Last updated September 30, 2026, with the Minnesota DNR’s 2026 deer permit area rules.
Quick answer: Minnesota is divided into about 130 deer permit areas (DPAs). Your DPA’s number series sets your 2026 firearms season. 100-series zones run Nov. 7–22, and 200-series and most other zones run Nov. 7–15. The late southeast zones 338, 341, 605 and 642–649 run Nov. 21–29, and metro zone 601 runs Nov. 7–29. Your DPA’s designation, such as lottery, hunter choice, managed or intensive, sets how many deer you can take. For 2026, 43 permit areas gained harvest opportunity, and none lost any.
Every fall I get the same question at the gas station on opening eve: “What zone am I in, and how long do I get?” In Minnesota the answer is never just your county. It’s your deer permit area. Here’s how the zones work for 2026, checked against the Minnesota DNR, so you can find your season and your bag limit in a couple of minutes.
What is a Minnesota deer permit area (DPA)?
A deer permit area is a management unit the DNR draws along roads, rivers and other landmarks. Each DPA has its own deer population goals, so it gets its own:
- Firearms season length, set by its number series
- Antlerless designation, which decides how many deer and which kind you can take
- Special rules, such as CWD testing, metro hunting rules or local shotgun-only ordinances
Minnesota has roughly 130 DPAs. The first digit of the number tells you which firearms season you’re in.
Minnesota deer zones and 2026 season dates
| Zone series | Where | 2026 firearms season |
|---|---|---|
| 100 series, plus DPAs 604, 679 and 684 | Mostly the northern forest | Nov. 7 – 22 |
| 200 series and all other zones | Farmland and transition country | Nov. 7 – 15 |
| Late southeast (3B): DPAs 338, 341, 605 and 642–649 | Southeast bluff country | Nov. 21 – 29 |
| Metro DPA 601 | Twin Cities metro | Nov. 7 – 29 |
Statewide seasons (all zones):
- Archery: Sept. 19 – Dec. 31, 2026
- Youth deer season: Oct. 15 – 18, 2026
- Early antlerless: Oct. 15 – 18, 2026, in designated permit areas only
- Muzzleloader: Nov. 28 – Dec. 13, 2026
- Late CWD season: Dec. 18 – 20, 2026, in designated CWD areas only
Full details on every season, deadline and the new 2026 rules: 2026 Minnesota deer hunting season dates and new rifle rules.
Antlerless designations: what your DPA lets you shoot
Each DPA gets a designation every year based on how the herd is doing. That designation decides your bag limit:
| Designation | What it means |
|---|---|
| Lottery | You need to win an antlerless permit in the lottery to shoot a doe. Otherwise it’s bucks only. |
| Hunter choice | One deer of either sex. |
| Managed | Up to two deer, using bonus permits for the second. |
| Intensive | Up to three deer, using bonus permits. |
| CWD areas | Some CWD management areas allow higher limits, up to five deer. |
Check your DPA’s 2026 designation on the DNR’s deer pages or in the regulations handbook before you hunt. Designations change from year to year.
What changed in the zones for 2026
- More opportunity in 43 permit areas. About one-third of Minnesota’s DPAs got increased harvest opportunity for 2026. That’s either a higher designation, like moving from one deer to two, or more antlerless lottery permits. No DPA went down.
- DPA 285 is now DPA 685. The permit area west of the Twin Cities metro was renumbered into the 600 series for CWD management.
- Shotgun zone repealed. Your DPA no longer decides whether you can use a rifle. Some counties kept shotgun-only rules by local ordinance, though. See the county list in our 2026 season guide.
2026 CWD zones: which DPAs have mandatory testing
For 2026, mandatory chronic wasting disease testing applies to deer one year or older harvested during the firearms opener, Nov. 7–8, in this surveillance block:
DPAs 213, 214, 215, 218, 219, 234, 237, 238, 250, 252, 253, 270, 272, 273, 274, 275, 277, 278, 279, 280, 281, 282, 283, 284, 286, 288, 289, 290, 291, 294, 295, 296, 299 and 685.
The DNR now rotates surveillance around the state on a four-year cycle, so this list changes each year. Check the DNR’s CWD page for sampling station locations before the opener.
How to find your deer permit area
- Open the MN DNR Hunt Map and zoom in to where you hunt. It shows DPA boundaries along with public land.
- Note your DPA number. The first digit tells you your firearms season, using the table above.
- Look up the designation for that DPA to know your bag limit.
- Check whether your DPA is in the CWD surveillance list if you’ll be hunting opening weekend.
- Check your county for a shotgun-only ordinance if you plan to carry a rifle.
If you hunt near a boundary, know exactly which side of the road or river your stand is on. The deer you shoot counts toward the DPA where it was killed.
Frequently asked questions
How many deer permit areas does Minnesota have?
About 130. Each has its own season length and antlerless designation.
When is the 100-series deer season in 2026?
Nov. 7–22, 2026. DPAs 604, 679 and 684 follow the same dates.
When is the 200-series deer season in 2026?
Nov. 7–15, 2026. That also covers most other zones outside the 100 series and the late southeast.
Which zones have the late southeast season?
DPAs 338, 341, 605 and 642–649, from Nov. 21 to 29, 2026.
Which DPAs have mandatory CWD testing in 2026?
DPAs 213, 214, 215, 218, 219, 234, 237, 238, 250, 252, 253, 270, 272, 273, 274, 275, 277, 278, 279, 280, 281, 282, 283, 284, 286, 288, 289, 290, 291, 294, 295, 296, 299 and 685, for deer 1 year or older taken Nov. 7–8.
What happened to DPA 285?
It was renumbered DPA 685 for 2026 as part of CWD management west of the Twin Cities.
Where is the 2026 Minnesota deer zone map?
Use the MN DNR Hunt Map to find your exact permit area and its boundaries, and the DNR deer hunting page for current designations.
Sources
- Minnesota DNR: Deer hunting (2026 seasons)
- Minnesota DNR: Chronic wasting disease (2026 surveillance block)
- Outdoor News: Minnesota’s deer harvest opportunities to expand for 2026
Zone dates, DPA lists and rules come from the Minnesota DNR as of September 30, 2026. Always check current DNR regulations before you hunt.