Deer Permit Area 644: deer harvest, seasons and public land
Minnesota's Deer Permit Area 644 covers 190 square miles of Winona, Wabasha and Olmsted counties, around Altura. Hunters registered 1,086 deer here in 2025, 488 of them adult bucks, by the DNR's 2025 Deer Harvest Report. That is up 7% from 2024, and the most in the 3 years shown. 26.9% of DPA 644 is public land open to the public, the largest share state wildlife management areas (27,599 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 areasState forest and other DNR landNational wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areasState parksCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landDPA 644Neighboring deer permit areasLakeHighway
| Counties | Winona County, Wabasha County and Olmsted County |
|---|---|
| Size | 121,609 acres (190 square miles) |
| 2026 bag limit | Two-deer limit |
| Firearm A season, 2026 | Nov. 7 to Nov. 15, 2026 |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 1,086 (488 adult bucks) |
| Firearms hunters, 2025 | 2,289 |
| Public land | 26.9% (32,715 acres) |
| WMAs | 1 (27,469 acres inside DPA 644) |
| Walk-In Access | None mapped this year |
| Towns in and near it | Altura, Elba, Minneiska, Plainview, Utica and St. Charles |
How many deer are harvested in DPA 644?
The DNR registered 1,086 deer in DPA 644 in 2025: 488 adult bucks, 377 adult does and 221 fawns, about 5.8 deer for each of the 186 square miles of land the DNR counts in it. 2,289 hunters used their firearms license here in the A season and registered 803 deer, about 35 deer for every 100 of them. Archers: 786 hunters, 196 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 | 1,086 | 488 | 377 | 221 | 5.84 | 2,289 | 803 | 786 | 196 | 192 | 50 |
| 2024 | 1,014 | 471 | 323 | 220 | 5.45 | 2,374 | 774 | 785 | 172 | 201 | 36 |
| 2023 | 977 | 470 | 321 | 186 | 5.25 | 2,239 | 776 | 763 | 139 | 230 | 29 |
Source: Minnesota DNR Deer Harvest Reports, 2025, 2024 and 2023: 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 644 that year.
When are the 2026 deer seasons in DPA 644?
DPA 644 is a "Two-deer limit" area for 2026. It is in the 600 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 |
| Firearm B season | Nov. 21 to Nov. 29, 2026 |
| Muzzleloader | Nov. 28 to Dec. 13, 2026 |
| Youth season | Oct. 15 to Oct. 18, 2026 |
| Disease management | CWD management zone |
| CWD testing | Optional CWD testing available |
| Carcass movement | Carcass disposal rule in effect |
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 644?
32,715 of DPA 644's 121,609 acres are public land open to the public (26.9%). The biggest share is state wildlife management areas: 27,599 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of DPA 644 |
|---|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 27,599 | 22.7% |
| State forest and other DNR land | 3,339 | 2.7% |
| State parks | 1,743 | 1.4% |
| County, city and regional land | 34 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 32,715 | 26.9% |
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 644
DNR WMAs in DPA 644, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Whitewater WMA: 27,469 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: R J D Memorial Hardwood State Forest (3,415 acres).
How do you get to DPA 644?
Highways through it: MN 74 (about 17 miles inside) and US 61 (about 7 miles inside). Towns inside: Altura, Elba and Minneiska. Nearby: Plainview (on the line), Utica (on the line), St. Charles (on the line) and Dover (3 miles).
Which deer permit areas border DPA 644?
DPA 644 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 642 | 2,077 | 2025 | 7.8% | |
| DPA 643 | 3,469 | 2025 | 1.3% | |
| DPA 645 | 1,722 | 2025 | 3.8% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in DPA 644 in 2025?
1,086 deer were registered: 488 adult bucks, 377 adult does and 221 fawns (DNR 2025 Deer Harvest Report, Table 3). The most in the 3 years shown was 1,086, in 2025.
What is the 2026 bag limit in DPA 644?
The DNR lists DPA 644 as "Two-deer limit" for 2026. Firearm A season: Nov. 7 to Nov. 15, 2026. Firearm B season: Nov. 21 to Nov. 29, 2026.
Is there public land to hunt in DPA 644?
Yes. 32,715 acres, 26.9% 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 one wildlife management area here, Whitewater WMA (27,469 acres).
How many firearms hunters hunt DPA 644?
2,289 in the 2025 firearms A season, by the DNR's Table 5. They registered 803 deer, 362 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 Winona County Wabasha County Olmsted County DPA 643 DPA 645