Deer Permit Area 262: deer harvest, seasons and public land
Minnesota's Deer Permit Area 262 covers 677 square miles of Norman, Clay and Polk counties, around Dilworth. Hunters registered 426 deer here in 2025, 249 of them adult bucks, by the DNR's 2025 Deer Harvest Report. That is down 9% from 2024. 0.1% of DPA 262 is public land open to the public, the largest share county, city and regional land (278 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 262Neighboring deer permit areasLakeHighway
| Counties | Norman County, Clay County and Polk County |
|---|---|
| Size | 433,049 acres (677 square miles) |
| 2026 bag limit | Two-deer limit |
| Firearm A season, 2026 | Nov. 7 to Nov. 15, 2026 |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 426 (249 adult bucks) |
| Firearms hunters, 2025 | 973 |
| Public land | 0.1% (278 acres) |
| WMAs | None mapped |
| Walk-In Access | None mapped this year |
| Towns in and near it | Dilworth, Ada, Georgetown, Nielsville, Glyndon and Moorhead |
How many deer are harvested in DPA 262?
The DNR registered 426 deer in DPA 262 in 2025: 249 adult bucks, 142 adult does and 35 fawns, about 0.6 deer for each of the 677 square miles of land the DNR counts in it. 973 hunters used their firearms license here in the A season and registered 273 deer, about 28 deer for every 100 of them. Archers: 316 hunters, 94 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 | 426 | 249 | 142 | 35 | 0.63 | 973 | 273 | 316 | 94 | 157 | 40 |
| 2024 | 466 | 255 | 168 | 43 | 0.69 | 916 | 322 | 295 | 87 | 149 | 44 |
| 2023 | 416 | 237 | 127 | 52 | 0.61 | 873 | 260 | 277 | 83 | 170 | 62 |
| 2022 | 474 | 253 | 178 | 43 | 0.70 | 941 | 331 | 242 | 66 | 166 | 60 |
| 2021 | 461 | 290 | 119 | 52 | 0.68 | 869 | 274 | 240 | 69 | 131 | 24 |
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 262 that year.
When are the 2026 deer seasons in DPA 262?
DPA 262 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 262?
278 of DPA 262's 433,049 acres are public land open to the public (0.1%). The biggest share is county, city and regional land: 278 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of DPA 262 |
|---|---|---|
| County, city and regional land | 278 | 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 278 | 0.1% |
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: Mb Johnson Park (110 acres).
How do you get to DPA 262?
Highways through it: US 75 (about 45 miles inside), MN 9 (about 19 miles inside), MN 200 (about 19 miles inside) and US 10 (about 3 miles inside). Towns inside: Dilworth, Ada, Georgetown, Felton, Halstad and Borup. Nearby: Nielsville (on the line), Glyndon (on the line), Moorhead (on the line) and Beltrami (on the line).
Which deer permit areas border DPA 262?
DPA 262 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 265 | 1,177 | 2025 | 3.6% | |
| DPA 269 | 464 | 2025 | 4.7% | 12 |
| DPA 661 | 437 | 2025 | 0.1% | |
| DPA 666 | 686 | 2025 | 7.6% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in DPA 262 in 2025?
426 deer were registered: 249 adult bucks, 142 adult does and 35 fawns (DNR 2025 Deer Harvest Report, Table 3). The most in the 5 years shown was 474, in 2022.
What is the 2026 bag limit in DPA 262?
The DNR lists DPA 262 as "Two-deer limit" for 2026. Firearm A season: Nov. 7 to Nov. 15, 2026.
Is there public land to hunt in DPA 262?
Yes. 278 acres, 0.1% of the permit area, are public land open to the public by PAD-US 4.1, mostly county, city and regional land.
How many firearms hunters hunt DPA 262?
973 in the 2025 firearms A season, by the DNR's Table 5. They registered 273 deer, 174 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 Norman County Clay County Polk County DPA 265 DPA 269 DPA 661