Deer Permit Area 240: deer harvest, seasons and public land
Minnesota's Deer Permit Area 240 covers 694 square miles of Otter Tail, Todd and Wadena counties, around Ottertail. Hunters registered 5,068 deer here in 2025, 2,347 of them adult bucks, by the DNR's 2025 Deer Harvest Report. That is up 14% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 2.4% of DPA 240 is public land open to the public, the largest share state wildlife management areas (4,885 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 parksCounty, city and regional landDPA 240Neighboring deer permit areasLakeHighway
| Counties | Otter Tail County, Todd County and Wadena County |
|---|---|
| Size | 444,382 acres (694 square miles) |
| 2026 bag limit | Three-deer limit |
| Firearm A season, 2026 | Nov. 7 to Nov. 15, 2026 |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 5,068 (2,347 adult bucks) |
| Firearms hunters, 2025 | 8,214 |
| Public land | 2.4% (10,687 acres) |
| WMAs | 10 (4,873 acres inside DPA 240) |
| Walk-In Access | None mapped this year |
| Towns in and near it | Ottertail, Deer Creek, Henning, Hewitt, Bluffton and Battle Lake |
How many deer are harvested in DPA 240?
The DNR registered 5,068 deer in DPA 240 in 2025: 2,347 adult bucks, 1,949 adult does and 772 fawns, about 7.9 deer for each of the 643 square miles of land the DNR counts in it. 8,214 hunters used their firearms license here in the A season and registered 3,778 deer, about 46 deer for every 100 of them. Archers: 1,866 hunters, 522 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 | 5,068 | 2,347 | 1,949 | 772 | 7.88 | 8,214 | 3,778 | 1,866 | 522 | 888 | 238 |
| 2024 | 4,457 | 2,360 | 1,451 | 646 | 6.93 | 8,207 | 3,538 | 1,901 | 502 | 934 | 210 |
| 2023 | 4,090 | 1,876 | 1,519 | 695 | 6.36 | 7,839 | 3,309 | 1,829 | 373 | 1,023 | 206 |
| 2022 | 4,471 | 1,915 | 1,783 | 773 | 6.95 | 7,994 | 3,259 | 1,718 | 444 | 956 | 254 |
| 2021 | 5,023 | 2,463 | 1,749 | 811 | 7.81 | 7,925 | 3,937 | 1,841 | 528 | 969 | 271 |
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 240 that year.
When are the 2026 deer seasons in DPA 240?
DPA 240 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 240?
10,687 of DPA 240's 444,382 acres are public land open to the public (2.4%). The biggest share is state wildlife management areas: 4,885 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of DPA 240 |
|---|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 4,885 | 1.1% |
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 2,443 | 0.5% |
| State parks | 1,920 | 0.4% |
| State forest and other DNR land | 1,372 | 0.3% |
| County, city and regional land | 45 | under 0.1% |
| Other federal land | 22 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 10,687 | 2.4% |
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 240
DNR WMAs in DPA 240, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Elmo WMA: 1,508 acres
- Inman (Wunderlich) WMA: 1,352 acres
- Eastern WMA: 1,028 acres
- Folden Woods Marsh WMA: 320 acres
- Wrightstown WMA: 221 acres
- Almora WMA: 164 acres
- Lake Sixteen WMA: 119 acres
- Otto WMA: 69 acres
- Inspiration WMA: 59 acres
- Clitheral WMA: 33 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Otter Tail County Waterfowl Production Area (2,446 acres).
How do you get to DPA 240?
Highways through it: MN 210 (about 32 miles inside), US 10 (about 29 miles inside), MN 29 (about 27 miles inside), MN 78 (about 23 miles inside) and MN 108 (about 20 miles inside). Towns inside: Ottertail, Deer Creek, Henning, New York Mills, Parkers Prairie and Vining. Nearby: Hewitt (on the line), Bluffton (on the line), Battle Lake (on the line) and Eagle Bend (on the line).
Which deer permit areas border DPA 240?
DPA 240 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 213 | 6,423 | 2025 | 3.3% | 3 |
| DPA 214 | 4,781 | 2025 | 2.8% | |
| DPA 239 | 3,595 | 2025 | 4% | |
| DPA 241 | 7,163 | 2025 | 1.8% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in DPA 240 in 2025?
5,068 deer were registered: 2,347 adult bucks, 1,949 adult does and 772 fawns (DNR 2025 Deer Harvest Report, Table 3). The most in the 5 years shown was 5,068, in 2025.
What is the 2026 bag limit in DPA 240?
The DNR lists DPA 240 as "Three-deer limit" for 2026. Firearm A season: Nov. 7 to Nov. 15, 2026.
Is there public land to hunt in DPA 240?
Yes. 10,687 acres, 2.4% 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 10 wildlife management areas here, the largest Elmo WMA (1,508 acres).
How many firearms hunters hunt DPA 240?
8,214 in the 2025 firearms A season, by the DNR's Table 5. They registered 3,778 deer, 1,988 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 Otter Tail County Todd County Wadena County DPA 213 DPA 214 DPA 239 DPA 241