Deer Permit Area 280: deer harvest, seasons and public land
Minnesota's Deer Permit Area 280 covers 676 square miles of Yellow Medicine and Lac qui Parle counties, around Porter. Hunters registered 329 deer here in 2025, 245 of them adult bucks, by the DNR's 2025 Deer Harvest Report. That is down 8% from 2024. 2% of DPA 280 is public land open to the public, the largest share state wildlife management areas (7,599 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 areasNational wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areasState parksCounty, city and regional landWalk-In AccessDPA 280Neighboring deer permit areasLakeHighway
| Counties | Yellow Medicine County and Lac qui Parle County |
|---|---|
| Size | 432,484 acres (676 square miles) |
| 2026 bag limit | One-deer limit: antlerless permit lottery (150) |
| Firearm A season, 2026 | Nov. 7 to Nov. 15, 2026 |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 329 (245 adult bucks) |
| Firearms hunters, 2025 | 1,169 |
| Public land | 2% (8,836 acres) |
| WMAs | 48 (7,551 acres inside DPA 280) |
| Walk-In Access | 19 sites, 1,818 acres |
| Towns in and near it | Porter, Dawson, Clarkfield, Canby, Hanley Falls and Cottonwood |
How many deer are harvested in DPA 280?
The DNR registered 329 deer in DPA 280 in 2025: 245 adult bucks, 69 adult does and 15 fawns, about 0.5 deer for each of the 675 square miles of land the DNR counts in it. 1,169 hunters used their firearms license here in the A season and registered 257 deer, about 22 deer for every 100 of them. Archers: 279 hunters, 47 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 | 329 | 245 | 69 | 15 | 0.49 | 1,169 | 257 | 279 | 47 | 189 | 14 |
| 2024 | 359 | 271 | 68 | 20 | 0.53 | 1,221 | 285 | 285 | 35 | 208 | 22 |
| 2023 | 308 | 226 | 67 | 15 | 0.46 | 1,122 | 240 | 288 | 42 | 193 | 17 |
| 2022 | 354 | 254 | 85 | 15 | 0.52 | 1,154 | 263 | 203 | 51 | 168 | 22 |
| 2021 | 334 | 270 | 53 | 11 | 0.49 | 1,206 | 271 | 275 | 34 | 187 | 20 |
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 280 that year.
When are the 2026 deer seasons in DPA 280?
DPA 280 is a "One-deer limit: antlerless permit lottery (150)" 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 (150) |
| 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 280?
8,836 of DPA 280's 432,484 acres are public land open to the public (2%). The biggest share is state wildlife management areas: 7,599 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of DPA 280 |
|---|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 7,599 | 1.8% |
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 1,237 | 0.3% |
| All public land open to the public | 8,836 | 2% |
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 280
DNR WMAs in DPA 280, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Miller Richter WMA: 431 acres
- Middle Antelope Valley WMA: 379 acres
- Flinks Slough WMA: 358 acres
- Baxter WMA: 346 acres
- Omro WMA: 331 acres
- 25th Anniversary WMA: 329 acres
- Hamlin WMA: 318 acres
- James Meger WMA: 317 acres
- Tyro WMA: 302 acres
- Stoney Run WMA: 268 acres
- Borchardt -Rosin WMA: 258 acres
- Oshkosh WMA: 250 acres
- St. Leo WMA: 243 acres
- Providence WMA: 233 acres
- Lower Antelope Valley WMA: 222 acres
- Lanners WMA: 206 acres
- Ten-Well WMA: 175 acres
- Wild Wings WMA: 166 acres
- Upper Antelope Valley WMA: 161 acres
- Siyo Waste WMA: 158 acres
- Stokke WMA: 157 acres
- Benjamin Thovson Memorial WMA: 153 acres
- Riverside WMA: 146 acres
- Christopherson WMA: 143 acres
- Reserve WMA: 137 acres
- Big Rock WMA: 132 acres
- Lisbon WMA: 100 acres
- Creekside WMA: 100 acres
- Church WMA: 95 acres
- Lillejord WMA: 94 acres
- Swede Prairie WMA: 82 acres
- Myhre Slough WMA: 80 acres
- Dennis Haaland WMA: 80 acres
- Erie WMA: 69 acres
- Prospect WMA: 66 acres
- Sioux Indian WMA: 64 acres
- Lundy WMA: 61 acres
- Spellman Lake WMA: 60 acres
- Kaibab WMA: 54 acres
- Teardrop WMA: 42 acres
And 8 smaller ones.
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Yellow Medicine County Waterfowl Production Area (715 acres) and Lac Qui Parle County Waterfowl Production Area (522 acres).
Walk-In Access in DPA 280
The DNR's 2026 Walk-In Access layer shows 19 sites in DPA 280, 1,818 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 #992 (191 acres). DNR Walk-In Access.
How do you get to DPA 280?
Highways through it: US 75 (about 25 miles inside), MN 67 (about 25 miles inside), US 59 (about 22 miles inside), US 212 (about 19 miles inside) and MN 40 (about 11 miles inside). Towns inside: Porter, Dawson, Clarkfield, Madison, Hazel Run and Boyd. Nearby: Canby (on the line), Hanley Falls (on the line), Cottonwood (on the line) and Montevideo (2 miles).
Which deer permit areas border DPA 280?
DPA 280 touches 6 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 279 | 397 | 2025 | 4.7% | 15 |
| DPA 281 | 1,343 | 2025 | 2.1% | 5 |
| DPA 286 | 588 | 2025 | 4.1% | 30 |
| DPA 288 | 731 | 2025 | 3.7% | 16 |
| DPA 289 | 558 | 2025 | 1.3% | 6 |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in DPA 280 in 2025?
329 deer were registered: 245 adult bucks, 69 adult does and 15 fawns (DNR 2025 Deer Harvest Report, Table 3). The most in the 5 years shown was 359, in 2024.
What is the 2026 bag limit in DPA 280?
The DNR lists DPA 280 as "One-deer limit: antlerless permit lottery (150)" for 2026. Firearm A season: Nov. 7 to Nov. 15, 2026.
Is there public land to hunt in DPA 280?
Yes. 8,836 acres, 2% 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 48 wildlife management areas here, the largest Miller Richter WMA (431 acres). Walk-In Access adds 19 sites (1,818 acres).
How many firearms hunters hunt DPA 280?
1,169 in the 2025 firearms A season, by the DNR's Table 5. They registered 257 deer, 203 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 Yellow Medicine County Lac qui Parle County DPA 278 DPA 279 DPA 281 DPA 286 DPA 288 DPA 289