Home › Minnesota › Counties › Lyon County

Region 4 · 2026-27 rules

Lyon County Hunting

Where Lyon County sits in the 2026-2027 DNR rules: 4 deer permit areas (288, 295 and 289 and 1 more) with designations and season windows, CWD status, bear and turkey permit areas, 15,426 mapped public acres and the nearest wildlife office.

288,​295,​289,​294Deer permit areas
Either-sexDPA 288
Surveillance 2026CWD
No-quota areaBear
504Turkey area
SouthDNR region

Photo: Tony Webster (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Marshall anchors Lyon County, a county of 714 land square miles and 7 water square miles. About 25,577 residents call it home, after a 0.2% gain since 2020. DNR counts it in Region 4 (South), with regional headquarters in New Ulm. On the 2026 deer map the county falls inside DPAs 288, 295, 289 and 294. State and federal land mapped inside the county totals some 15,426 acres.

MarshallSeat
25,577Head count
714Dry-land sq mi
4DPAs here
15,426Public acres
11,392Wildlife areas

Land area from the Census 2024 Gazetteer, population from Census Vintage 2024 estimates, region from the DNR county region list, DPAs from the DNR deer permit area layer, public acres from DNR, USFS and USFWS GIS layers (not official acreages). Checked October 28, 2026.

Nearby

Places to hunt and shoot around Lyon County

Big Stone Wetland Management District

Public land · 6 mi from Lyon County

Directions
Prairie Marshes Wildlife Management Area

Public land · 7 mi from Lyon County

Directions
Phyllis Voosen Wildlife Management Area

Public land · 20 mi from Lyon County

Directions
Lake Shetek State Park

Public land · 23 mi from Lyon County

Directions
Beaver Creek Wildlife Management Area

Public land · 25 mi from Lyon County

Directions

Lyon County DPA designations and lottery quotas

4 deer permit areas touch Lyon County; 288 alone accounts for 87% of it. The booklet list for 2026 gives either-sex in 288, 295 and 294; 2-deer in 289. For the firearm opener weekend and after: 288, 295, 289 and 294 with nine days from Nov. 7. The statewide cap is five deer and one buck. This season the DNR lets hunters who fill one DPA limit hunt a different DPA.

Permit areaShareStatusQuotaBow seasonGun seasonMuzzleloader
28887%Either-sex—Sept. 19–Dec. 31Nov. 7–Nov. 15Nov. 28–Dec. 13
2958%Either-sex—Sept. 19–Dec. 31Nov. 7–Nov. 15Nov. 28–Dec. 13
2893%2-deer—Sept. 19–Dec. 31Nov. 7–Nov. 15Nov. 28–Dec. 13
2942%Either-sex—Sept. 19–Dec. 31Nov. 7–Nov. 15Nov. 28–Dec. 13
DPASeriesYouth huntEarly antlerlessLate huntCWDAreaShare in county
288200Oct. 15–Oct. 18——Mandatory test630100%
295200Oct. 15–Oct. 18——Mandatory test9776%
289200Oct. 15–Oct. 18——Mandatory test8212%
294200Oct. 15–Oct. 18——Mandatory test6903%

Youth deer season runs Oct. 15-18 statewide except Itasca State Park.

DPA 288 · DPA 295 · DPA 289 · DPA 294 · DPA pages · Antlerless lottery

Shares, designations and dates from the DNR deer permit area layer (2026 seasons) and the booklet DPA designation list; lottery quotas from the booklet lottery page; limits from the booklet deer rules. Checked October 28, 2026.

Deer numbers for the Lyon County permit areas

Because deer are registered by permit area, the numbers on this page belong to DPA 288 and its neighbours, not to Lyon County alone. For 2025 the DPA 288 total is 731 deer, 231 adult does among them. Compared with 2017, the 2025 figure is +8%. Buck harvest density in DPA 288 was 0.73 per square mile in 2025. The state total for 2025 stood at 186,368 deer.

Permit areaOf countyOf DPADeer 2023Deer 2024Deer 2025Bucks/sq mi
28887%100%5566347310.73
2958%6%8278359040.68
2893%2%5125265580.38
2942%3%4614624720.47
DPA 288 deer, 9 seasons02254506759002017: 67467420172018: 65765720182019: 64864820192020: 71071020202021: 66466420212022: 62662620222023: 55655620232024: 63463420242025: 7317312025

DPA 288 year by year

YearAdult bucksMale fawnsAdult doesFemale fawnsDeer
20254592323118731
20244592713414634
20233442217218556
20223833119616626
20214533715816664
20204463121914710
20194032420714648
20183693223125657
20174213519622674

DPA numbers are as printed in each report year; some boundaries changed over time.

DNR 2025 registered deer harvest report and earlier yearly reports (2017-2024); statewide totals from the DNR deer harvest statistics. Checked October 28, 2026.

Lyon County season dates, 2026-27

24 species and 49 dated windows touch Lyon County; the last column compares each one with today.

QuarrySeasonPermit areaFromToStatus today
White-tailed deerArcheryAll DPAs hereSep 19, 2026Dec 31, 2026
White-tailed deerYouth deerAll DPAs hereOct 15, 2026Oct 18, 2026
White-tailed deerFirearms (200 series)All DPAs hereNov 7, 2026Nov 15, 2026
White-tailed deerMuzzleloaderStatewideNov 28, 2026Dec 13, 2026
Black bearNo-quota areaNo Quota AreaSep 1, 2026Oct 18, 2026
Wild turkeyFallStatewideOct 3, 2026Nov 1, 2026
Wild turkeySpring archery-onlyStatewideApr 14, 2027May 31, 2027
Wild turkeySpring period AStatewideApr 14, 2027Apr 20, 2027
Wild turkeySpring youthStatewideApr 14, 2027May 31, 2027
Wild turkeySpring period BStatewideApr 21, 2027Apr 27, 2027
Wild turkeySpring period CStatewideApr 28, 2027May 4, 2027
Wild turkeySpring period DStatewideMay 5, 2027May 11, 2027
Wild turkeySpring period EStatewideMay 12, 2027May 18, 2027
Wild turkeySpring period FStatewideMay 19, 2027May 31, 2027
PheasantRegularStatewideOct 10, 2026Jan 3, 2027
Ruffed and spruce grouseRegularStatewideSep 19, 2026Jan 3, 2027
Hungarian partridgeRegularStatewideSep 19, 2026Jan 3, 2027
WoodcockRegularStatewideSep 19, 2026Nov 2, 2026
Mourning doveRegularStatewideSep 1, 2026Nov 29, 2026
Rabbits and haresRegularStatewideSep 19, 2026Feb 28, 2027
JackrabbitRegularStatewideSep 19, 2026Feb 28, 2027
SquirrelsRegularStatewideSep 19, 2026Feb 28, 2027
CrowCrow segmentStatewideSep 1, 2026Oct 31, 2026
RailsRegularStatewideSep 1, 2026Nov 9, 2026
SnipeRegularStatewideSep 1, 2026Dec 16, 2026
Canada GooseEarly geeseStatewideSep 5, 2026Sep 20, 2026
Snow, Blue and Ross's GeeseEarly geeseStatewideSep 5, 2026Sep 20, 2026
DucksEarly teal seasonStatewideSep 5, 2026Sep 9, 2026
DucksYouth daysStatewideSep 12, 2026Sep 13, 2026
DucksRegular ducksNorth ZoneSep 26, 2026Nov 24, 2026
DucksRegular ducksCentral ZoneSep 26, 2026Oct 4, 2026
DucksRegular ducksSouth ZoneSep 26, 2026Oct 4, 2026
Canada GooseRegular geeseNorth ZoneSep 26, 2026Dec 25, 2026
Canada GooseRegular geeseCentral ZoneSep 26, 2026Oct 4, 2026
Canada GooseRegular geeseSouth ZoneSep 26, 2026Oct 4, 2026
Take-a-Kid weekendTake-a-KidStatewideSep 26, 2026Sep 27, 2026
DucksRegular ducksCentral ZoneOct 10, 2026Nov 29, 2026
Canada GooseRegular geeseCentral ZoneOct 10, 2026Dec 30, 2026
RaccoonHunting (north)North furbearer zoneOct 17, 2026Mar 15, 2027
American BadgerHunting (north)North furbearer zoneOct 17, 2026Mar 15, 2027
DucksRegular ducksSouth ZoneOct 17, 2026Dec 6, 2026
Canada GooseRegular geeseSouth ZoneOct 17, 2026Jan 6, 2027
RaccoonHunting (south)South furbearer zoneOct 24, 2026Mar 15, 2027
American BadgerHunting (south)South furbearer zoneOct 24, 2026Mar 15, 2027
BobcatHunt and trap (north)North furbearer zoneDec 12, 2026Jan 17, 2027
CrowCrow segmentStatewideDec 15, 2026Jan 15, 2027
BobcatHunt and trap (south)South furbearer zoneJan 2, 2027Jan 17, 2027
Snow, Blue and Ross's GeeseSpring light gooseStatewideFeb 18, 2027Apr 30, 2027
CrowCrow segmentStatewideMar 1, 2027Mar 31, 2027

DNR draws the waterfowl zone lines on MN 210/23/39 and US 212/I-494/I-94, and the furbearer line on I-94/US 10; check the DNR map near a line.

From the 2026-2027 Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations booklet (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources) and the DNR deer permit area map, checked October 28, 2026.

Local rules hunters ask about in Lyon County

Hunters in 288, 295, 289 and 294 must have adult deer from Nov. 7-8 tested; mail-in kits need a postmark within 72 hours. Feeding rules here are the statewide ones: no hunting over bait, no county feeding ban. No county shotgun ordinance applies in Lyon County, so the old shotgun zone line no longer matters here. Wear orange or pink above the waist in firearm deer seasons; sleeves and gloves do not count. Validation comes first, before the animal is moved; registration follows within 48 hours.

Carcass rules · Hunting laws · License fees

CWD zones from the booklet CWD page and the CWD rules; history from the DNR CWD page; shotgun ordinances from the booklet firearm page; orange from the booklet clothing rule; registration from the booklet registration page. Checked October 28, 2026.

Lyon County bear areas, turkey and waterfowl lines

Bear season

All of Lyon County lies in the no-quota area, where bear licenses are unlimited and sold over the counter. Bear season runs Sept. 1 to Oct. 18, and baiting may start Aug. 14 at registered stations.

Turkey

Turkey permit area over Lyon County: 504 (100%). Area 504 registered 432 spring turkeys in 2026, up from 253 in 2019. Permits declaring area 504 in 2026: 1,855. Turkeys must be registered within 24 hours of harvest.

Permit areaOf county2023202420252026Fall 2025
504100%41750748343232

Migratory birds

Waterfowl zone lines follow highways rather than county lines, so Lyon County hunters should check the DNR zone map for their marsh. Raccoon, fox and bobcat dates change at the I-94/US 10 furbearer line.

Bear area list · Turkey permit areas · Waterfowl zones · Refuge table

Bear areas and permits from the 2026 bear regulations; BMU harvest from the DNR bear status report; turkey areas and harvest from the DNR turkey harvest reports; elk from the DNR elk page; prairie chicken from the DNR prairie chicken page (map-read); waterfowl lines from the DNR waterfowl page; refuges from the booklet refuge table. Checked October 28, 2026.

Public land and WMAs in Lyon County

The 60 Lyon County listings break down as 50 wildlife management areas, 8 waterfowl production areas, 1 wetland management district and 1 state parks with hunt. Waterfowl production areas, open under federal rules, cover about 2,221 acres. State park acres count toward the total but hunt only by special hunt.

60Listed places
15,426All public land
11,392WMA ground
1USFWS refuges
2,221WPA, ac
78SNA ground
1,739Park acres

* Whole-property acreage, not just this county.

Private land open by Walk-In

18 Walk-In sites cover about 1,606 acres of Lyon County; buy the $3 validation first.

  • WIA #142
  • WIA #411
  • WIA #616
  • WIA #690
  • WIA #691
  • WIA #781
  • WIA #783
  • WIA #788
  • WIA #851
  • WIA #858
  • WIA #1089
  • WIA #952
  • WIA #963
  • WIA #964
  • WIA #1036
  • WIA #1150
  • WIA #186
  • WIA #941

DNR status notes: Lyon #1089 grazed or hayed (127 acres (entire site) hayed)

Special deer hunts in Lyon County

Hunt typeAreaHunt no.DatesBag
Youth firearmsCamden State Park967Oct. 24-252

Walk-In Access (WIA) Program

Plan around Glynn Prairie Scientific and Natural Area, where hunting is not allowed.

Minnesota public land · WMA list · Walk-In sites · WPA list

Units from our Minnesota land list (DNR WMA, SNA, AMA, forest and park pages, USFWS and USFS records); acres by kind from the DNR management units layer, the USFS ownership layer and the USFWS interest layer (GIS measures); Walk-In Access from the DNR Walk-In Access program; special hunts from the booklet special hunt tables. Checked October 28, 2026.

DNR offices, processors and shops for Lyon County

Businesses inside Lyon County come first; the nearest in bordering counties fill each group.

DNR offices

For Lyon County, the DNR regional office is in New Ulm. Marshall is the work area for 100% of the county.

Region 4 (South) HeadquartersSouth Region headquarters · 21371 State Highway 15 South, New Ulm, 56073
Marshall Area Wildlife OfficeWork area share 100% · 2716 290th St., Marshall, 56258

Processors

Vesta Processing & Meat ServiceVesta, Redwood County · 22 mi from mid-county
A & J ProcessingBelview, Redwood County · 27 mi from mid-county

Taxidermy

Christenson TaxidermyMarshall, Lyon County · 4 mi from mid-county
Buck'n Rooster Taxidermy ShopMarshall, Lyon County · 4 mi from mid-county
Rick's Taxidermy & BaitMinneota, Lyon County · 13 mi from mid-county · CWD sampling partner
M J TaxidermyCanby, Yellow Medicine County · 31 mi from mid-county · CWD sampling partner

Gun and archery shops

Xcaliber GunsmithingCottonwood, Lyon County
Borch's Sporting Goods INCMarshall, Lyon County · 5 mi from mid-county
Barrels and ArrowsMarshall, Lyon County · 6 mi from mid-county
Frans Gun ShopMinneota, Lyon County · 10 mi from mid-county

Offices from the DNR wildlife area offices and DNR regions pages; processors from the MDA venison donation list, the DNR CWD partner list and directories; shops from directories and store locators. Checked October 28, 2026; call ahead. All Minnesota hunting services.

Town guides and neighbours for Lyon County

Lyon County has 2 town guides, seat first; each lists the public land within reach and the nearest shops.

  • Marshallseat · 13,996 residents (2024) · 7,032 public ac nearby
  • Russell356 residents (2024) · 8,456 public ac nearby

Cross the Lyon County boundary and you enter one of 5 counties.

Towns from the Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; adjacency from the Census county adjacency file.

Shooting ranges and gun clubs for Lyon County

Up to six Lyon County ranges appear as cards; the rest are in the table below.

Saratoga Archery Club
archery range

Tracy, Lyon County

Offers archery, 3D archery

Members only · source: boisegunclub.com

No city, county or park district range lies within 60 miles of the Lyon County centre, and the DNR range list could not be read, so clubs and private ranges are the options here. DNR range map

The surrounding counties have 8.

Shoots coming up here

Date and eventTypeLink
Apr 23-24, 2027Gun showListing

Ranges from the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 28, 2026. The DNR Shooting Range Finder could not be read.

Lyon County legal hunting light

Pheasant hunting starts at 9 a.m. and runs to sunset, early teal runs sunrise to sunset, and big game gets the half hour on each end.

DateMomentSunriseSunsetDeer, bear, elkWaterfowl
Sep 19, 2026Archery and grouse opener7:06 a.m.7:29 p.m.6:36 a.m. to 7:59 p.m.6:36 a.m. to 7:29 p.m.
Sep 26, 2026Duck opener7:14 a.m.7:16 p.m.6:44 a.m. to 7:46 p.m.6:44 a.m. to 7:16 p.m.
Oct 10, 2026Pheasant opener7:30 a.m.6:50 p.m.7:00 a.m. to 7:20 p.m.7:00 a.m. to 6:50 p.m.
Nov 7, 2026Firearms deer opener7:08 a.m.5:07 p.m.6:38 a.m. to 5:37 p.m.6:38 a.m. to 5:07 p.m.
Nov 28, 2026Muzzleloader opener7:35 a.m.4:48 p.m.7:05 a.m. to 5:18 p.m.7:05 a.m. to 4:48 p.m.
Dec 31, 2026Archery close7:59 a.m.4:52 p.m.7:29 a.m. to 5:22 p.m.7:29 a.m. to 4:52 p.m.
Apr 14, 2027Spring turkey opener6:43 a.m.8:05 p.m.6:13 a.m. to 8:35 p.m.6:13 a.m. to 8:05 p.m.

Raccoon and fox may be hunted day or night after 9 a.m. on opening day.

Hours rule from the DNR booklet shooting hours page; sun times calculated for the county centre (NOAA method, Central Time), checked against U.S. Naval Observatory tables; checked October 28, 2026. Legal hours for every county.

Lyon County on the hunting calendar

No dated event ahead listed. Kinds: classes held this year.

Firearms safety in Lyon County: 7 DNR classes on the 2026 calendar, 6 of them full on the check date. The class list.

Missing a Minnesota date close by? Tell us

Hunting questions about Lyon County

Is Lyon County in the North, Central or South duck zone?

DNR draws the zones only as highway lines on a map (MN 210/23/39 and US 212/I-494/I-94); check the map for your spot.

What happens after I shoot a deer in Lyon County?

Validate at the kill site, then register within 48 hours online, in the app or at a walk-in station.

Do county lines set deer rules in Lyon County?

No. Deer permit area lines do; the DPA table above lists each one and its share of the county.

Who handles cut-and-wrap for Lyon County deer?

Vesta Processing & Meat Service sits closest on our list; phone before you drop a deer off.

Is Lyon County still shotgun only?

No. It is not among the 13 counties with a shotgun-only or partial ordinance.

Where do I dump a deer carcass from Lyon County?

Not on public land, road rights-of-way or water; no zone carcass rule applies here.

Does DNR count bears by county for Lyon County?

No. Bear harvest is reported by bear management unit.

Does DNR publish deer harvest by county for Lyon County?

No. Registered deer are reported by deer permit area only; this page shows the DPA totals.

Which public land is closest to Lyon County outside the county?

See the land list above.

Which turkey permit area is Lyon County in?

504.

Answers from the 2026-2027 Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations booklet, the DNR deer permit area layer, DNR harvest reports and the sources above. Checked October 28, 2026.

Trip checklist for Lyon County

Permit area lines and designations in and around Lyon County change between seasons; open the DPA page and the booklet before you go.

Sources: 2026-2027 Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations, DNR hunting, Census and the agencies linked in each section. Checked October 28, 2026.

Other photos on this page: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0).