Deer Permit Area 235: deer harvest, seasons and public land
Minnesota's Deer Permit Area 235 covers 38 square miles of Anoka and Chisago counties, around Columbus. Hunters registered 191 deer here in 2025, 121 of them adult bucks, by the DNR's 2025 Deer Harvest Report. That is up 36% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 99.9% of DPA 235 is public land open to the public, the largest share state wildlife management areas (24,611 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 landCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landDPA 235Neighboring deer permit areasLakeHighway
| Counties | Anoka County and Chisago County |
|---|---|
| Size | 24,627 acres (38 square miles) |
| 2026 bag limit | One-deer limit: either sex |
| Firearm A season, 2026 | Nov. 7 to Nov. 15, 2026 |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 191 (121 adult bucks) |
| Firearms hunters, 2025 | 405 |
| Public land | 99.9% (24,611 acres) |
| WMAs | 1 (24,601 acres inside DPA 235) |
| Walk-In Access | None mapped this year |
| Towns in and near it | Columbus, Wyoming, Stacy and Chisago City |
How many deer are harvested in DPA 235?
The DNR registered 191 deer in DPA 235 in 2025: 121 adult bucks, 46 adult does and 24 fawns, about 5.6 deer for each of the 34 square miles of land the DNR counts in it. 405 hunters used their firearms license here in the A season and registered 108 deer, about 27 deer for every 100 of them. Archers: 305 hunters, 64 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 | 191 | 121 | 46 | 24 | 5.62 | 405 | 108 | 305 | 64 | 55 | 13 |
| 2024 | 140 | 101 | 30 | 9 | 4.12 | 348 | 83 | 308 | 52 | 44 | 4 |
| 2023 | 158 | 95 | 46 | 17 | 4.65 | 378 | 101 | 306 | 36 | 53 | 9 |
| 2022 | 154 | 93 | 42 | 19 | 4.53 | 366 | 93 | 313 | 56 | 75 | 4 |
| 2021 | 188 | 121 | 46 | 21 | 5.53 | 425 | 118 | 323 | 58 | 82 | 8 |
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 235 that year.
When are the 2026 deer seasons in DPA 235?
DPA 235 is a "One-deer limit: either sex" 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: either sex |
| 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). Check the DNR's regulations before you go: dates and limits can change during the year.
How much public land is in DPA 235?
24,611 of DPA 235's 24,627 acres are public land open to the public (99.9%). The biggest share is state wildlife management areas: 24,611 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of DPA 235 |
|---|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 24,611 | 99.9% |
| All public land open to the public | 24,611 | 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 235
DNR WMAs in DPA 235, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Carlos Avery WMA: 24,601 acres
How do you get to DPA 235?
No numbered highway crosses it. Towns inside: Columbus. Nearby: Wyoming (on the line), Stacy (on the line), Chisago City (on the line) and Ham Lake (3 miles).
Which deer permit areas border DPA 235?
DPA 235 touches 2 other deer permit areas. Their latest DNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in DPA 235 in 2025?
191 deer were registered: 121 adult bucks, 46 adult does and 24 fawns (DNR 2025 Deer Harvest Report, Table 3). The most in the 5 years shown was 191, in 2025.
What is the 2026 bag limit in DPA 235?
The DNR lists DPA 235 as "One-deer limit: either sex" for 2026. Firearm A season: Nov. 7 to Nov. 15, 2026.
Is there public land to hunt in DPA 235?
Yes. 24,611 acres, 99.9% 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 one wildlife management area here, Carlos Avery WMA (24,601 acres).
How many firearms hunters hunt DPA 235?
405 in the 2025 firearms A season, by the DNR's Table 5. They registered 108 deer, 75 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 Anoka County Chisago County DPA 227 DPA 236