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Hennepin County, MN · town base
Public ground, DPAs and seasons near Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis in the DNR Central Region: lands within 10 miles, the deer permit areas over Hennepin County, CWD status, refuges and shops nearby.
Photo: Minneapolis itself: Minneapolis skyline beyond the Mississippi River and autumn trees, Hennepin County. Anthony Arrigo (CC BY 2.0)
Minneapolis is both the seat of Hennepin County and one of the larger cities in DNR Region 3, Central. Census Vintage 2024 counts 428,579 people in Minneapolis, on 54.0 square miles of land. Measured as a GIS union, about 1,778 public acres fall within 10 miles of Minneapolis. Measured from the town point, the first unit is Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, its nearest boundary 7.5 miles out.
Town point and land area from the Census 2024 Gazetteer, population from the Census Vintage 2024 estimates; public acreage and boundary miles within 10 miles are a GIS measure over DNR, USFS and USFWS boundaries (places.json). DNR region from the DNR county region list. Checked October 28, 2026.
Where public ground starts around Minneapolis
The map and table share 10 units; bold pins mark a boundary within 10 miles of Minneapolis.
| Public land | Way | Kind | Run by | DPA | To boundary | To center | Acres | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Valley NWR | 7.5 mi SW | Wildlife refuge | USFWS | 338, 601 | 7.5 mi | 24 mi | 9,776 | Permit hunts |
| Minnesota Valley SRA | 7.5 mi SW | Recreation area | DNR | 291, 338 | 7.5 mi | 30 mi | 3,995 | – |
| Savage Fen SNA | 14 mi S | SNA | DNR | 605 | over 10 mi | 14 mi | 289 | – |
| Raguet WMA | 17 mi SW | WMA | DNR | 601 | over 10 mi | 17 mi | 325 | CWD notice |
| Seminary Fen SNA | 18 mi SW | SNA | DNR | 601 | over 10 mi | 18 mi | 73 | – |
| Spring Lake Islands WMA | 19 mi SE | WMA | DNR | 601 | over 10 mi | 19 mi | 765 | CWD notice |
| Paul Hugo Farms WMA | 20 mi NE | WMA | DNR | 236 | over 10 mi | 20 mi | 357 | CWD notice |
| Vermillion Highlands Research Recreation and WMA | 21 mi SE | WMA | DNR | 605 | over 10 mi | 21 mi | 2,838 | Permit hunts |
| Vermillion River WMA | 22 mi SE | WMA | DNR | 605 | over 10 mi | 22 mi | 1,493 | CWD notice |
| Vermillion River AMA | 23 mi SE | AMA | DNR | 605 | over 10 mi | 23 mi | 398 | General Use |
The largest unit touching the ring is Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge at 9,776 acres. Sorted by program, the nearby land is 1 federal unit and 1 AMA, SNA or park. Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge takes hunters only during its listed special hunts.
Lands from DNR WMA, state forest, SNA, AMA and parks records, USFS and USFWS (lands.json; each land page cites its own source). Boundary miles from places.json, center miles from each mapped point. WPA rules from the USFWS Minnesota WMD hunting regulations; WMA rules from the DNR WMA rules. Checked October 28, 2026.
Minneapolis deer permit areas, 2026 rules
Minnesota sets deer dates and limits by deer permit area, and DPA lines do not follow county lines; 1 DPA cover 2% or more of Hennepin County.
| Area | County share | Designation | Firearm | Late SE | Muzzle | Early doe | CWD status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 338 nearest unit | adjacent | 3-deer limit | Nov 7–15 | Nov 21–29 | Nov 28–Dec 13 | No | – |
| DPA 601 | 99% | 5-deer limit | Nov 7–29 | – | Nov 28–Dec 13 | Yes | Mgmt zone |
Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, the nearest unit with a mapped deer area, lies in DPA 338, a 300 series area. Hunters may take up to 3 deer in DPA 338 this year with bonus permits. Its firearms season: Nov 7–15; muzzleloader follows Nov 28–Dec 13. In Hennepin County, feeding deer and using attractants is illegal under the CWD rules.
DPA designations, lottery quotas, season windows and CWD status from the DNR deer permit area service and the 2026-2027 booklet DPA lists; county shares from a GIS overlay (counties.json). CWD rules from the booklet CWD pages; shotgun ordinances from the booklet county list. Checked October 28, 2026.
Minneapolis zones for bear, birds and elk
| Permit area | County share | Quota | Last count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bear, no quota | 100% of county | Unlimited | – |
| Spring turkey area 510 | 99% of county | Periods A-F | 1,219 spring birds (2026) |
| Spring turkey area 505 | 1% of county | Periods A-F | 746 spring birds (2026) |
Hennepin County is in the bear no-quota area, where licenses are sold over the counter without a drawing; the season runs Sept. 1 to Oct. 18. The 2026 spring harvest in turkey area 510 was 1,219 birds; spring 2027 runs periods A to F, Apr. 14 to May 31. Duck dates depend on the zone, and the zone lines run along MN 210/23/39 and US 212/I-494/I-94. The furbearer zone line runs along I-94 and US 10 from Moorhead through St. Paul to Hastings.
Bear areas and 2026 permits from the 2026 bear regulations; bear harvest from the DNR bear harvest reports; turkey harvest from the DNR spring turkey reports; elk, sharp-tailed grouse and prairie chicken from DNR pages; refuges from the booklet state game refuge table; zone lines from the booklet waterfowl map. Shares are GIS overlays. Checked October 28, 2026.
Season windows for Minneapolis hunters, 2026-27
Deer dates in Hennepin County follow its deer permit areas (601), not the county line. The 50 rows below come from the 2026-2027 DNR booklet.
| Game | Season | Unit | Begins | Through | Right now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery | DPA 601 | Sep 19, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Early antlerless | DPA 601 | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth deer | DPA 601 | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Metro firearms | DPA 601 | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Muzzleloader | Statewide | Nov 28, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Black bear | No-quota area | No Quota Area | Sep 1, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall | Statewide | Oct 3, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring archery-only | Statewide | Apr 14, 2027 | May 31, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring period A | Statewide | Apr 14, 2027 | Apr 20, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth | Statewide | Apr 14, 2027 | May 31, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring period B | Statewide | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring period C | Statewide | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring period D | Statewide | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring period E | Statewide | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring period F | Statewide | May 19, 2027 | May 31, 2027 | |
| Pheasant | Regular | Statewide | Oct 10, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Ruffed and spruce grouse | Regular | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Hungarian partridge | Regular | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Woodcock | Regular | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Nov 2, 2026 | |
| Mourning dove | Regular | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Rabbits and hares | Regular | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Jackrabbit | Regular | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Squirrels | Regular | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Crow | Crow segment | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Oct 31, 2026 | |
| Rails | Regular | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Snipe | Regular | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Dec 16, 2026 | |
| Canada Goose | Early geese | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | |
| Snow, Blue and Ross's Geese | Early geese | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Early teal season | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Sep 9, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Youth days | Statewide | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 13, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Regular ducks | North Zone | Sep 26, 2026 | Nov 24, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Regular ducks | Central Zone | Sep 26, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Regular ducks | South Zone | Sep 26, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 | |
| Canada Goose | Regular geese | North Zone | Sep 26, 2026 | Dec 25, 2026 | |
| Canada Goose | Regular geese | Central Zone | Sep 26, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 | |
| Canada Goose | Regular geese | South Zone | Sep 26, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 | |
| Take-a-Kid weekend | Take-a-Kid | Statewide | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Regular ducks | Central Zone | Oct 10, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Canada Goose | Regular geese | Central Zone | Oct 10, 2026 | Dec 30, 2026 | |
| Raccoon | Hunting (north) | North furbearer zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Mar 15, 2027 | |
| American Badger | Hunting (north) | North furbearer zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Mar 15, 2027 | |
| Ducks | Regular ducks | South Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Canada Goose | Regular geese | South Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Jan 6, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Hunting (south) | South furbearer zone | Oct 24, 2026 | Mar 15, 2027 | |
| American Badger | Hunting (south) | South furbearer zone | Oct 24, 2026 | Mar 15, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Hunt and trap (north) | North furbearer zone | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 17, 2027 | |
| Crow | Crow segment | Statewide | Dec 15, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Hunt and trap (south) | South furbearer zone | Jan 2, 2027 | Jan 17, 2027 | |
| Snow, Blue and Ross's Geese | Spring light goose | Statewide | Feb 18, 2027 | Apr 30, 2027 | |
| Crow | Crow segment | Statewide | Mar 1, 2027 | Mar 31, 2027 |
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.
DPA 338 harvest for Minneapolis hunters
Figures cover the entire DPA 338; Minnesota prints no harvest for a single county or town. 2025: 704 deer. 2017: 630. In 2025, 393 registered deer were adult bucks. DNR figured 2.23 deer per square mile (rank 55).
| Year | Total | Adult bucks | Adult does | Per sq mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 601 | 351 | 186 | 1.9 |
| 2023 | 608 | 325 | 211 | 1.92 |
| 2024 | 594 | 373 | 161 | 1.88 |
| 2025 | 704 | 393 | 244 | 2.23 |
From the DNR 2025 deer harvest report and earlier reports (harvest.json); DPA numbers as in each report year, and boundaries changed over time. Checked October 28, 2026.
Cutting, mounting and outfitting near Minneapolis
Businesses Minneapolis hunters lean on in the fall, grouped by trade and sorted by miles. To donate a deer to a food shelf, Von Hanson's of Plymouth (11 mi) is on the state venison donation list. Closest CWD sampling partner on the DNR list: Lin's Taxidermy (11 mi).
| Kind | Listings 15 mi | Listings 35 mi | Nearest business | Away | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venison processing | 4 | 8 | Von Hanson's of Plymouth | 11 mi W | Plymouth |
| Taxidermy studios | 8 | 36 | Lin's Taxidermy | 11 mi E | St. Paul |
| Gear shops | 37 | 71 | Egregie | 1.0 mi N | Minneapolis |
| Preserves and guide services | 0 | 3 | Marsh Lake Hunting Preserve Inc | 22 mi SW | Chaska |
Venison processing
Taxidermy studios
Gear shops
Preserves and guide services
Processors from the MDA venison donation processor list, the DNR CWD partner list and Yellow Pages; taxidermists, shops and preserves from the DNR partner list, DNR license agent feed and Yellow Pages (services.json). Checked October 28, 2026; hours were not checked.
Minneapolis DNR phone numbers and addresses
WMAs and wildlife questions in Hennepin County go to the North Metro office for 85% of the county; Vermillion River Complex handle the rest. The DNR Central Region is run from St. Paul. Since 2026 there are no paper tags; offices are for wildlife questions, not license sales.
Minnesota DNR Central Office, east 9.0 mi
Minnesota DNR Region 3 (Central) Headquarters (11 mi east)
Offices from the DNR wildlife area offices page and the DNR regions page; work-area shares from the DNR wildlife admin layer (counties.json). Checked October 28, 2026.
Hunting events near Minneapolis
19 upcoming events within about 30 straight-line miles, soonest first: DU dinner, DU gun or purse bingo, MDHA gun raffle or bingo, NWTF chapter banquet, NWTF hunting heritage fundraiser, sport show and state park youth deer hunt. Checked October 28, 2026.
Still to come
| Held on | Event | How far | Where held | Link | Checked at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1, 2026 | Gun Bingo At Splitrocks!, a DU gun or purse bingo | 30 | Split Rocks (Wyoming) | Buy tickets | Source |
| Nov 4, 2026 | Japanese Whiskey Night Bingo @ Bourbon Butcher!, a DU gun or purse bingo | 22 | Bourbon Butcher (Farmington) | Buy tickets | Source |
| Nov 7–8, 2026 | Afton State Park Special Youth Deer Hunt 2026, a state park youth deer hunt | 25 | Event details | Source | |
| Nov 8, 2026 | Purse and Yeti bingo@ Heartbreakers!, a DU gun or purse bingo | 20 | Heartbreaker's Bar & Grill (Chaska) | Buy tickets | Source |
| Nov 15, 2026 | Delia's Mexican Grill Gun Bingo, a DU gun or purse bingo | 28 | Delia's Mexican Grill (Jordan) | Buy tickets | Source |
| Nov 15, 2026 | Purse and Yeti Bingo!, a DU gun or purse bingo | 10 | The Eagles Club (Bloomington) | Buy tickets | Source |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Forest Lake Trap Team Boomstick Bingo!, a DU gun or purse bingo | 25 | American Legion Post 225 (Forest Lake) | Buy tickets | Source |
| Nov 22, 2026 | Lake Minnetonka Bingo @ Heartbreakers! 11/22/2026, a DU gun or purse bingo | 20 | Heartbreaker's Bar & Grill (Chaska) | Buy tickets | Source |
| Nov 24, 2026 | Capital City Strutters – Sportsman's Fun Night Out NWTF Fundraiser, an NWTF hunting heritage fundraiser | 20 | Lakeville | Event details | Source |
| Dec 1, 2026 | Japanese Whiskey Night Bingo at Whiskey Inferno! December 1st, a DU gun or purse bingo | 15 | Whiskey Inferno Meat House & Craft Bar (Savage) | Buy tickets | Source |
| Dec 4, 2026 | Cottage Grove/Woodbury 2026 Dinner, a DU dinner | 15 | Tinucci's (Newport) | Buy tickets | Source |
| Dec 5, 2026 | Ducks Unlimited and Hugo Legion Bingo!, a DU gun or purse bingo | 20 | American Legion Post 620 (Hugo) | Buy tickets | Source |
| Dec 6, 2026 | Gun bingo with the Armstrong Trap and Skeet Team!, a DU gun or purse bingo | 5 | Brookview Golf Course (Golden Valley) | Buy tickets | Source |
| Jan 15, 2027 | MDHA – MN River Valley Chapter’s Gun & Purse Blast, an MDHA gun raffle or bingo | 18 | Prior Lake VFW | Event details | Source |
| Mar 4, 2027 | North Metro Longbeards NWTF Banquet, an NWTF hunting heritage fundraiser | 12 | Vadnais Heights | Buy tickets | Source |
| Mar 6, 2027 | Dakota Strutters Hunting Heritage Event NWTF Banquet, an NWTF chapter banquet | 18 | Prior Lake | Buy tickets | Source |
| Mar 13, 2027 | Capital City Strutters Banquet, an NWTF chapter banquet | 15 | Newport | Buy tickets | Source |
| Mar 18–21, 2027 | Northwest Sportshow 2027, a sport show | 0 | Minneapolis Convention Center | Event details | Source |
| Mar 25, 2027 | West Metro Struttin Zone Banquet, an NWTF chapter banquet | 14 | Maple Grove | Buy tickets | Source |
Where Minneapolis hunters check a zero
Lauderdale Archery Range heads the Minneapolis list (4 miles), and two more follow.
Straight-line miles from the town centre; ranges checked October 28, 2026.
Opening and closing minutes for Minneapolis hunts
Deer, bear and elk may be taken from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset; waterfowl, turkey and small game stop at sunset.
| Date | Season point | Sunrise | Sunset | Deer | Migratory |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 19, 2026 | Archery and grouse opener | 6:56 a.m. | 7:20 p.m. | 6:26 a.m.–7:50 p.m. | 6:26 a.m.–7:20 p.m. |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Duck opener | 7:04 a.m. | 7:06 p.m. | 6:34 a.m.–7:36 p.m. | 6:34 a.m.–7:06 p.m. |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Pheasant opener | 7:21 a.m. | 6:40 p.m. | 6:51 a.m.–7:10 p.m. | 6:51 a.m.–6:40 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Firearms deer opener | 7:00 a.m. | 4:56 p.m. | 6:30 a.m.–5:26 p.m. | 6:30 a.m.–4:56 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Muzzleloader opener | 7:28 a.m. | 4:36 p.m. | 6:58 a.m.–5:06 p.m. | 6:58 a.m.–4:36 p.m. |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Archery close | 7:52 a.m. | 4:41 p.m. | 7:22 a.m.–5:11 p.m. | 7:22 a.m.–4:41 p.m. |
| Apr 14, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:33 a.m. | 7:56 p.m. | 6:03 a.m.–8:26 p.m. | 6:03 a.m.–7:56 p.m. |
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.
Questions Minneapolis hunters ask before the season
Where else can I base a hunt near Minneapolis?
Pages exist for Edina, St. Paul, Arden Hills and Minnetonka.
How near does public land come to Minneapolis?
Straight-line, it is Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, its nearest boundary 7.5 miles out. Behind it comes Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area, its nearest boundary 7.5 miles out.
What is the public acreage in a 10-mile ring around Minneapolis?
The 10-mile circle holds some 1,778 acres (2 units).
Which deer permit area is Minneapolis in?
DPA lines, not town limits, decide it: the nearest public land lies in DPA 338, and Hennepin County spans 601.
When is the firearms deer season near Minneapolis?
In DPA 338 the firearms season runs Nov 7–15, 2026; muzzleloader is Nov 28–Dec 13 and archery Sep 19–Dec 31.
Is Minneapolis in a CWD zone?
No; DPA 338 is outside both the management zone and the 2026 surveillance block. The feeding and attractant ban covers Hennepin County.
Which bear permit area covers Minneapolis?
The no-quota area, which takes in 100% of Hennepin County.
When does legal hunting time end near Minneapolis?
Deer hours end half an hour after sunset, 5:26 p.m. on Nov. 7; waterfowl and small game stop at sunset.
Where does a Minneapolis hunter get a deer cut and wrapped?
Von Hanson's of Plymouth (Plymouth) is the first on the list.
Who answers WMA questions for Minneapolis hunters?
Staff at Minnesota DNR North Metro Area Wildlife Office in Forest Lake ((651) 539-3324).
How is a deer registered after a hunt near Minneapolis?
Validate at the kill site in the app or on the paper license, then register online, in the app or at a walk-in station within 48 hours.
Do I need blaze orange near Minneapolis?
During the firearms and muzzleloader deer seasons everyone afield wears blaze orange or pink on the cap and above the waist.
Answers from places.json, lands.json, counties.json, services.json and the 2026-2027 Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations; registration from booklet p. 28, blaze rules from booklet p. 39. Checked October 28, 2026.
Minneapolis pre-trip checks
The DNR booklet and each land page are the final word for hunts from Minneapolis.
Other photos on this page: 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); 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).