Deer Permit Area 645: deer harvest, seasons and public land
Minnesota's Deer Permit Area 645 covers 335 square miles of Winona, Fillmore and Olmsted counties, around Winona. Hunters registered 1,722 deer here in 2025, 710 of them adult bucks, by the DNR's 2025 Deer Harvest Report. That is up 6% from 2024, and the most in the 5 years shown. 3.8% of DPA 645 is public land open to the public, the largest share state forest and other DNR land (3,142 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 landDPA 645Neighboring deer permit areasLakeHighway
| Counties | Winona County, Fillmore County and Olmsted County |
|---|---|
| Size | 214,545 acres (335 square miles) |
| 2026 bag limit | Five-deer limit |
| Firearm A season, 2026 | Nov. 7 to Nov. 15, 2026 |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 1,722 (710 adult bucks) |
| Firearms hunters, 2025 | 2,739 |
| Public land | 3.8% (8,130 acres) |
| WMAs | 2 (1,039 acres inside DPA 645) |
| Walk-In Access | None mapped this year |
| Towns in and near it | Winona, St. Charles, Goodview, Rushford Village, Altura and Minneiska |
How many deer are harvested in DPA 645?
The DNR registered 1,722 deer in DPA 645 in 2025: 710 adult bucks, 656 adult does and 356 fawns, about 5.2 deer for each of the 330 square miles of land the DNR counts in it. 2,739 hunters used their firearms license here in the A season and registered 1,160 deer, about 42 deer for every 100 of them. Archers: 1,074 hunters, 345 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 | 1,722 | 710 | 656 | 356 | 5.22 | 2,739 | 1,160 | 1,074 | 345 | 266 | 73 |
| 2024 | 1,627 | 708 | 576 | 343 | 4.93 | 2,714 | 1,072 | 1,052 | 322 | 268 | 51 |
| 2023 | 1,499 | 674 | 495 | 330 | 4.54 | 2,572 | 1,069 | 1,036 | 269 | 293 | 48 |
| 2022 | 1,509 | 659 | 515 | 335 | 4.57 | 2,511 | 1,101 | 896 | 237 | 318 | 63 |
| 2021 | 1,464 | 711 | 460 | 293 | 4.44 | 2,620 | 933 | 965 | 254 | 352 | 79 |
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 645 that year.
When are the 2026 deer seasons in DPA 645?
DPA 645 is a "Five-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 | Five-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 |
| Early antlerless season | Oct. 15 to Oct. 18, 2026 |
| Late season | Dec. 18 to 20, 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 645?
8,130 of DPA 645's 214,545 acres are public land open to the public (3.8%). The biggest share is state forest and other DNR land: 3,142 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of DPA 645 |
|---|---|---|
| State forest and other DNR land | 3,142 | 1.5% |
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 2,054 | 1% |
| State wildlife management areas | 1,569 | 0.7% |
| County, city and regional land | 985 | 0.5% |
| State parks | 380 | 0.2% |
| All public land open to the public | 8,130 | 3.8% |
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.
Wildlife Management Areas in DPA 645
DNR WMAs in DPA 645, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Schueler WMA: 896 acres
- Thorpe WMA: 143 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: R J D Memorial Hardwood State Forest (3,134 acres), Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife And Fish Refuge (2,054 acres), Prairie Island Park (338 acres) and Bluffside Park (320 acres).
How do you get to DPA 645?
Highways through it: I-90 (about 35 miles inside), US 61 (about 35 miles inside), US 14 (about 28 miles inside), MN 248 (about 11 miles inside) and MN 30 (about 10 miles inside). Towns inside: Winona, St. Charles, Goodview, Stockton, Rushford and Lewiston. Nearby: Rushford Village (on the line), Altura (on the line), Minneiska (on the line) and Peterson (2 miles).
Which deer permit areas border DPA 645?
DPA 645 touches 5 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 644 | 1,086 | 2025 | 26.9% | |
| DPA 646 | 2,832 | 2025 | 6.2% | |
| DPA 648 | 1,763 | 2025 | 4.1% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in DPA 645 in 2025?
1,722 deer were registered: 710 adult bucks, 656 adult does and 356 fawns (DNR 2025 Deer Harvest Report, Table 3). The most in the 5 years shown was 1,722, in 2025.
What is the 2026 bag limit in DPA 645?
The DNR lists DPA 645 as "Five-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 645?
Yes. 8,130 acres, 3.8% of the permit area, are public land open to the public by PAD-US 4.1, mostly state forest and other DNR land. The DNR's map shows 2 wildlife management areas here, the largest Schueler WMA (896 acres).
How many firearms hunters hunt DPA 645?
2,739 in the 2025 firearms A season, by the DNR's Table 5. They registered 1,160 deer, 509 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 Fillmore County Olmsted County DPA 643 DPA 644 DPA 646 DPA 648