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2026-27 · DPA 601
Hennepin County Hunting
A county brief for Hennepin County in Central Minnesota: 2026 DPA designations and lottery quotas, firearm and muzzleloader windows, harvest by permit area, bear permits, turkey numbers and public acres by kind.
Photo: USFWS Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
With Minneapolis as its seat, Hennepin County takes in 554 square miles of the Twin Cities, the St. Croix Valley and the southeast bluff country. Roughly 1,273,334 people lived here in 2024, 0.6% down on the 2020 base. Its DNR region is the Central Region; staff there work out of St. Paul. One deer permit area covers the county: 601. GIS layers count close to 3,321 acres of state and federal ground within the line.
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 Hennepin County
Hennepin County DPAs, designations and windows
The 2026 deer map puts 99% of Hennepin County in DPA 601. Designation by area this year: 5-deer in 601. Metro DPA 601 runs its own firearm season from Nov. 7; the DPA layer ends it Nov. 30 and the booklet Nov. 29, so check the DNR notice. Mid-October brings antlerless-only days to 601. Whatever the DPA, the statewide limit stays at five deer including one buck. One change for 2026: a filled DPA limit lets you switch to another permit area.
| DPA | Share | Designation | Lottery permits | Archery | Firearms | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 601 | 99% | 5-deer | — | Sept. 19–Dec. 31 | Nov. 7–Nov. 30 | Nov. 28–Dec. 13 |
| Area | Series | Youth | Early antlerless | Late | CWD status | Square miles | DPA share here |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 601 | 600 | Oct. 15–Oct. 18 | Oct. 15–Oct. 18 | — | Mgmt zone | 1,436 | 42% |
DPA 601 · DPA index · Permit 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.
Hennepin County deer harvest by permit area
There is no official Hennepin County deer harvest: DNR reports registered deer by DPA, and each DPA here also takes in ground outside the county. In 2025, hunters registered 2,588 deer across DPA 601, 1,373 of them adult bucks. That is 19% less than the 3,195 of 2017; the peak was 2018 at 3,230. Per square mile, DPA 601 hunters registered 1.04 bucks. For scale, all of Minnesota registered 186,368 deer in 2025.
| DPA | Of county | DPA in county | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Bucks/sq mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 601 | 99% | 42% | — | — | 2,588 | 1.04 |
Bucks, does and fawns in DPA 601
| Season | Adult males | Buck fawns | Adult females | Doe fawns | 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.
Seasons that reach Hennepin County
WMAs, state forests and private land share these dates in Hennepin County; refuges, state parks and special hunts add their own rules.
| Animal | Hunt | Area | Starts | Ends | Open 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.
CWD, feeding and firearm rules in Hennepin County
The CWD management zone takes in 601. Disposal, not movement, is the rule now: landfill, hauler, processor, taxidermist or the property of harvest. Management-zone hunters may buy disease management permits for extra antlerless deer. No deer feeding and no attractants in Hennepin County under the 37-county ban. The Legislature repealed the shotgun zone in 2025 and Hennepin County is not among the 13 counties with a shotgun-only ordinance, so legal rifles, handguns and shotguns may be used for deer. Firearm deer season means blaze orange or pink on your outer clothing above the waist and on any cap. Validate at the kill site and register within 48 hours; phone registration has ended.
CWD details · Legal reference · Fees and licenses
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.
Bear, turkey and birds in Hennepin County
Black bear
Bear hunters here buy an over-the-counter no-quota license; the county has no quota area. From Sept. 1 to Oct. 18 bears may be hunted; baits go out from Aug. 14.
Wild turkey
The turkey map puts Hennepin County in 510 (99%) and 505 (1%). 1,219 gobblers and bearded hens came from area 510 in spring 2026. Spring 2026 permits listing 510: 4,499. Fall turkey runs Oct. 3-Nov. 1, and spring periods A to F fill Apr. 14-May 31, 2027.
| Area | Of county | Spring 2023 | Spring 2024 | Spring 2025 | Spring 2026 | Fall 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 510 | 99% | 1,164 | 1,375 | 1,466 | 1,219 | 86 |
| 505 | 1% | 894 | 990 | 993 | 746 | 29 |
Ducks, geese and furbearers
Hennepin County waterfowl dates depend on the zone map: MN 210/23/39 and US 212/I-494/I-94 are the dividing lines. Check the I-94/US 10 line for furbearer dates.
Bear areas statewide · Turkey area map · Waterfowl zone map · Refuge list
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.
WMAs, forests and refuges of Hennepin County
Open ground in Hennepin County spans 2 records: 1 national wildlife refuge and 1 wildlife management area. Special hunts are the only way into most state parks.
- National wildlife refuges: 1Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge (9,776 ac*)
- Wildlife management areas, 1 listedRobina Lake Wildlife Management Area (197 ac)
Just outside the county
- Seminary Fen Scientific and Natural Area14 miles out · 73 ac
- Raguet Wildlife Management Area14 miles out · 325 ac
- Otsego Wildlife Management Area17 miles out · 205 ac
- Savage Fen Scientific and Natural Area17 miles out · 289 ac
- St. Michael Meadows Wildlife Management Area17 miles out · 211 ac
Skip Wolsfeld Woods Scientific and Natural Area and Wood-Rill Scientific and Natural Area: they are closed to hunting by rule or by the managing agency.
Public land hub · WMA index · Walk-In Access page
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 and businesses serving Hennepin County
Mileage is measured as the crow flies from the middle of Hennepin County.
Hennepin wildlife staff
Questions about Hennepin County that go beyond the area office reach the Central Region in St. Paul. Hennepin County WMAs are managed mostly from North Metro, and partly from Vermillion River Complex.
Processors near the county
Taxidermy shops
Guide businesses
Sporting goods
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 plus the counties that touch Hennepin County
Population figures are 2024 Census estimates for incorporated towns; unincorporated places show none.
- Minneapolisseat town · 428,579 inhabitants · 1,778 public ac in 10 mi
- Bloomington88,344 inhabitants · 4,936 public ac in 10 mi
- Brooklyn Park82,893 inhabitants · 139 public ac in 10 mi
- Eden Prairie62,905 inhabitants · 4,086 public ac in 10 mi
- Edina53,564 inhabitants · 4,973 public ac in 10 mi
- Maple Grove72,739 inhabitants · 367 public ac in 10 mi
- Minnetonka52,651 inhabitants · 2,451 public ac in 10 mi
- Plymouth78,551 inhabitants · 353 public ac in 10 mi
The county line of Hennepin County touches 7 Minnesota counties.
Towns from the Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; adjacency from the Census county adjacency file.
Hennepin County ranges, clubs and shoots
This guide lists 17 ranges in Hennepin County; Bloomington Archery Range, Eden Prairie (City of), Edward C. Solomon Archery Range, Elm Creek Park Reserve and North Metro Range are run by a public body.
| Facility | Location | Guns, bows | Entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aim Point Moa outdoor range | Bloomington | Access not stated | |
Bill's Gun Shop & Range Robbinsdale indoor range | Robbinsdale | Access not stated | |
| Crow River Sportsmen's Club trap and skeet club | Rogers | trap/shotgun | Access not stated |
Minnesota Rifle & Revolver Association sportsmen’s club | #114 Minnetonka | rifle/air gun | Members only |
| Park Sportsmans Club trap and skeet club | Orono | trap/shotgun | Access not stated |
| Plymouth Gun Club trap and skeet club | Plymouth | trap/skeet/shotgun | Access not stated |
| Range USA Brooklyn Park indoor range | Brooklyn Park | Access not stated | |
South Metro Public Safety Training Facility indoor range | Edina | shotgun/rifle | Access not stated |
Stock & Barrel Gun Club (New Hope) indoor range | New Hope | shotgun/rifle/handgun/smallbore rimfire/air gun/cowboy action/highpower | Access not stated |
Stock and Barrel Gun Club indoor range | Chanhassen | rifle/cowboy action/handgun | Members only |
| Target Sports Minnesota indoor range | Rogers | shotgun/rifle/handgun/smallbore rimfire/air gun/benchrest | Access not stated |
Dates in this county
| Day and event | Discipline | Enter |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 30-31, 2026 | Gun show | Host page |
| Oct 31, 2026 | Class | Reserve |
| Nov 20-21, 2026 | Gun show | Host page |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Club shoot | Calendar |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Class | Reserve |
| Dec 26, 2026 | Club shoot | Calendar |
Ranges from the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 28, 2026. The DNR Shooting Range Finder could not be read.
Hennepin County legal hunting light
Legal light for deer at Hennepin County brackets sunrise and sunset by 30 minutes; ducks and geese open 30 minutes before sunrise and stop at sunset.
| When | Event | Rise | Set | Big game | Ducks and geese |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 19, 2026 | Archery and grouse opener | 6:56 a.m. | 7:20 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 7:50 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. to 7:20 p.m. |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Duck opener | 7:04 a.m. | 7:06 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. to 7:36 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. to 7:06 p.m. |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Pheasant opener | 7:21 a.m. | 6:40 p.m. | 6:51 a.m. to 7:10 p.m. | 6:51 a.m. to 6:40 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Firearms deer opener | 7:00 a.m. | 4:56 p.m. | 6:30 a.m. to 5:26 p.m. | 6:30 a.m. to 4:56 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Muzzleloader opener | 7:28 a.m. | 4:36 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 4:36 p.m. |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Archery close | 7:52 a.m. | 4:41 p.m. | 7:22 a.m. to 5:11 p.m. | 7:22 a.m. to 4:41 p.m. |
| Apr 14, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:33 a.m. | 7:56 p.m. | 6:03 a.m. to 8:26 p.m. | 6:03 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.
Hennepin County hunting calendar and winners
4 upcoming events (DU gun or purse bingo, NWTF chapter banquet and sport show), checked October 28, 2026.
Next on the calendar
| Dates | What | Place | Next step | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 15, 2026 | Purse and Yeti Bingo!, a DU gun or purse bingo | The Eagles Club (Bloomington) | Buy tickets | Source |
| Dec 6, 2026 | Gun bingo with the Armstrong Trap and Skeet Team!, a DU gun or purse bingo | Brookview Golf Course (Golden Valley) | Buy tickets | Source |
| Mar 18–21, 2027 | Northwest Sportshow 2027, a sport show | Minneapolis Convention Center | Event details | Source |
| Mar 25, 2027 | West Metro Struttin Zone Banquet, an NWTF chapter banquet | Maple Grove | Buy tickets | Source |
The 2026 DNR calendar lists 10 firearms safety classes here, taught in Brooklyn Park, Corcoran, Delano and Hopkins; 7 were full when read. Class schedule.
Fishing in Hennepin County
Lakes, rivers, boat ramps and bait shops for Hennepin County are on State Fishing Spots, our sister site.
Hennepin County FAQ
Does Hennepin County close any season on Sundays?
No. Neither the booklet nor chapter 97B limits Sunday hunting.
How many bucks came from DPA 601 in 2025?
1,373 adult males, by the DNR harvest report.
How many bear permits were there for Hennepin County in 2026?
None needed: the county is in the no-quota area.
Is autumn turkey hunting allowed around Hennepin County?
Yes. The fall season runs Oct. 3 to Nov. 1, 2026, statewide.
Does Hennepin County have any Walk-In Access land?
No Walk-In Access sites are listed in the county for 2026.
Who answers regional DNR questions for Hennepin County?
The Central Region office in St. Paul at (651) 259-5635.
Can I hunt geese on a state refuge in Hennepin County?
Not on a listed goose refuge here; most refuges are closed.
Where do Hennepin County hunters take a whitetail for processing?
Most start with Center Cut Meats – Rogers, the closest on our list.
What is the 2026 deer designation in Hennepin County?
601: 5-deer.
Is deer feeding banned in Hennepin County?
Yes. The county is on the 37-county feeding and attractant ban list.
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.
Hennepin County before opening day
Carry your license on your phone or on paper, validate at the kill site and register on time.
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: Joe Passe (CC BY-SA 2.0); NPS Photo (Public domain); 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).