Deer Permit Area 287: deer harvest, seasons and public land
Minnesota's Deer Permit Area 287 covers 52 square miles of Clearwater, Hubbard and Becker counties, near Park Rapids. Hunters registered 85 deer here in 2025, 62 of them adult bucks, by the DNR's 2025 Deer Harvest Report. That is up 9% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 92.8% of DPA 287 is public land open to the public, the largest share state parks (30,773 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 landState parksDPA 287Neighboring deer permit areasLakeHighway
| Counties | Clearwater County, Hubbard County and Becker County |
|---|---|
| Size | 33,252 acres (52 square miles) |
| 2026 bag limit | One-deer limit: either sex |
| Firearm A season, 2026 | Nov. 7 to Nov. 15, 2026 |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 85 (62 adult bucks) |
| Firearms hunters, 2025 | 266 |
| Public land | 92.8% (30,843 acres) |
| WMAs | None mapped |
| Walk-In Access | None mapped this year |
| Towns in and near it | Park Rapids, Laporte and Nevis |
How many deer are harvested in DPA 287?
The DNR registered 85 deer in DPA 287 in 2025: 62 adult bucks, 18 adult does and 5 fawns, about 1.8 deer for each of the 46 square miles of land the DNR counts in it. 266 hunters used their firearms license here in the A season and registered 79 deer, about 30 deer for every 100 of them. Archers: 20 hunters, 3 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 | 85 | 62 | 18 | 5 | 1.85 | 266 | 79 | 20 | 3 | 16 | 2 |
| 2024 | 78 | 49 | 18 | 11 | 1.70 | 283 | 73 | 17 | 3 | 16 | 2 |
| 2023 | 55 | 28 | 21 | 6 | 1.20 | 283 | 45 | 15 | 5 | 14 | 4 |
| 2022 | 62 | 34 | 22 | 6 | 1.35 | 303 | 55 | 15 | 5 | 12 | 2 |
| 2021 | 70 | 40 | 15 | 15 | 1.52 | 327 | 59 | 2 | 2 | 19 | 7 |
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 287 that year.
When are the 2026 deer seasons in DPA 287?
DPA 287 is a "One-deer limit: either sex" 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: either sex |
| Firearm A season | Nov. 7 to Nov. 15, 2026 |
| Muzzleloader | Nov. 28 to Dec. 13, 2026 |
| CWD testing | Optional CWD testing available |
Source: Minnesota DNR deer permit areas, 2026 seasons (July 2026 - June 2027). No Archery Season, No Youth Season. Consult park staff 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 287?
30,843 of DPA 287's 33,252 acres are public land open to the public (92.8%). The biggest share is state parks: 30,773 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of DPA 287 |
|---|---|---|
| State parks | 30,773 | 92.5% |
| State forest and other DNR land | 70 | 0.2% |
| All public land open to the public | 30,843 | 92.8% |
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: Itasca Wilderness Sanctuary (1,601 acres).
How do you get to DPA 287?
Highways through it: MN 113 (about 3 miles inside), US 71 (about 3 miles inside) and MN 200 (about 3 miles inside). Nearby: Park Rapids (16 miles), Laporte (18 miles), Nevis (19 miles) and Solway (19 miles).
Which deer permit areas border DPA 287?
DPA 287 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 258 | 1,329 | 2025 | 15% | |
| DPA 259 | 1,643 | 2025 | 24% | |
| DPA 298 | 779 | 2025 | 11.1% | |
| DPA 684 | 3,267 | 2025 | 9.6% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in DPA 287 in 2025?
85 deer were registered: 62 adult bucks, 18 adult does and 5 fawns (DNR 2025 Deer Harvest Report, Table 3). The most in the 5 years shown was 85, in 2025.
What is the 2026 bag limit in DPA 287?
The DNR lists DPA 287 as "One-deer limit: either sex" for 2026. Firearm A season: Nov. 7 to Nov. 15, 2026.
Is there public land to hunt in DPA 287?
Yes. 30,843 acres, 92.8% of the permit area, are public land open to the public by PAD-US 4.1, mostly state parks.
How many firearms hunters hunt DPA 287?
266 in the 2025 firearms A season, by the DNR's Table 5. They registered 79 deer, 59 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 Clearwater County Hubbard County Becker County DPA 258 DPA 259 DPA 298 DPA 684