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Base camp in Ramsey County
Public land and DPA dates near St. Paul, MN
Public land around St. Paul by straight-line miles, the Ramsey County deer permit areas with their 2026 designations and dates, bear and turkey permit areas and the services in reach.
Photo: Town view, Downtown St. Paul lights reflected in the Mississippi River at dusk, Ramsey County. Tony Webster (CC BY 2.0)
As the Ramsey County seat and a major city, St. Paul is where many hunters in the DNR Central Region start their drive. St. Paul had an estimated 307,465 residents in mid-2024. A 10-mile reach from St. Paul holds roughly 1,482 mapped public acres and 2 listed units. Before any other unit, a straight line from St. Paul reaches Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, its nearest boundary 7.6 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.
St. Paul deer permit area guide
Designations change yearly. These are the 2026 rules for the DPAs over Ramsey County, with the lottery quota in brackets.
| DPA | Coverage | Limit type | Firearms | Late SE | Muzzleloader | Early season | CWD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 338 nearest land | over the line | 3-deer limit | Nov 7–15 | Nov 21–29 | Nov 28–Dec 13 | No | – |
| DPA 601 | 100% | 5-deer limit | Nov 7–29 | – | Nov 28–Dec 13 | Yes | Mgmt zone |
For deer, Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, the nearest unit with a mapped deer area, falls in DPA 338, part of the 300 series. A 3-deer limit applies in DPA 338, inside the statewide limit of five deer with one buck. Firearms deer there runs Nov 7–15, with a late southeast season Nov 21–29. Deer feeding and attractants are banned across Ramsey County.
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.
Public units around St. Paul
Rows run by nearest boundary, then by center miles; each land page carries parking, access rules and its deer permit area.
| Name | Direction | Land type | Manager | Deer area | Nearest line | Center point | Size (ac) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Valley NWR | 7.6 mi SW | Wildlife refuge | USFWS | 338, 601 | 7.6 mi | 29 mi | 9,776 | Permit hunts |
| Minnesota Valley SRA | 7.6 mi SW | Recreation area | DNR | 291, 338 | 7.6 mi | 36 mi | 3,995 | – |
| Spring Lake Islands WMA | 14 mi SE | WMA | DNR | 601 | 10+ mi | 14 mi | 765 | CWD notice |
| Bayport WMA | 15 mi E | WMA | DNR | 601 | 10+ mi | 15 mi | 452 | CWD notice |
| Paul Hugo Farms WMA | 16 mi NE | WMA | DNR | 236 | 10+ mi | 16 mi | 357 | CWD notice |
| Afton State Park | 17 mi E | State park | DNR | 601 | 10+ mi | 17 mi | 1,599 | Special hunts |
| Savage Fen SNA | 17 mi SW | SNA | DNR | 605 | 10+ mi | 17 mi | 289 | – |
| Vermillion Highlands Research Recreation and WMA | 18 mi S | WMA | DNR | 605 | 10+ mi | 18 mi | 2,838 | Permit hunts |
| Keystone Woods WMA | 19 mi NE | WMA | DNR | 236 | 10+ mi | 19 mi | 1,840 | CWD notice |
| Vermillion River WMA | 19 mi S | WMA | DNR | 605 | 10+ mi | 19 mi | 1,493 | CWD notice |
In size, Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge leads the nearby list with 9,776 acres. Within 10 miles you will find 1 federal unit and 1 AMA, SNA or park. Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge is hunted only through DNR special or permit hunts, so check its page before planning a trip.
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.
St. Paul deer numbers, DPA totals
DPA 338 is the unit DNR counts deer in; treat these as permit area totals, not a Ramsey County count. Registration came to 704 deer in 2025 and 630 in 2017. Of those 2025 deer, 393 were adult males. Harvest density: 2.23 per square mile in 2025.
| Year | All deer | Adult male | Adult female | Deer/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.
What is in season around St. Paul
Rows marked with a DPA apply only in that part of Ramsey County; firearms deer runs Nov. 7 to 15 in 200-series areas and Nov. 7 to 22 in the 100 series.
| Species | Season | Applies in | Opens | Closes | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Bear, turkey and bird zones near St. Paul
| Zone | % of county | 2026 quota | Harvest figure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bear (no quota) | 100% of county | Unlimited | – |
| Permit area (turkey) 510 | 100% of county | Periods A-F | 1,219 spring birds (2026) |
No bear lottery is needed around St. Paul; the no-quota area covers 100% of the county. Turkey permit area 510 registered 1,219 birds in spring 2026, against 1,060 in 2019. Zone lines for waterfowl run on highways, so the table below shows all three zones for Ramsey County. Raccoon, fox and other furbearer dates differ north and south of the I-94/US 10 line.
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.
St. Paul legal shooting light, 2026 season
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.
| Date | Moment | Sunrise | Sunset | Deer, bear, elk | Waterfowl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 19, 2026 | Archery and grouse opener | 6:54 a.m. | 7:18 p.m. | 6:24 a.m.–7:48 p.m. | 6:24 a.m.–7:18 p.m. |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Duck opener | 7:03 a.m. | 7:05 p.m. | 6:33 a.m.–7:35 p.m. | 6:33 a.m.–7:05 p.m. |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Pheasant opener | 7:20 a.m. | 6:38 p.m. | 6:50 a.m.–7:08 p.m. | 6:50 a.m.–6:38 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Firearms deer opener | 6:58 a.m. | 4:54 p.m. | 6:28 a.m.–5:24 p.m. | 6:28 a.m.–4:54 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Muzzleloader opener | 7:26 a.m. | 4:35 p.m. | 6:56 a.m.–5:05 p.m. | 6:56 a.m.–4:35 p.m. |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Archery close | 7:50 a.m. | 4:39 p.m. | 7:20 a.m.–5:09 p.m. | 7:20 a.m.–4:39 p.m. |
| Apr 14, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:31 a.m. | 7:55 p.m. | 6:01 a.m.–8:25 p.m. | 6:01 a.m.–7:55 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.
Venison, mounts and gear shops near St. Paul
Minnesota licenses taxidermists but publishes no list of them, so the taxidermists here come from the DNR CWD sampling partners and directory listings; call before you drive. White Bear Butchery takes donated deer under the 2026 state program. Lin's Taxidermy (3.3 mi) is a DNR CWD sampling partner.
| Kind | 15 mi | 35 mi | Closest listing | Distance | In |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer cutting | 2 | 8 | Concord Fresh Meats Processing | 5.0 mi SE | South Saint Paul |
| Taxidermists | 7 | 27 | Lin's Taxidermy | 3.3 mi NE | St. Paul |
| Hunting retailers | 29 | 68 | Northern Rifleman LLC | at town | Saint Paul |
Deer cutting
Taxidermists
Hunting retailers
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.
St. Paul: hunting dates nearby
Checked October 28, 2026. Within about 30 miles there are 18 upcoming events, covering 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.
Coming up
| Held on | Event | Mi | Where held | Link | Checked at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1, 2026 | Gun Bingo At Splitrocks!, a DU gun or purse bingo | 28 | Split Rocks (Wyoming) | Buy tickets | Source |
| Nov 4, 2026 | Japanese Whiskey Night Bingo @ Bourbon Butcher!, a DU gun or purse bingo | 20 | Bourbon Butcher (Farmington) | Buy tickets | Source |
| Nov 7–8, 2026 | Afton State Park Special Youth Deer Hunt 2026, a state park youth deer hunt | 17 | Event details | Source | |
| Nov 8, 2026 | Purse and Yeti bingo@ Heartbreakers!, a DU gun or purse bingo | 26 | Heartbreaker's Bar & Grill (Chaska) | Buy tickets | Source |
| Nov 15, 2026 | Purse and Yeti Bingo!, a DU gun or purse bingo | 13 | The Eagles Club (Bloomington) | Buy tickets | Source |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Forest Lake Trap Team Boomstick Bingo!, a DU gun or purse bingo | 22 | 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 | 26 | 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 | 18 | Whiskey Inferno Meat House & Craft Bar (Savage) | Buy tickets | Source |
| Dec 4, 2026 | Cottage Grove/Woodbury 2026 Dinner, a DU dinner | 7 | Tinucci's (Newport) | Buy tickets | Source |
| Dec 5, 2026 | Ducks Unlimited and Hugo Legion Bingo!, a DU gun or purse bingo | 16 | 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 | 13 | 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 | 23 | Prior Lake VFW | Event details | Source |
| Mar 4, 2027 | North Metro Longbeards NWTF Banquet, an NWTF hunting heritage fundraiser | 8 | Vadnais Heights | Buy tickets | Source |
| Mar 6, 2027 | Dakota Strutters Hunting Heritage Event NWTF Banquet, an NWTF chapter banquet | 23 | Prior Lake | Buy tickets | Source |
| Mar 13, 2027 | Capital City Strutters Banquet, an NWTF chapter banquet | 7 | Newport | Buy tickets | Source |
| Mar 18–21, 2027 | Northwest Sportshow 2027, a sport show | 8 | Minneapolis Convention Center | Event details | Source |
| Mar 25, 2027 | West Metro Struttin Zone Banquet, an NWTF chapter banquet | 21 | Maple Grove | Buy tickets | Source |
St. Paul: sportsmen’s clubs and lanes nearby
Each card gives the access rule for St. Paul shooters.
The nearest city, county or park district range is Edward C. Solomon Archery Range, 8 miles off. Hours
Straight-line miles from the town centre; ranges checked October 28, 2026.
DNR wildlife staff within reach of St. Paul
The area wildlife office for Ramsey County is North Metro. Above the area office sits the Region 3 headquarters in St. Paul. Area offices answer WMA, nuisance wildlife and special hunt questions.
Minnesota DNR Central Office, 1.1 mi off to the northeast
Minnesota DNR Region 3 (Central) Headquarters, 2.6 mi away
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.
Common questions about hunting near St. Paul
Which deer processor is nearest St. Paul, Minnesota?
Closest is Concord Fresh Meats Processing (5.0 mi).
Which DNR area office handles Ramsey County?
Minnesota DNR North Metro Area Wildlife Office, (651) 539-3324.
How long do I have to register a deer near St. Paul?
Deer and bear within 48 hours, turkey within 24 hours, online, in the app or at a walk-in station.
Is pink allowed instead of orange near St. Paul?
Yes: blaze pink counts the same as orange, with the same coverage rules.
What towns sit near St. Paul?
Try the pages for Minneapolis, Arden Hills, Woodbury and Eagan.
What public ground lies closest to St. Paul?
Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, its nearest boundary 7.6 miles out. Second is Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area, its nearest boundary 7.6 miles out.
How many listed units lie within 10 miles of St. Paul?
2 listed units, about 1,482 acres of DNR and federal land.
What are the 2026 deer rules near St. Paul?
3-deer limit in DPA 338, inside the statewide limit of five deer with one buck.
When does the 2026 rifle deer season open near St. Paul?
It opens Nov. 7; the DPA 338 firearms window is Nov 7–15.
Is CWD sampling required near St. Paul?
No mandatory sampling applies in DPA 338 in 2026. Ramsey County is a feeding-ban county.
Is St. Paul in a bear quota area?
No, Ramsey County is no-quota bear ground.
What time does shooting start near St. Paul on the deer opener?
On Nov. 7, 2026, deer hours at the Ramsey County centre start at 6:28 a.m.
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.
St. Paul trip checklist
Before leaving St. Paul, confirm the DPA designation, any refuge closure and the shotgun rule for Ramsey County.
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).