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The Twin Cities, the St. Croix Valley and the southeast bluff country
Anoka County Hunting
Plan a Anoka County season around the DNR units that actually set the rules here: DPA 601, 227 and 236 and 1 more, the bear and turkey permit areas and whatever public land lies inside the county line.
Photo: Tony Webster (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Census mapping gives Anoka County 422 square miles of dry ground and 24 under water; the courthouse is in Anoka. The 2024 estimate of 376,840 people is +3.6% off the 2020 count. Administratively the county belongs to DNR Region 3, the Central Region based in St. Paul. Deer rules follow 4 deer permit areas rather than the county line: 601, 227, 236 and 235. Mapped public land (WMAs, forests, refuges, WPAs and the rest) comes to roughly 19,956 acres by GIS measure.
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 Anoka County
Deer permit areas covering Anoka County
Share of county by permit area: 601 48%; 227 36%; 236 10%; 235 6%. For 2026 the DNR set 5-deer in 601; 3-deer in 227 and 236; either-sex in 235. Read the series before the opener: 227, 236 and 235 on the nine-day Nov. 7 to 15 run. DPA 601 hunters get the metro firearm season beginning Nov. 7; local ordinances still limit where you can shoot. 601, 227 and 236 add an early antlerless hunt, Oct. 15 to 18, on top of the regular limit. One buck and five deer in all is the statewide ceiling. The 2026 rules allow moving to a second DPA after the first DPA limit is filled.
| Area | Share | Designation | Drawn permits | Archery | Firearms | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 601 | 48% | 5-deer | — | Sept. 19–Dec. 31 | Nov. 7–Nov. 30 | Nov. 28–Dec. 13 |
| 227 | 36% | 3-deer | — | Sept. 19–Dec. 31 | Nov. 7–Nov. 15 | Nov. 28–Dec. 13 |
| 236 | 10% | 3-deer | — | Sept. 19–Dec. 31 | Nov. 7–Nov. 15 | Nov. 28–Dec. 13 |
| 235 | 6% | Either-sex | — | Sept. 19–Dec. 31 | Nov. 7–Nov. 15 | Nov. 28–Dec. 13 |
| DPA | Series | Youth days | Early season | Late | Testing | Sq mi | Of DPA here |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 601 | 600 | Oct. 15–Oct. 18 | Oct. 15–Oct. 18 | — | Mgmt zone | 1,436 | 15% |
| 227 | 200 | Oct. 15–Oct. 18 | Oct. 15–Oct. 18 | — | Voluntary | 491 | 33% |
| 236 | 200 | Oct. 15–Oct. 18 | Oct. 15–Oct. 18 | — | Voluntary | 401 | 12% |
| 235 | 200 | Oct. 15–Oct. 18 | — | — | Voluntary | 38 | 64% |
DPA 601 · DPA 227 · DPA 236 · DPA 235 · All 130 DPAs · Lottery DPAs
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.
What the Anoka County DPAs produce
DNR registers deer by permit area and publishes no county total, so the figures below are whole-DPA numbers for the areas that cover Anoka County. DPA 601 registered 2,588 deer in 2025, placing 59th in the DNR statewide ranking. From 3,195 in 2017 to 2,588 in 2025 works out to -19%. That works out to 1.04 bucks per square mile across the permit area. The 2025 statewide total was 186,368 registered deer.
| Area | Share | Part here | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Bucks/sq mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 601 | 48% | 15% | — | — | 2,588 | 1.04 |
| 227 | 36% | 33% | 3,470 | 3,893 | 4,198 | 4.31 |
| 236 | 10% | 12% | 1,986 | 2,085 | 2,388 | 3.58 |
| 235 | 6% | 64% | 158 | 140 | 191 | 3.59 |
DPA 601 by sex and age
| Year | Bucks | Fawns (m) | Does | Fawns (f) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,373 | 197 | 884 | 134 | 2,588 |
| 2018 | 1,426 | 271 | 1,335 | 198 | 3,230 |
| 2017 | 1,417 | 294 | 1,305 | 179 | 3,195 |
DNR 2025 registered deer harvest report and earlier yearly reports (2017-2024); statewide totals from the DNR deer harvest statistics. Checked October 28, 2026.
Anoka County hunting calendar, species by species
Waterfowl rows follow the North, Central and South zones and furbearer rows the North and South zones, so check which side of the line you hunt in Anoka County.
| Game | Segment | DPA or zone | First day | Last day | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery | All DPAs here | Sep 19, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Early antlerless | DPAs 227, 236, 601 | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth deer | All DPAs here | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Metro firearms | DPA 601 | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Firearms (200 series) | DPAs 227, 235, 236 | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 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.
Carcass, bait and rifle rules around Anoka County
Management-zone DPAs here (601) carry the 2026 carcass disposal rule, which replaced the old movement limits; DNR dumpsters are gone. Disease management permits are valid in management-zone DPAs, adding antlerless deer beyond the area limit. The CWD feeding ban reaches Anoka County; attractants with deer urine count as banned. Anoka County is absent from the 13-county shotgun-only list, leaving rifles, handguns and shotguns all legal for deer. During firearm and muzzleloader deer seasons, blaze orange or pink goes on the cap and above the waist. There are no paper tags: validate the deer at the kill site, then register it within 48 hours online or in the app.
CWD timeline here
| Year | Note | Cases |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | New detection near Stillwater; extra voluntary testing in DPA 236 (Oct. 1-Dec. 31 self-service stations). | — |
Disease rules · All rules · License page
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.
Anoka County bear permits, turkey harvest and refuges
Anoka County black bear
Every acre of Anoka County is no-quota bear country, open to any bear license buyer. Registered bait stations open Aug. 14, two weeks before bear season starts Sept. 1.
Turkey permit areas
For turkey registration, Anoka County falls in 510 (94%) and 511 (6%). Spring 2026: 1,219 turkeys registered across area 510. In 2026 hunters picked 510 as their main area on 4,499 permits. Spring 2027 firearm periods A-F run Apr. 14 to May 31; the fall season is Oct. 3 to Nov. 1.
| Turkey area | Share | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | Fall 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 510 | 94% | 1,164 | 1,375 | 1,466 | 1,219 | 86 |
| 511 | 6% | 80 | 88 | 98 | 83 | 5 |
Waterfowl zones
The three duck zones are drawn as highway lines on a DNR map image, not by county, so the season table shows all three for Anoka County. I-94 and US 10 form the furbearer zone line from Moorhead to Hastings.
Bear area map · Turkey harvest by area · Goose refuges · All 47 refuges
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.
Ground open to hunters across Anoka County
Anoka County has 8 listed properties open to hunters, led by Carlos Avery Wildlife Management Area (24,598 acres).
- Wildlife management areas in Anoka (7)Carlos Avery Wildlife Management Area (24,598 acres*), Lamprey Pass Wildlife Management Area (1,277 acres*), Gordie Mikkelson Wildlife Management Area (860 acres), Bethel Wildlife Management Area (755 acres*), Robert and Marilyn Burman Wildlife Management Area (204 acres), Carl E. Bonnell Wildlife Management Area (78 acres), Mallard Marsh Wildlife Management Area (56 acres)
- Aquatic management areas in Anoka (1)Linwood Lake Aquatic Management Area (49 acres)
Next-door public land
- Marvin W. Schubring Memorial Wildlife Management Area12 miles away · 285 acres
- Athens Wildlife Management Area13 miles away · 192 acres
- Marget Lake Wildlife Management Area14 miles away · 507 acres
- Hoffman Lake Wildlife Management Area14 miles away · 115 acres
- Hardwood Creek Wildlife Management Area15 miles away · 583 acres
Our list marks Blaine Airport Rich Fen Scientific and Natural Area, Blaine Preserve Scientific and Natural Area, Boot Lake Scientific and Natural Area and Helen Allison Savanna Scientific and Natural Area as closed to hunting.
Land finder · All WMAs · Walk-In rules
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.
Offices, phones and shops near Anoka County
Shops and taxidermists come from directories and the DNR CWD partner list, so call before you drive.
Agency contacts
The regional DNR team serving Anoka County is based in St. Paul. The North Metro area wildlife office (Forest Lake) handles 100% of Anoka County.
Venison processing
Taxidermists nearby
Preserves nearby
Anoka area gun and bow shops
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.
Base towns and border counties near Anoka County
Beside each town we show the public acres that fall within ten miles of it, from GIS layers.
- Anokaseat · 18,068 townspeople · 384 ac public, 10-mi ring
- Blaine75,172 townspeople · 6,073 ac public, 10-mi ring
- Columbus4,307 townspeople · 21,506 ac public, 10-mi ring
- Coon Rapids63,807 townspeople · 1,326 ac public, 10-mi ring
Each tile below leads to a county that shares a line with Anoka County.
Towns from the Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; adjacency from the Census county adjacency file.
Anoka County sight-in spots and shoot dates
Within the Anoka County line the guide finds 11 ranges; each card names who may shoot.
| Name | Nearest town | Disciplines | Open to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metro Gun Club sportsmen’s club | Blaine | trap/skeet/sporting clays/5-stand/rifle/handgun/smallbore rimfire/shotgun | Members only |
| Minnesota Firearms & Range outdoor range | Anoka | Access not stated | |
Minnetonka Game & Fish Club sportsmen’s club | St. Francis | trap/skeet/rifle/handgun/smallbore rimfire/archery/3D archery/muzzleloader/air gun/action pistol/benchrest/highpower/silhouette/shotgun | Members only |
The Modern Sportsman (Coon Rapids) indoor range | Coon Rapids | Access not stated | |
Total Defense Gun Shop and Indoor Shooting Range indoor range | Ramsey | rifle/handgun | Access not stated |
Without a club card, Anoka County shooters can use Marsden Archery Range in Ramsey County, 13 miles out. Hours
Local shoot calendar
| Date, shoot | Format | Page |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 12-13, 2026 | Gun show | More |
| Dec 18-19, 2026 | Gun show | More |
| Dec 27, 2026 | Trap | Details |
| Apr 17-18, 2027 | Gun show | More |
| Apr 24, 2027 | MTA trap | Details |
| May 22, 2027 | MTA youth | Details |
Ranges from the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 28, 2026. The DNR Shooting Range Finder could not be read.
Anoka County shooting time on key dates
Sunrise in Moorhead comes well after sunrise in Grand Marais, so use the local times worked out for Anoka County.
| Date | Why | Sunrise | Sunset | Legal for big game | Legal for ducks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 19, 2026 | Archery and grouse opener | 6:55 a.m. | 7:19 p.m. | 6:25 a.m. to 7:49 p.m. | 6:25 a.m. to 7:19 p.m. |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Duck opener | 7:03 a.m. | 7:05 p.m. | 6:33 a.m. to 7:35 p.m. | 6:33 a.m. to 7:05 p.m. |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Pheasant opener | 7:21 a.m. | 6:39 p.m. | 6:51 a.m. to 7:09 p.m. | 6:51 a.m. to 6:39 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Firearms deer opener | 6:59 a.m. | 4:54 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 5:24 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 4:54 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Muzzleloader opener | 7:28 a.m. | 4:35 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 4:35 p.m. |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Archery close | 7:52 a.m. | 4:39 p.m. | 7:22 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. | 7:22 a.m. to 4:39 p.m. |
| Apr 14, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:31 a.m. | 7:56 p.m. | 6:01 a.m. to 8:26 p.m. | 6:01 a.m. to 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.
Banquets, hunts and classes in Anoka County
Listed for this county: no upcoming date (safety classes only).
DNR firearms safety classes in Anoka County this year: 13 (8 hybrid, 5 classroom), in Andover, Blaine, Coon Rapids and Elk River. The latest began Sep 26, 2026. See the classes.
Fishing in Anoka County
Lakes, rivers, boat ramps and bait shops for Anoka County are on State Fishing Spots, our sister site.
Anoka County, answered
Is there a youth waterfowl weekend in Anoka County?
Yes, Sept. 12-13, 2026 statewide.
How far is Anoka County from a DNR wildlife office?
North Metro, about 6 miles from the county centre.
Which deer permit areas cover Anoka County?
601, 227, 236 and 235; DPA 601 is the largest at 48% of the county.
What processor is nearest to Anoka County?
Grundhofer's Old-Fashion Meats; the offices and services band above has more names.
Must I wear blaze orange in Anoka County?
Yes, orange or pink on the cap and above the waist during firearm and muzzleloader deer seasons.
Is CWD sampling mandatory for Anoka County deer?
No. Testing is voluntary in 2026 outside the surveillance block.
Which bear permit area covers Anoka County?
Only the no-quota area, where licenses are sold over the counter.
Is the deer harvest rising around Anoka County?
DPA 601 registered 2,588 in 2025, against 3,195 in 2017.
What is the largest public unit in Anoka County?
Carlos Avery Wildlife Management Area, 24,598 acres in all.
What day does the 2027 gobbler season start around Anoka County?
Apr. 14, 2027, with periods A to F running to May 31.
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.
One more check for Anoka County hunters
Dates on this page are for 2026-27 only; recheck the booklet for a later season.
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: Me in ME (CC BY 2.0); 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); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0).