Deer Permit Area 259: deer harvest, seasons and public land
Minnesota's Deer Permit Area 259 covers 550 square miles of Hubbard and Cass counties, around Walker. Hunters registered 1,643 deer here in 2025, 1,233 of them adult bucks, by the DNR's 2025 Deer Harvest Report. That is up 24% from 2024. 24% of DPA 259 is public land open to the public, the largest share state forest and other DNR land (68,503 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 forestOther federal landState parksCounty, city and regional landDPA 259Neighboring deer permit areasLakeHighway
| Counties | Hubbard County and Cass County |
|---|---|
| Size | 352,256 acres (550 square miles) |
| 2026 bag limit | One-deer limit: antlerless permit lottery (2000) |
| Firearm A season, 2026 | Nov. 7 to Nov. 15, 2026 |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 1,643 (1,233 adult bucks) |
| Firearms hunters, 2025 | 5,650 |
| Public land | 24% (84,451 acres) |
| WMAs | 1 (381 acres inside DPA 259) |
| Walk-In Access | None mapped this year |
| Towns in and near it | Walker, Akeley, Laporte, Nevis, Hackensack and Park Rapids |
How many deer are harvested in DPA 259?
The DNR registered 1,643 deer in DPA 259 in 2025: 1,233 adult bucks, 294 adult does and 116 fawns, about 3.4 deer for each of the 490 square miles of land the DNR counts in it. 5,650 hunters used their firearms license here in the A season and registered 1,430 deer, about 25 deer for every 100 of them. Archers: 779 hunters, 106 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 | 1,643 | 1,233 | 294 | 116 | 3.35 | 5,650 | 1,430 | 779 | 106 | 309 | 36 |
| 2024 | 1,329 | 975 | 263 | 91 | 2.71 | 5,719 | 1,104 | 784 | 108 | 343 | 41 |
| 2023 | 1,266 | 792 | 355 | 119 | 2.58 | 5,709 | 1,106 | 736 | 81 | 399 | 34 |
| 2022 | 1,382 | 842 | 415 | 125 | 2.82 | 6,111 | 1,177 | 746 | 92 | 419 | 56 |
| 2021 | 1,714 | 1,076 | 445 | 193 | 3.50 | 6,137 | 1,524 | 743 | 74 | 387 | 54 |
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 259 that year.
When are the 2026 deer seasons in DPA 259?
DPA 259 is a "One-deer limit: antlerless permit lottery (2000)" 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: antlerless permit lottery (2000) |
| 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 259?
84,451 of DPA 259's 352,256 acres are public land open to the public (24%). The biggest share is state forest and other DNR land: 68,503 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of DPA 259 |
|---|---|---|
| State forest and other DNR land | 68,503 | 19.4% |
| National forest | 14,851 | 4.2% |
| State wildlife management areas | 926 | 0.3% |
| Other federal land | 171 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 84,451 | 24% |
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 259
DNR WMAs in DPA 259, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Kabekona WMA: 381 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Paul Bunyan State Forest (52,252 acres), Chippewa National Forest (14,909 acres), Foot Hills State Forest (6,417 acres) and Badoura State Forest (3,784 acres).
How do you get to DPA 259?
Highways through it: MN 64 (about 27 miles inside), US 71 (about 13 miles inside), MN 200 (about 12 miles inside), MN 371 (about 10 miles inside) and MN 34 (about 7 miles inside). Towns inside: Walker, Akeley, Laporte, Backus and Lake George. Nearby: Nevis (on the line), Hackensack (on the line), Park Rapids (7 miles) and Chickamaw Beach (8 miles).
Which deer permit areas border DPA 259?
DPA 259 touches 7 other deer permit areas. Their latest DNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| DPA | Deer harvested | Year | Public land | Walk-In Access sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 172 | 1,687 | 2025 | 29.8% | |
| DPA 197 | 1,098 | 2025 | 48.5% | |
| DPA 241 | 7,163 | 2025 | 1.8% | |
| DPA 246 | 3,143 | 2025 | 13.1% | |
| DPA 258 | 1,329 | 2025 | 15% | |
| DPA 287 | 85 | 2025 | 92.8% | |
| DPA 684 | 3,267 | 2025 | 9.6% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in DPA 259 in 2025?
1,643 deer were registered: 1,233 adult bucks, 294 adult does and 116 fawns (DNR 2025 Deer Harvest Report, Table 3). The most in the 5 years shown was 1,714, in 2021.
What is the 2026 bag limit in DPA 259?
The DNR lists DPA 259 as "One-deer limit: antlerless permit lottery (2000)" for 2026. Firearm A season: Nov. 7 to Nov. 15, 2026.
Is there public land to hunt in DPA 259?
Yes. 84,451 acres, 24% 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, Kabekona WMA (381 acres).
How many firearms hunters hunt DPA 259?
5,650 in the 2025 firearms A season, by the DNR's Table 5. They registered 1,430 deer, 1,123 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 Hubbard County Cass County DPA 172 DPA 197 DPA 241 DPA 246 DPA 258 DPA 287 DPA 684