Deer Permit Area 661: deer harvest, seasons and public land
Minnesota's Deer Permit Area 661 covers 795 square miles of Polk and Marshall counties, around East Grand Forks. Hunters registered 437 deer here in 2025, 264 of them adult bucks, by the DNR's 2025 Deer Harvest Report. That is up 1% from 2024, and the most in the 4 years shown. 0.1% of DPA 661 is public land open to the public, the largest share state parks (173 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 661Neighboring deer permit areasLakeHighway
| Counties | Polk County and Marshall County |
|---|---|
| Size | 508,775 acres (795 square miles) |
| 2026 bag limit | Three-deer limit |
| Firearm A season, 2026 | Nov. 7 to Nov. 15, 2026 |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 437 (264 adult bucks) |
| Firearms hunters, 2025 | 804 |
| Public land | 0.1% (382 acres) |
| WMAs | 1 (102 acres inside DPA 661) |
| Walk-In Access | None mapped this year |
| Towns in and near it | East Grand Forks, Climax, Fisher, Crookston, Warren and Oslo |
How many deer are harvested in DPA 661?
The DNR registered 437 deer in DPA 661 in 2025: 264 adult bucks, 143 adult does and 30 fawns, about 0.5 deer for each of the 795 square miles of land the DNR counts in it. 804 hunters used their firearms license here in the A season and registered 314 deer, about 39 deer for every 100 of them. Archers: 229 hunters, 60 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 | 437 | 264 | 143 | 30 | 0.55 | 804 | 314 | 229 | 60 | 132 | 35 |
| 2024 | 432 | 237 | 153 | 42 | 0.54 | 770 | 299 | 219 | 66 | 127 | 41 |
| 2023 | 429 | 224 | 151 | 54 | 0.54 | 716 | 308 | 198 | 58 | 164 | 34 |
| 2022 | 392 | 195 | 155 | 42 | 0.49 | 679 | 264 | 173 | 49 | 139 | 54 |
Source: Minnesota DNR Deer Harvest Reports, 2025, 2024, 2023 and 2022: 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 661 that year.
When are the 2026 deer seasons in DPA 661?
DPA 661 is a "Three-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 | Three-deer limit |
| 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 |
| Early antlerless 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 661?
382 of DPA 661's 508,775 acres are public land open to the public (0.1%). The biggest share is state parks: 173 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of DPA 661 |
|---|---|---|
| State parks | 173 | under 0.1% |
| County, city and regional land | 107 | under 0.1% |
| State wildlife management areas | 102 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 382 | 0.1% |
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 661
DNR WMAs in DPA 661, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Alvarado WMA: 102 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Red River (173 acres).
How do you get to DPA 661?
Highways through it: MN 220 (about 54 miles inside), US 75 (about 14 miles inside) and MN 9 (about 9 miles inside). Towns inside: East Grand Forks, Climax, Fisher, Nielsville and Alvarado. Nearby: Crookston (on the line), Warren (on the line), Oslo (on the line) and Beltrami (on the line).
Which deer permit areas border DPA 661?
DPA 661 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 256 | 1,042 | 2025 | 7.5% | |
| DPA 260 | 421 | 2025 | 0.1% | |
| DPA 262 | 426 | 2025 | 0.1% | |
| DPA 265 | 1,177 | 2025 | 3.6% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in DPA 661 in 2025?
437 deer were registered: 264 adult bucks, 143 adult does and 30 fawns (DNR 2025 Deer Harvest Report, Table 3). The most in the 4 years shown was 437, in 2025.
What is the 2026 bag limit in DPA 661?
The DNR lists DPA 661 as "Three-deer limit" for 2026. Firearm A season: Nov. 7 to Nov. 15, 2026.
Is there public land to hunt in DPA 661?
Yes. 382 acres, 0.1% of the permit area, are public land open to the public by PAD-US 4.1, mostly state parks. The DNR's map shows one wildlife management area here, Alvarado WMA (102 acres).
How many firearms hunters hunt DPA 661?
804 in the 2025 firearms A season, by the DNR's Table 5. They registered 314 deer, 207 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 Polk County Marshall County DPA 256 DPA 260 DPA 262 DPA 265