Deer Permit Area 279: deer harvest, seasons and public land
Minnesota's Deer Permit Area 279 covers 346 square miles of Lac qui Parle and Yellow Medicine counties, around Canby. Hunters registered 397 deer here in 2025, 275 of them adult bucks, by the DNR's 2025 Deer Harvest Report. That is up 7% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 4.7% of DPA 279 is public land open to the public, the largest share state wildlife management areas (7,428 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 areasWalk-In AccessDPA 279Neighboring deer permit areasLakeHighway
| Counties | Lac qui Parle County and Yellow Medicine County |
|---|---|
| Size | 221,359 acres (346 square miles) |
| 2026 bag limit | Two-deer limit |
| Firearm A season, 2026 | Nov. 7 to Nov. 15, 2026 |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 397 (275 adult bucks) |
| Firearms hunters, 2025 | 1,184 |
| Public land | 4.7% (10,459 acres) |
| WMAs | 23 (7,404 acres inside DPA 279) |
| Walk-In Access | 15 sites, 1,520 acres |
| Towns in and near it | Canby, Marietta, Nassau, Madison and Bellingham |
How many deer are harvested in DPA 279?
The DNR registered 397 deer in DPA 279 in 2025: 275 adult bucks, 87 adult does and 35 fawns, about 1.2 deer for each of the 344 square miles of land the DNR counts in it. 1,184 hunters used their firearms license here in the A season and registered 295 deer, about 25 deer for every 100 of them. Archers: 184 hunters, 30 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 | 397 | 275 | 87 | 35 | 1.15 | 1,184 | 295 | 184 | 30 | 236 | 52 |
| 2024 | 370 | 255 | 96 | 19 | 1.08 | 1,171 | 283 | 174 | 36 | 256 | 39 |
| 2023 | 358 | 213 | 114 | 31 | 1.04 | 1,134 | 274 | 148 | 35 | 281 | 41 |
| 2022 | 392 | 242 | 104 | 46 | 1.14 | 1,244 | 301 | 134 | 25 | 290 | 56 |
| 2021 | 393 | 259 | 99 | 35 | 1.14 | 1,188 | 297 | 170 | 27 | 280 | 51 |
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 279 that year.
When are the 2026 deer seasons in DPA 279?
DPA 279 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 |
| Disease management | CWD surveillance zone |
| CWD testing | Mandatory CWD testing Nov. 7-8; Voluntary CWD testing remainder of all seasons |
Source: Minnesota DNR deer permit areas, 2026 seasons (July 2026 - June 2027). Special CWD related regulations in this area. See mndnr.gov/cwd for details. Check the DNR's regulations before you go: dates and limits can change during the year.
How much public land is in DPA 279?
10,459 of DPA 279's 221,359 acres are public land open to the public (4.7%). The biggest share is state wildlife management areas: 7,428 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of DPA 279 |
|---|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 7,428 | 3.4% |
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 2,332 | 1.1% |
| State forest and other DNR land | 699 | 0.3% |
| All public land open to the public | 10,459 | 4.7% |
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 279
DNR WMAs in DPA 279, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Florida Creek WMA: 1,113 acres
- Salt Lake WMA: 779 acres
- David B. Vesall WMA: 645 acres
- Sweetwater WMA: 585 acres
- Gollnick WMA: 516 acres
- Sioux Nation WMA: 487 acres
- Haydenville WMA: 484 acres
- Bohemian WMA: 476 acres
- Northeast Four Corners WMA: 361 acres
- Tatley WMA: 323 acres
- Madrena WMA: 306 acres
- Kemen WMA: 209 acres
- Quilitz WMA: 209 acres
- Madison WMA: 209 acres
- Mound Springs WMA: 196 acres
- Bail Out WMA: 155 acres
- Saum Memorial WMA: 81 acres
- Plantation WMA: 69 acres
- Indigo WMA: 59 acres
- Dacotah WMA: 49 acres
- Archerville WMA: 41 acres
- Penthole WMA: 31 acres
- Fulica WMA: 21 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Lac Qui Parle County Waterfowl Production Area (2,025 acres) and Yellow Medicine County Waterfowl Production Area (314 acres).
Walk-In Access in DPA 279
The DNR's 2026 Walk-In Access layer shows 15 sites in DPA 279, 1,520 acres of private land open to hunters with a Walk-In Access validation from September 1 to May 31. The largest is Yellow Medicine WIA #529 (249 acres). DNR Walk-In Access.
How do you get to DPA 279?
Highways through it: MN 40 (about 13 miles inside), US 212 (about 13 miles inside), US 75 (about 10 miles inside) and MN 68 (about 9 miles inside). Towns inside: Canby and Marietta. Nearby: Nassau (on the line), Madison (on the line), Bellingham (5 miles) and Porter (5 miles).
Which deer permit areas border DPA 279?
DPA 279 touches 3 other deer permit areas. Their latest DNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| DPA | Deer harvested | Year | Public land | Walk-In Access sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 278 | 639 | 2025 | 18.8% | 2 |
| DPA 280 | 329 | 2025 | 2% | 19 |
| DPA 286 | 588 | 2025 | 4.1% | 30 |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in DPA 279 in 2025?
397 deer were registered: 275 adult bucks, 87 adult does and 35 fawns (DNR 2025 Deer Harvest Report, Table 3). The most in the 5 years shown was 397, in 2025.
What is the 2026 bag limit in DPA 279?
The DNR lists DPA 279 as "Two-deer limit" for 2026. Firearm A season: Nov. 7 to Nov. 15, 2026.
Is there public land to hunt in DPA 279?
Yes. 10,459 acres, 4.7% 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 23 wildlife management areas here, the largest Florida Creek WMA (1,113 acres). Walk-In Access adds 15 sites (1,520 acres).
How many firearms hunters hunt DPA 279?
1,184 in the 2025 firearms A season, by the DNR's Table 5. They registered 295 deer, 219 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 Lac qui Parle County Yellow Medicine County DPA 278 DPA 280 DPA 286