Deer Permit Area 255: deer harvest, seasons and public land
Minnesota's Deer Permit Area 255 covers 388 square miles of Mower and Dodge counties, around Austin. Hunters registered 704 deer here in 2025, 388 of them adult bucks, by the DNR's 2025 Deer Harvest Report. That is up 4% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 0.8% of DPA 255 is public land open to the public, the largest share state wildlife management areas (1,102 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 areasCounty, city and regional landDPA 255Neighboring deer permit areasLakeHighway
| Counties | Mower County and Dodge County |
|---|---|
| Size | 248,402 acres (388 square miles) |
| 2026 bag limit | Three-deer limit |
| Firearm A season, 2026 | Nov. 7 to Nov. 15, 2026 |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 704 (388 adult bucks) |
| Firearms hunters, 2025 | 1,149 |
| Public land | 0.8% (2,029 acres) |
| WMAs | 8 (1,046 acres inside DPA 255) |
| Walk-In Access | None mapped this year |
| Towns in and near it | Austin, Hayfield, Sargeant, Adams, Elkton and Dexter |
How many deer are harvested in DPA 255?
The DNR registered 704 deer in DPA 255 in 2025: 388 adult bucks, 239 adult does and 77 fawns, about 1.8 deer for each of the 392 square miles of land the DNR counts in it. 1,149 hunters used their firearms license here in the A season and registered 422 deer, about 37 deer for every 100 of them. Archers: 603 hunters, 206 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 | 704 | 388 | 239 | 77 | 1.80 | 1,149 | 422 | 603 | 206 | 237 | 59 |
| 2024 | 677 | 353 | 238 | 86 | 1.73 | 1,140 | 437 | 544 | 174 | 242 | 49 |
| 2023 | 677 | 357 | 230 | 90 | 1.73 | 1,080 | 449 | 605 | 166 | 250 | 44 |
| 2022 | 612 | 316 | 212 | 84 | 1.56 | 1,122 | 387 | 565 | 159 | 252 | 53 |
| 2021 | 610 | 327 | 193 | 90 | 1.56 | 1,109 | 376 | 592 | 154 | 263 | 59 |
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 255 that year.
When are the 2026 deer seasons in DPA 255?
DPA 255 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 |
| 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 255?
2,029 of DPA 255's 248,402 acres are public land open to the public (0.8%). The biggest share is state wildlife management areas: 1,102 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of DPA 255 |
|---|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 1,102 | 0.4% |
| County, city and regional land | 769 | 0.3% |
| State forest and other DNR land | 158 | 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 2,029 | 0.8% |
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 255
DNR WMAs in DPA 255, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Ramsey Mill Pond WMA: 395 acres
- Lena Larson WMA: 172 acres
- Schottler WMA: 166 acres
- Lyle-austin WMA: 115 acres
- Red Cedar River WMA: 73 acres
- Rose WMA: 51 acres
- Schwerin Creek WMA: 37 acres
- Mentel WMA: 37 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Jay C Hormel Nature Center (353 acres) and Todd Park (165 acres).
How do you get to DPA 255?
Highways through it: I-90 (about 32 miles inside), US 218 (about 30 miles inside), MN 56 (about 28 miles inside), MN 30 (about 11 miles inside) and MN 105 (about 9 miles inside). Towns inside: Austin, Hayfield, Sargeant, Lyle, Rose Creek and Waltham. Nearby: Adams (on the line), Elkton (on the line), Dexter (on the line) and Blooming Prairie (on the line).
Which deer permit areas border DPA 255?
DPA 255 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 233 | 652 | 2025 | 1% | |
| DPA 254 | 1,373 | 2025 | 1.4% | |
| DPA 643 | 3,469 | 2025 | 1.3% | |
| DPA 655 | 451 | 2025 | 1.1% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in DPA 255 in 2025?
704 deer were registered: 388 adult bucks, 239 adult does and 77 fawns (DNR 2025 Deer Harvest Report, Table 3). The most in the 5 years shown was 704, in 2025.
What is the 2026 bag limit in DPA 255?
The DNR lists DPA 255 as "Three-deer limit" for 2026. Firearm A season: Nov. 7 to Nov. 15, 2026.
Is there public land to hunt in DPA 255?
Yes. 2,029 acres, 0.8% 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 8 wildlife management areas here, the largest Ramsey Mill Pond WMA (395 acres).
How many firearms hunters hunt DPA 255?
1,149 in the 2025 firearms A season, by the DNR's Table 5. They registered 422 deer, 253 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 Mower County Dodge County DPA 233 DPA 254 DPA 643 DPA 655