | |
| DPA 223 | 2,839 | 2025 | 4.6% | |
| DPA 225 | 5,598 | 2025 | 4.2% | |
| DPA 235 | 191 | 2025 | 99.9% | |
| DPA 236 | 2,388 | 2025 | 4.9% | |
| DPA 601 | 2,588 | 2025 | 9.5% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in DPA 227 in 2025?
4,198 deer were registered: 2,031 adult bucks, 1,585 adult does and 582 fawns (DNR 2025 Deer Harvest Report, Table 3). The most in the 5 years shown was 4,198, in 2025.
What is the 2026 bag limit in DPA 227?
The DNR lists DPA 227 as "Three-deer limit" for 2026. Firearm A season: Nov. 7 to Nov. 15, 2026.
Is there public land to hunt in DPA 227?
Yes. 11,917 acres, 3.8% of the permit area, are public land open to the public by PAD-US 4.1, mostly county, city and regional land. The DNR's map shows 13 wildlife management areas here, the largest Gordie Mikkelson WMA (860 acres).
How many firearms hunters hunt DPA 227?
5,322 in the 2025 firearms A season, by the DNR's Table 5. They registered 2,310 deer, 1,359 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 Isanti County Anoka County Sherburne County Chisago County Mille Lacs County DPA 222 DPA 223 DPA 225 DPA 235 DPA 236