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Central Minnesota county guide
Carver County Hunting
Deer permit areas 338, 685 and 601 cover Carver County. This page lists their 2026 windows and designations, the county CWD and feeding rules, bear and turkey areas, public land and local services.
Photo: SteveBrand (CC BY-SA 2.0)
The county runs to 354 square miles of land and 22 square miles of water, with offices in Chaska. Census staff put the 2024 head count at 112,628, close to 318 per square mile. Region 3 of the DNR, headquartered at St. Paul, oversees the county. Deer seasons and limits come from DPA 338, 685 and 601, not from the county boundary. About 4,293 acres of public land show on the state and federal layers here.
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.
How DNR divides Carver County for deer
DPA 338 takes in 52% of Carver County, and 685 and 601 cover the rest. Antlerless opportunity differs by unit: 3-deer in 338 and 685; 5-deer in 601. The statewide firearm season gives 338 and 685 closing Nov. 15. DPA 601, the metro management area, opens Nov. 7 and runs to late November (layer Nov. 30, booklet Nov. 29). Early antlerless hunting runs Oct. 15-18 in 685 and 601. The late southeast hunt (Nov. 21-29) covers 338. Statewide limits still apply on top of each DPA: five deer, one buck. New for 2026, a hunter who fills one permit area limit may keep hunting in another DPA with room left.
| Area | Of county | 2026 status | Permits | Bow | Gun | Muzzle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 338 | 52% | 3-deer | — | Sept. 19–Dec. 31 | Nov. 7–Nov. 15 | Nov. 28–Dec. 13 |
| 685 | 24% | 3-deer | — | Sept. 19–Dec. 31 | Nov. 7–Nov. 15 | Nov. 28–Dec. 13 |
| 601 | 22% | 5-deer | — | Sept. 19–Dec. 31 | Nov. 7–Nov. 30 | Nov. 28–Dec. 13 |
| DPA | Series | Youth | Early antlerless | Late | CWD | Sq mi | DPA in county |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 338 | 300 | Oct. 15–Oct. 18 | — | — | Voluntary | 330 | 60% |
| 685 | 600 | Oct. 15–Oct. 18 | Oct. 15–Oct. 18 | — | Mgmt zone | 578 | 16% |
| 601 | 600 | Oct. 15–Oct. 18 | Oct. 15–Oct. 18 | — | Mgmt zone | 1,436 | 6% |
DPA 338 · DPA 685 · DPA 601 · Every permit area · Antlerless permits
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.
Registered deer in the DPAs around Carver County
Read these as permit area totals. A DPA that reaches Carver County usually covers parts of other counties too, and DNR keeps no county table. The 2025 report credits DPA 338 with 704 deer against 594 the year before. Since 2017 (630) the area has moved +12%, with 2019 the high year. The density column shows 1.24 bucks to the square mile for DPA 338. DNR counted 186,368 registered deer statewide in 2025, with archery at 30,043.
| Area | County share | Inside county | 2023 deer | 2024 deer | 2025 deer | Buck density |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 338 | 52% | 60% | 608 | 594 | 704 | 1.24 |
| 601 | 22% | 6% | — | — | 2,588 | 1.04 |
DPA 338 harvest detail
| Year | Adult males | Male fawns | Adult females | Female fawns | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 393 | 33 | 244 | 34 | 704 |
| 2024 | 373 | 35 | 161 | 25 | 594 |
| 2023 | 325 | 46 | 211 | 26 | 608 |
| 2022 | 351 | 30 | 186 | 34 | 601 |
| 2021 | 286 | 38 | 158 | 33 | 515 |
| 2020 | 337 | 56 | 212 | 33 | 638 |
| 2019 | 339 | 60 | 296 | 35 | 730 |
| 2018 | 317 | 40 | 221 | 31 | 609 |
| 2017 | 311 | 55 | 232 | 32 | 630 |
DNR 2025 registered deer harvest report and earlier yearly reports (2017-2024); statewide totals from the DNR deer harvest statistics. Checked October 28, 2026.
Every dated season covering Carver County
Deer dates in Carver County follow its deer permit areas (338, 685 and 601), not the county line. The 52 rows below come from the 2026-2027 DNR booklet.
| Species | Season type | Where it counts | Opening | Closing | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery | All DPAs here | Sep 19, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Early antlerless | DPAs 601, 685 | 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 338, 685 | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late southeast | DPA 338 | Nov 21, 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.
Carcass, bait and rifle law for Carver County
Hunters in 685 and 601 follow the CWD carcass disposal rule; a not-detected test result exempts the deer. Extra antlerless deer can be taken in the zone with disease management permits. The 2026 rotation puts 685 in the surveillance block, with sampling required on Nov. 7 and 8. Carver County falls inside the feeding and attractant ban that DNR applies to 37 counties. Carver County has no shotgun-only ordinance on the DNR list; centerfire rifles of .220 caliber or larger are legal for deer. Pink counts the same as orange for the deer season clothing rule. The electronic licensing system replaced tags, so validation and registration happen online or in the app.
CWD rules · Weapons and methods · License rules
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.
Carver County bears, gobblers and ducks
Bear areas and permits
No lottery is needed for bear anywhere in Carver County: it is all no-quota area. A hunter may run up to three registered bait stations; season dates are Sept. 1-Oct. 18.
Turkey harvest
Turkey hunters here report harvest in 505 (52%), 506 (26%) and 510 (22%). In spring 2026, permit area 505 hunters registered 746 turkeys. 3,121 spring permits named 505 as the most-hunted area in 2026. Spring permits are not tied to one permit area; hunters declare the area they hunt most.
| Permit area | Share | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2025 fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 505 | 52% | 894 | 990 | 993 | 746 | 29 |
| 506 | 26% | 526 | 689 | 684 | 624 | 34 |
| 510 | 22% | 1,164 | 1,375 | 1,466 | 1,219 | 86 |
Waterfowl and furbearer lines
Ducks and geese follow the North, Central and South zones, whose lines run along MN 210/23/39 and along US 212/I-494/I-94; DNR draws them only on a map, so check which side of a line you hunt in Carver County. Furbearer seasons divide at the I-94/US 10 line between Moorhead, St. Paul and Hastings.
Bear quota areas · Turkey areas · Duck zones · Refuge rules
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.
Mapped public acres of Carver County by kind
The map pins 15 units inside Carver County and 5 neighbours beyond it. About 508 acres belong to federal WPAs. State parks hunt only by special hunt or in listed open portions.
- National wildlife refuges, 1 hereMinnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge (9,776 acres*)
- Wetland management districts: 1 on fileMinnesota Valley Wetland Management District (8,340 acres*)
- State recreation areas in Carver (1)Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area (3,995 acres*)
- Wildlife management areas: 8 on fileRaguet Wildlife Management Area (325 acres*), Tiger Marsh Wildlife Management Area (321 acres), Schneewind Wildlife Management Area (248 acres), Carver Highlands Wildlife Management Area (116 acres), Assumption Wildlife Management Area (66 acres), Patterson Lake Wildlife Management Area (61 acres), Gravel Pit 1748 Wildlife Management Area (3 acres), Gravel Pit 2749 Wildlife Management Area (3 acres)
- Waterfowl production areas: 3Carver County Waterfowl Production Area (304 acres), Perbix WPA-West Waterfowl Production Area (118 acres), Perbix WPA-East Waterfowl Production Area (101 acres)
- Scientific and natural areas: 1 on fileSeminary Fen Scientific and Natural Area (73 acres)
Permit and no-permit hunts
| Hunt | Where | Hunt no. | Days | Bag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery, no permit | Minnesota Valley SRA (Carver Rapids and Thompson Ferry units) | 979 | Sept. 19-Dec. 31 | 5 |
Over the Carver County line
- Faxon Wildlife Management Area11 miles from centre · 41 acres
- Washington Lake Waterfowl Production Area12 miles from centre · 78 acres
- Redhead Waterfowl Production Area13 miles from centre · 156 acres
- Revanche Wildlife Management Area14 miles from centre · 114 acres
- Mud Lake Waterfowl Production Area14 miles from centre · 603 acres
Rules keep hunters out of Lotus Lake Aquatic Management Area.
Land statewide · WMA pages · Private land access · WPA pages
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.
Help after the shot in Carver County
Licenses sell online, by phone and at license agents; chain stores and agents are left off this list.
Regional and area offices
The DNR Central Region is run from St. Paul; the regional line is (651) 259-5635. Call Vermillion River Complex in Rosemount about WMAs and local seasons.
Get a deer cut
For a mount
Preserves and outfitters
Gear 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.
Towns and bordering counties of Carver County
Every town page for Carver County works out legal shooting light for that spot.
- Chaskacounty seat · 30,167 residents · 6,845 public ac inside 10 mi
- Carver6,810 residents · 6,440 public ac inside 10 mi
Along its edges Carver County meets 5 Minnesota counties.
Towns from the Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; adjacency from the Census county adjacency file.
Where to zero a deer rifle in Carver County
Carver County has 1 listed range, all clubs, shops or private ranges.
Eden Prairie (City of) in Hennepin County is the nearest public range, roughly 17 miles. Open it
Upcoming here
| When, name | Type | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 25, 2027 | MTA youth | More |
Ranges from the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 28, 2026. The DNR Shooting Range Finder could not be read.
Carver County legal hunting light
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 | 6:57 a.m. | 7:21 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 7:51 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 7:21 p.m. |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Duck opener | 7:05 a.m. | 7:08 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. to 7:38 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. to 7:08 p.m. |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Pheasant opener | 7:23 a.m. | 6:41 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. to 7:11 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. to 6:41 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Firearms deer opener | 7:00 a.m. | 4:58 p.m. | 6:30 a.m. to 5:28 p.m. | 6:30 a.m. to 4:58 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Muzzleloader opener | 7:29 a.m. | 4:38 p.m. | 6:59 a.m. to 5:08 p.m. | 6:59 a.m. to 4:38 p.m. |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Archery close | 7:53 a.m. | 4:43 p.m. | 7:23 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. | 7:23 a.m. to 4:43 p.m. |
| Apr 14, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:34 a.m. | 7:57 p.m. | 6:04 a.m. to 8:27 p.m. | 6:04 a.m. to 7:57 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.
Carver County: banquets, classes and hunts
DU gun or purse bingo: 2 upcoming events.
Still to come
| Held on | Event | Where held | Link | Checked at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 8, 2026 | Purse and Yeti bingo@ Heartbreakers!, a DU gun or purse bingo | Heartbreaker's Bar & Grill (Chaska) | Buy tickets | Source |
| Nov 22, 2026 | Lake Minnetonka Bingo @ Heartbreakers! 11/22/2026, a DU gun or purse bingo | Heartbreaker's Bar & Grill (Chaska) | Buy tickets | Source |
Volunteer instructors ran 4 DNR classes in Carver County during 2026 (2 hybrid, 2 classroom), most recently on Oct 11, 2026. Statewide classes.
Quick Carver County answers
What do the WMAs in Carver County add up to?
Roughly 1,007 WMA acres on the DNR layer.
Must I hunt only my declared turkey area in Carver County?
No. Spring hunters declare the area they hunt most but are not restricted to it.
Which furbearer zone is Carver County in?
It depends on the I-94/US 10 line; north of it is the North Zone.
Which of the four DNR regions takes in Carver County?
Region 3 (Central), headquartered in St. Paul.
When does firearm deer season open in Carver County?
Nov. 7, 2026. DPA 338 runs Nov. 7–Nov. 15.
Where can a Carver County deer be butchered?
Our nearest listings are A & M Processing, Ruck's Meat Processing Center and Center Cut Meats – Rogers; November is busy, so ring first.
Can crossbows be used for deer in Carver County?
Yes, by archery license holders all season and by any licensed hunter in the youth, early antlerless and firearm seasons.
Is there a late CWD hunt in Carver County?
No. The Dec. 18-20 late CWD season does not reach its permit areas.
When can bears be hunted around Carver County?
Sept. 1 to Oct. 18, 2026, with baiting from Aug. 14.
How dense is the buck harvest in DPA 338?
1.24 bucks per square mile in 2025.
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.
Read this before a Carver County hunt
Where this page and the DNR booklet differ, the booklet and later DNR notices win.
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).