Deer Permit Area 248: deer harvest, seasons and public land
Minnesota's Deer Permit Area 248 covers 232 square miles of Morrison and Cass counties, around Randall. Hunters registered 1,109 deer here in 2025, 633 of them adult bucks, by the DNR's 2025 Deer Harvest Report. That is up 12% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 2.8% of DPA 248 is public land open to the public, the largest share state forest and other DNR land (3,214 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 landState parksCounty, city and regional landDPA 248Neighboring deer permit areasLakeHighway
| Counties | Morrison County and Cass County |
|---|---|
| Size | 148,488 acres (232 square miles) |
| 2026 bag limit | Two-deer limit |
| Firearm A season, 2026 | Nov. 7 to Nov. 15, 2026 |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 1,109 (633 adult bucks) |
| Firearms hunters, 2025 | 1,934 |
| Public land | 2.8% (4,141 acres) |
| WMAs | 1 (83 acres inside DPA 248) |
| Walk-In Access | None mapped this year |
| Towns in and near it | Randall, Motley, Pillager, Fort Ripley, Little Falls and East Gull Lake |
How many deer are harvested in DPA 248?
The DNR registered 1,109 deer in DPA 248 in 2025: 633 adult bucks, 354 adult does and 122 fawns, about 5.2 deer for each of the 214 square miles of land the DNR counts in it. 1,934 hunters used their firearms license here in the A season and registered 713 deer, about 37 deer for every 100 of them. Archers: 652 hunters, 265 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 | 1,109 | 633 | 354 | 122 | 5.18 | 1,934 | 713 | 652 | 265 | 232 | 85 |
| 2024 | 990 | 559 | 306 | 125 | 4.63 | 1,888 | 636 | 668 | 252 | 244 | 73 |
| 2023 | 778 | 416 | 270 | 92 | 3.64 | 1,952 | 610 | 659 | 109 | 264 | 27 |
| 2022 | 820 | 410 | 295 | 115 | 3.83 | 1,888 | 667 | 578 | 92 | 255 | 34 |
| 2021 | 1,070 | 543 | 353 | 174 | 5.00 | 1,894 | 815 | 670 | 148 | 246 | 60 |
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 248 that year.
When are the 2026 deer seasons in DPA 248?
DPA 248 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). Check the DNR's regulations before you go: dates and limits can change during the year.
How much public land is in DPA 248?
4,141 of DPA 248's 148,488 acres are public land open to the public (2.8%). The biggest share is state forest and other DNR land: 3,214 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of DPA 248 |
|---|---|---|
| State forest and other DNR land | 3,214 | 2.2% |
| State parks | 507 | 0.3% |
| State wildlife management areas | 420 | 0.3% |
| All public land open to the public | 4,141 | 2.8% |
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 248
DNR WMAs in DPA 248, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Stanchfield Lake WMA: 83 acres
How do you get to DPA 248?
Highways through it: US 10 (about 13 miles inside), MN 115 (about 8 miles inside) and MN 210 (about 5 miles inside). Towns inside: Randall, Motley and Pillager. Nearby: Fort Ripley (on the line), Little Falls (on the line), East Gull Lake (4 miles) and Baxter (5 miles).
Which deer permit areas border DPA 248?
DPA 248 touches 5 other deer permit areas. Their latest DNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| DPA | Deer harvested | Year | Public land | Walk-In Access sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 214 | 4,781 | 2025 | 2.8% | |
| DPA 221 | 4,908 | 2025 | 1.8% | |
| DPA 246 | 3,143 | 2025 | 13.1% | |
| DPA 249 | 3,126 | 2025 | 4.9% | |
| DPA 604 | 3,509 | 2025 | 4.1% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in DPA 248 in 2025?
1,109 deer were registered: 633 adult bucks, 354 adult does and 122 fawns (DNR 2025 Deer Harvest Report, Table 3). The most in the 5 years shown was 1,109, in 2025.
What is the 2026 bag limit in DPA 248?
The DNR lists DPA 248 as "Two-deer limit" for 2026. Firearm A season: Nov. 7 to Nov. 15, 2026.
Is there public land to hunt in DPA 248?
Yes. 4,141 acres, 2.8% of the permit area, are public land open to the public by PAD-US 4.1, mostly state forest and other DNR land. The DNR's map shows one wildlife management area here, Stanchfield Lake WMA (83 acres).
How many firearms hunters hunt DPA 248?
1,934 in the 2025 firearms A season, by the DNR's Table 5. They registered 713 deer, 438 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 Morrison County Cass County DPA 214 DPA 221 DPA 246 DPA 249 DPA 604