Deer Permit Area 236: deer harvest, seasons and public land
Minnesota's Deer Permit Area 236 covers 401 square miles of Chisago, Washington and Anoka counties, around North Branch. Hunters registered 2,388 deer here in 2025, 1,324 of them adult bucks, by the DNR's 2025 Deer Harvest Report. That is up 15% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 4.9% of DPA 236 is public land open to the public, the largest share state wildlife management areas (5,075 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 areasState parksNational park landCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landDPA 236Neighboring deer permit areasLakeHighway
| Counties | Chisago County, Washington County and Anoka County |
|---|---|
| Size | 256,778 acres (401 square miles) |
| 2026 bag limit | Three-deer limit |
| Firearm A season, 2026 | Nov. 7 to Nov. 15, 2026 |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 2,388 (1,324 adult bucks) |
| Firearms hunters, 2025 | 3,085 |
| Public land | 4.9% (12,509 acres) |
| WMAs | 7 (4,883 acres inside DPA 236) |
| Walk-In Access | None mapped this year |
| Towns in and near it | North Branch, Scandia, Hugo, Columbus, Stillwater and Ham Lake |
How many deer are harvested in DPA 236?
The DNR registered 2,388 deer in DPA 236 in 2025: 1,324 adult bucks, 807 adult does and 257 fawns, about 6.5 deer for each of the 370 square miles of land the DNR counts in it. 3,085 hunters used their firearms license here in the A season and registered 1,198 deer, about 39 deer for every 100 of them. Archers: 2,569 hunters, 988 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 | 2,388 | 1,324 | 807 | 257 | 6.45 | 3,085 | 1,198 | 2,569 | 988 | 443 | 105 |
| 2024 | 2,085 | 1,182 | 693 | 210 | 5.64 | 2,977 | 1,055 | 2,344 | 830 | 525 | 122 |
| 2023 | 1,986 | 1,092 | 649 | 245 | 5.37 | 2,938 | 1,133 | 2,276 | 710 | 550 | 75 |
| 2022 | 2,074 | 1,088 | 713 | 273 | 5.61 | 2,975 | 1,149 | 2,091 | 706 | 560 | 140 |
| 2021 | 1,943 | 1,106 | 591 | 246 | 5.25 | 2,982 | 1,114 | 2,096 | 629 | 560 | 108 |
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 236 that year.
When are the 2026 deer seasons in DPA 236?
DPA 236 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 236?
12,509 of DPA 236's 256,778 acres are public land open to the public (4.9%). The biggest share is state wildlife management areas: 5,075 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of DPA 236 |
|---|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 5,075 | 2% |
| National park land | 2,420 | 0.9% |
| County, city and regional land | 2,033 | 0.8% |
| State parks | 2,007 | 0.8% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 583 | 0.2% |
| State forest and other DNR land | 387 | 0.2% |
| Other federal land | 4 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 12,509 | 4.9% |
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 236
DNR WMAs in DPA 236, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Keystone Woods WMA: 1,841 acres
- Lamprey Pass WMA: 1,277 acres
- Janet Johnson Memorial WMA: 787 acres
- Hardwood Creek WMA: 583 acres
- Paul Hugo Farms WMA: 358 acres
- Rutstrum WMA: 24 acres
- Carlos Avery WMA: 13 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Lower Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway (2,428 acres), Wild Wings Of Oneka Game Farm (503 acres), Pine Point Regional Park (260 acres), Columbus Lake Conservation Area (259 acres), Schilling Park / Bixby Park (186 acres), Irish Avenue Park (124 acres) and Hardwood Creek Regional Trail (110 acres).
How do you get to DPA 236?
Highways through it: I-35 (about 51 miles inside), US 61 (about 37 miles inside), MN 95 (about 36 miles inside), US 8 (about 34 miles inside) and MN 97 (about 13 miles inside). Towns inside: North Branch, Scandia, Hugo, Forest Lake, Stacy and Wyoming. Nearby: Columbus (on the line), Stillwater (on the line), Ham Lake (2 miles) and Lino Lakes (2 miles).
Which deer permit areas border DPA 236?
DPA 236 touches 4 other deer permit areas. Their latest DNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| DPA | Deer harvested | Year | Public land | Walk-In Access sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 225 | 5,598 | 2025 | 4.2% | |
| DPA 227 | 4,198 | 2025 | 3.8% | |
| DPA 235 | 191 | 2025 | 99.9% | |
| DPA 601 | 2,588 | 2025 | 9.5% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in DPA 236 in 2025?
2,388 deer were registered: 1,324 adult bucks, 807 adult does and 257 fawns (DNR 2025 Deer Harvest Report, Table 3). The most in the 5 years shown was 2,388, in 2025.
What is the 2026 bag limit in DPA 236?
The DNR lists DPA 236 as "Three-deer limit" for 2026. Firearm A season: Nov. 7 to Nov. 15, 2026.
Is there public land to hunt in DPA 236?
Yes. 12,509 acres, 4.9% 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 7 wildlife management areas here, the largest Keystone Woods WMA (1,841 acres).
How many firearms hunters hunt DPA 236?
3,085 in the 2025 firearms A season, by the DNR's Table 5. They registered 1,198 deer, 790 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 Chisago County Washington County Anoka County DPA 225 DPA 227 DPA 235