Deer Permit Area 251: deer harvest, seasons and public land
Minnesota's Deer Permit Area 251 covers 68 square miles of Becker County, near Detroit Lakes. Hunters registered 103 deer here in 2025, 69 of them adult bucks, by the DNR's 2025 Deer Harvest Report. That is up 13% from 2024. 99.6% of DPA 251 is public land open to the public, the largest share national wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas (43,238 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 areasDPA 251Neighboring deer permit areasLakeHighway
| Counties | Becker County |
|---|---|
| Size | 43,464 acres (68 square miles) |
| 2026 bag limit | One-deer limit: either sex |
| Firearm A season, 2026 | Nov. 7 to Nov. 15, 2026 |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 103 (69 adult bucks) |
| Firearms hunters, 2025 | 341 |
| Public land | 99.6% (43,302 acres) |
| WMAs | None mapped |
| Walk-In Access | None mapped this year |
| Towns in and near it | Detroit Lakes, Callaway and Frazee |
How many deer are harvested in DPA 251?
The DNR registered 103 deer in DPA 251 in 2025: 69 adult bucks, 24 adult does and 10 fawns, about 1.9 deer for each of the 55 square miles of land the DNR counts in it. 341 hunters used their firearms license here in the A season and registered 91 deer, about 27 deer for every 100 of them. Archers: 39 hunters, 7 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 | 103 | 69 | 24 | 10 | 1.87 | 341 | 91 | 39 | 7 | 28 | 3 |
| 2024 | 91 | 59 | 21 | 11 | 1.65 | 349 | 79 | 52 | 7 | 32 | 3 |
| 2023 | 105 | 47 | 39 | 19 | 1.91 | 396 | 96 | 42 | 5 | 38 | 2 |
| 2022 | 101 | 58 | 24 | 19 | 1.84 | 391 | 85 | 40 | 8 | 30 | 4 |
| 2021 | 116 | 78 | 26 | 12 | 2.11 | 400 | 103 | 49 | 2 | 29 | 7 |
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 251 that year.
When are the 2026 deer seasons in DPA 251?
DPA 251 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). See the Tamarac NWR website for details. https://www.fws.gov/refuge/tamarac/visit-us/rules-policies. Check the DNR's regulations before you go: dates and limits can change during the year.
How much public land is in DPA 251?
43,302 of DPA 251's 43,464 acres are public land open to the public (99.6%). The biggest share is national wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas: 43,238 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of DPA 251 |
|---|---|---|
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 43,238 | 99.5% |
| State forest and other DNR land | 64 | 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 43,302 | 99.6% |
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.
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge (43,301 acres).
How do you get to DPA 251?
No numbered highway crosses it. Nearby: Detroit Lakes (10 miles), Callaway (11 miles), Frazee (11 miles) and Wolf Lake (13 miles).
Which deer permit areas border DPA 251?
DPA 251 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 251 in 2025?
103 deer were registered: 69 adult bucks, 24 adult does and 10 fawns (DNR 2025 Deer Harvest Report, Table 3). The most in the 5 years shown was 116, in 2021.
What is the 2026 bag limit in DPA 251?
The DNR lists DPA 251 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 251?
Yes. 43,302 acres, 99.6% of the permit area, are public land open to the public by PAD-US 4.1, mostly national wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas.
How many firearms hunters hunt DPA 251?
341 in the 2025 firearms A season, by the DNR's Table 5. They registered 91 deer, 64 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.