Deer Permit Area 648: deer harvest, seasons and public land
Minnesota's Deer Permit Area 648 covers 333 square miles of Fillmore and Olmsted counties, around Rushford Village. Hunters registered 1,763 deer here in 2025, 858 of them adult bucks, by the DNR's 2025 Deer Harvest Report. That is down 1% from 2024. 4.1% of DPA 648 is public land open to the public, the largest share state forest and other DNR land (7,705 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 parksCounty, city and regional landDPA 648Neighboring deer permit areasLakeHighway
| Counties | Fillmore County and Olmsted County |
|---|---|
| Size | 213,001 acres (333 square miles) |
| 2026 bag limit | Five-deer limit |
| Firearm A season, 2026 | Nov. 7 to Nov. 15, 2026 |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 1,763 (858 adult bucks) |
| Firearms hunters, 2025 | 2,822 |
| Public land | 4.1% (8,695 acres) |
| WMAs | 2 (331 acres inside DPA 648) |
| Walk-In Access | None mapped this year |
| Towns in and near it | Rushford Village, Chatfield, Lanesboro, Mabel, Preston and Rushford |
How many deer are harvested in DPA 648?
The DNR registered 1,763 deer in DPA 648 in 2025: 858 adult bucks, 582 adult does and 323 fawns, about 5.3 deer for each of the 332 square miles of land the DNR counts in it. 2,822 hunters used their firearms license here in the A season and registered 1,173 deer, about 42 deer for every 100 of them. Archers: 1,068 hunters, 333 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 | 1,763 | 858 | 582 | 323 | 5.31 | 2,822 | 1,173 | 1,068 | 333 | 219 | 44 |
| 2024 | 1,789 | 808 | 581 | 400 | 5.39 | 3,041 | 1,170 | 1,134 | 321 | 236 | 55 |
| 2023 | 1,669 | 767 | 565 | 337 | 5.03 | 2,952 | 1,158 | 1,034 | 291 | 244 | 48 |
| 2022 | 1,451 | 692 | 459 | 300 | 4.37 | 2,790 | 1,010 | 933 | 248 | 224 | 33 |
| 2021 | 1,557 | 766 | 499 | 292 | 4.69 | 2,890 | 1,070 | 943 | 238 | 256 | 49 |
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 648 that year.
When are the 2026 deer seasons in DPA 648?
DPA 648 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 648?
8,695 of DPA 648's 213,001 acres are public land open to the public (4.1%). The biggest share is state forest and other DNR land: 7,705 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of DPA 648 |
|---|---|---|
| State forest and other DNR land | 7,705 | 3.6% |
| State wildlife management areas | 985 | 0.5% |
| County, city and regional land | 5 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 8,695 | 4.1% |
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 648
DNR WMAs in DPA 648, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Dr. Johan C. Hvoslef WMA: 295 acres
- Choice WMA: 36 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: R J D Memorial Hardwood State Forest (7,775 acres).
How do you get to DPA 648?
Highways through it: MN 16 (about 25 miles inside), US 52 (about 22 miles inside), MN 44 (about 14 miles inside), MN 30 (about 14 miles inside) and MN 250 (about 10 miles inside). Towns inside: Rushford Village, Chatfield, Lanesboro, Harmony, Canton and Fountain. Nearby: Mabel (on the line), Preston (on the line), Rushford (on the line) and Wykoff (7 miles).
Which deer permit areas border DPA 648?
DPA 648 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 643 | 3,469 | 2025 | 1.3% | |
| DPA 645 | 1,722 | 2025 | 3.8% | |
| DPA 646 | 2,832 | 2025 | 6.2% | |
| DPA 647 | 1,444 | 2025 | 2% | |
| DPA 649 | 3,806 | 2025 | 8.5% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in DPA 648 in 2025?
1,763 deer were registered: 858 adult bucks, 582 adult does and 323 fawns (DNR 2025 Deer Harvest Report, Table 3). The most in the 5 years shown was 1,789, in 2024.
What is the 2026 bag limit in DPA 648?
The DNR lists DPA 648 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 648?
Yes. 8,695 acres, 4.1% 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 Dr. Johan C. Hvoslef WMA (295 acres).
How many firearms hunters hunt DPA 648?
2,822 in the 2025 firearms A season, by the DNR's Table 5. They registered 1,173 deer, 619 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 Fillmore County Olmsted County DPA 643 DPA 645 DPA 646 DPA 647 DPA 649