Deer Permit Area 268: deer harvest, seasons and public land
Minnesota's Deer Permit Area 268 covers 239 square miles of Roseau and Marshall counties, near Middle River. Hunters registered 801 deer here in 2025, 462 of them adult bucks, by the DNR's 2025 Deer Harvest Report. That is down 1% from 2024. 37.7% of DPA 268 is public land open to the public, the largest share state wildlife management areas (57,619 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 268Neighboring deer permit areasLakeHighway
| Counties | Roseau County and Marshall County |
|---|---|
| Size | 153,087 acres (239 square miles) |
| 2026 bag limit | Three-deer limit |
| Firearm A season, 2026 | Nov. 7 to Nov. 15, 2026 |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 801 (462 adult bucks) |
| Firearms hunters, 2025 | 1,388 |
| Public land | 37.7% (57,659 acres) |
| WMAs | 4 (57,297 acres inside DPA 268) |
| Walk-In Access | None mapped this year |
| Towns in and near it | Middle River, Strathcona and Badger |
How many deer are harvested in DPA 268?
The DNR registered 801 deer in DPA 268 in 2025: 462 adult bucks, 249 adult does and 90 fawns, about 3.5 deer for each of the 228 square miles of land the DNR counts in it. 1,388 hunters used their firearms license here in the A season and registered 669 deer, about 48 deer for every 100 of them. Archers: 250 hunters, 49 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 | 801 | 462 | 249 | 90 | 3.51 | 1,388 | 669 | 250 | 49 | 198 | 29 |
| 2024 | 810 | 524 | 222 | 64 | 3.55 | 1,392 | 668 | 229 | 58 | 188 | 40 |
| 2023 | 676 | 334 | 261 | 81 | 2.96 | 1,278 | 517 | 203 | 63 | 225 | 65 |
| 2022 | 702 | 346 | 251 | 105 | 3.08 | 1,334 | 554 | 177 | 55 | 192 | 55 |
| 2021 | 754 | 420 | 240 | 94 | 3.31 | 1,350 | 575 | 182 | 50 | 217 | 68 |
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 268 that year.
When are the 2026 deer seasons in DPA 268?
DPA 268 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). Special regulations for WMAs in this permit area. Details are on the DNR's WMA rules page. Check the DNR's regulations before you go: dates and limits can change during the year.
How much public land is in DPA 268?
57,659 of DPA 268's 153,087 acres are public land open to the public (37.7%). The biggest share is state wildlife management areas: 57,619 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of DPA 268 |
|---|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 57,619 | 37.6% |
| State forest and other DNR land | 40 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 57,659 | 37.7% |
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 268
DNR WMAs in DPA 268, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Thief Lake WMA: 32,571 acres
- Palmville WMA: 14,857 acres
- Nereson WMA: 9,861 acres
- Grimstad WMA: 8 acres
How do you get to DPA 268?
Highways through it: MN 89 (about 3 miles inside). Nearby: Middle River (on the line), Strathcona (on the line), Badger (5 miles) and Greenbush (7 miles).
Which deer permit areas border DPA 268?
DPA 268 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 101 | 759 | 2025 | 29.6% | |
| DPA 208 | 465 | 2025 | 3.8% | |
| DPA 264 | 1,995 | 2025 | 7% | |
| DPA 267 | 772 | 2025 | 6.1% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in DPA 268 in 2025?
801 deer were registered: 462 adult bucks, 249 adult does and 90 fawns (DNR 2025 Deer Harvest Report, Table 3). The most in the 5 years shown was 810, in 2024.
What is the 2026 bag limit in DPA 268?
The DNR lists DPA 268 as "Three-deer limit" for 2026. Firearm A season: Nov. 7 to Nov. 15, 2026.
Is there public land to hunt in DPA 268?
Yes. 57,659 acres, 37.7% 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 4 wildlife management areas here, the largest Thief Lake WMA (32,571 acres).
How many firearms hunters hunt DPA 268?
1,388 in the 2025 firearms A season, by the DNR's Table 5. They registered 669 deer, 398 of them adult bucks.
Get a Minnesota hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Minnesota are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Minnesota included.
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 Roseau County Marshall County DPA 101 DPA 208 DPA 264 DPA 267