Home › Minnesota › Counties › Olmsted County
Central Minnesota · 2026-27 booklet
Olmsted County Hunting
Olmsted County from the deer permit area up: how DPA 643 and its neighbours are designated for 2026, what the CWD rules ask, which bear and turkey areas apply, and the state and federal land open to hunters.
Photo: Tony Webster (CC BY 2.0)
Olmsted County spreads across 654 square miles of land, governed from Rochester. That ground is shared by some 166,424 residents, near 255 to each square mile. The DNR regional office that covers it sits in St. Paul, home of the Central Region. Permit area lines decide deer limits here, and the ones that matter are 643, 655, 644, 647 and 341. DNR, Forest Service and Fish and Wildlife Service polygons add up to about 5,498 public acres inside the county.
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 Olmsted County
Olmsted County deer permit areas and 2026 dates
Most of Olmsted County (85%) lies in DPA 643, with slices of 655, 644, 647 and 341. The 2026 designations read 5-deer in 643 and 647; 3-deer in 655 and 341; 2-deer in 644. Series decides the firearm calendar, with Nov. 7 through 15 for 643, 655, 644, 647 and 341. The early antlerless season (Oct. 15-18) is open in 643, 647 and 341 and its deer do not count toward the statewide limit. 643, 644, 647 and 341: late southeast firearms Nov. 21 through 29. No hunter may exceed the statewide limit of five deer, one of them a buck (three bucks in 643, 655 and 647). Hit the limit in one permit area? Since 2026 you may continue in another one.
| DPA | % of county | 2026 | Lottery | Archery | Firearms | ML |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 643 | 85% | 5-deer | — | Sept. 19–Dec. 31 | Nov. 7–Nov. 15 | Nov. 28–Dec. 13 |
| 655 | 6% | 3-deer | — | Sept. 19–Dec. 31 | Nov. 7–Nov. 15 | Nov. 28–Dec. 13 |
| 644 | 3% | 2-deer | — | Sept. 19–Dec. 31 | Nov. 7–Nov. 15 | Nov. 28–Dec. 13 |
| 647 | 2% | 5-deer | — | Sept. 19–Dec. 31 | Nov. 7–Nov. 15 | Nov. 28–Dec. 13 |
| 341 | 2% | 3-deer | — | Sept. 19–Dec. 31 | Nov. 7–Nov. 15 | Nov. 28–Dec. 13 |
| Permit area | Series | Youth | Antlerless Oct. | Late | CWD | Sq mi | In county |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 643 | 600 | Oct. 15–Oct. 18 | Oct. 15–Oct. 18 | Dec. 18–20 | Mgmt zone | 664 | 84% |
| 655 | 600 | Oct. 15–Oct. 18 | — | Dec. 18–20 | Mgmt zone | 386 | 10% |
| 644 | 600 | Oct. 15–Oct. 18 | — | — | Mgmt zone | 190 | 11% |
| 647 | 600 | Oct. 15–Oct. 18 | Oct. 15–Oct. 18 | Dec. 18–20 | Mgmt zone | 434 | 3% |
| 341 | 300 | Oct. 15–Oct. 18 | Oct. 15–Oct. 18 | — | Voluntary | 624 | 2% |
DPA 643 · DPA 655 · DPA 644 · DPA 647 · DPA 341 · Deer permit areas · Lottery quotas
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.
Olmsted County harvest record, DPA by DPA
Harvest here means DPA harvest: DNR tables stop at the permit area, which rarely matches the Olmsted County line. Last season DPA 643 gave up 3,469 registered deer (rank 25 in the DNR table). DNR puts the 2025 buck take at 2.28 per square mile of DPA 643. Statewide, Minnesota hunters registered 186,368 deer in 2025, 106,437 of them antlered bucks.
| DPA | County % | DPA % | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Buck rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 643 | 85% | 84% | 3,039 | 3,028 | 3,469 | 2.28 |
| 655 | 6% | 10% | 431 | 459 | 451 | 0.67 |
| 644 | 3% | 11% | 977 | 1,014 | 1,086 | 2.62 |
| 647 | 2% | 3% | 1,247 | 1,358 | 1,444 | 1.59 |
| 341 | 2% | 2% | 3,034 | 2,953 | 3,312 | 2.62 |
What DPA 643 hunters registered
| Season | Males 1+ | Male fawns | Females 1+ | Female fawns | Sum |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,530 | 314 | 1,385 | 240 | 3,469 |
| 2024 | 1,387 | 267 | 1,133 | 241 | 3,028 |
| 2023 | 1,409 | 265 | 1,130 | 235 | 3,039 |
| 2022 | 629 | 119 | 480 | 128 | 1,356 |
| 2021 | 625 | 122 | 435 | 93 | 1,275 |
| 2020 | 624 | 141 | 558 | 133 | 1,456 |
| 2019 | 686 | 121 | 452 | 113 | 1,372 |
DNR 2025 registered deer harvest report and earlier yearly reports (2017-2024); statewide totals from the DNR deer harvest statistics. Checked October 28, 2026.
What is open around Olmsted County and when
Rows marked with a DPA apply only in that part of Olmsted 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 | All DPAs here | Sep 19, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Early antlerless | DPAs 341, 643, 647 | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth deer | All DPAs here | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Firearms (200 series) | All DPAs here | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late southeast | DPAs 341, 643, 644, 647 | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Muzzleloader | Statewide | Nov 28, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late CWD season | DPAs 643, 647, 655 | Dec 18, 2026 | Dec 20, 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 status and county ordinances for Olmsted County
Part of Olmsted County lies in the CWD management zone (643, 655, 644 and 647); deer carcasses from there must end up at a landfill, with a hauler, a processor or taxidermist, or back on the land of harvest. In the zone DNR sells disease management permits for added does. Late CWD hunting returns to 643, 655 and 647 Dec. 18 through 20. Leave the corn and the doe urine at home: Olmsted County is on the feeding and attractant ban list. With the shotgun zone repealed and no county ordinance, Olmsted County deer hunters may use rifles. Blaze camouflage passes only if each square foot is at least half orange or pink. Your license is your tag now: validate it where the deer fell and register within two days.
CWD history for Olmsted County
| Period | Summary | Positives |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | First wild positive: 1 deer near the Olmsted County elk farm. | 1 |
| 2025 | Winter: 1 sick deer in DPA 604. Fall: first detection in DPA 285; 122 more in management-zone DPAs 604, 605, 643-649, 655, 666, 671, 684 (first in 644 and 655). | 124 |
CWD page · Law summary · Buying a license
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.
Olmsted County game besides deer
Bear permits
The no-quota bear area covers the whole county; no lottery is needed. Bait stations may be stocked from Aug. 14 ahead of the Sept. 1 opener; the season closes Oct. 18.
Spring and fall turkey
Olmsted County lies in turkey permit areas 501 (91%), 503 (6%) and 502 (3%). The 2026 spring harvest in permit area 501 was 2,341 birds. 501 drew 9,310 permit declarations for spring 2026. Fall birds may be either sex; the fall season closes Nov. 1.
| Area | County % | 2023 spring | 2024 spring | 2025 spring | 2026 spring | 2025 fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 501 | 91% | 2,530 | 2,782 | 2,565 | 2,341 | 90 |
| 503 | 6% | 1,568 | 1,745 | 1,635 | 1,397 | 76 |
| 502 | 3% | 238 | 270 | 272 | 246 | 5 |
Olmsted County ducks and geese
For ducks, the North-Central line follows MN 210, 23 and 39 and the Central-South line US 212, I-494 and I-94; the map decides where Olmsted County ground falls. North of I-94/US 10 is the North Furbearer Zone; south of it, the South Zone. Rochester Game Refuge opens to geese (Early goose Sept. 5-20). Refuges here (Rochester) are closed to hunting except as listed.
Refuges in the county
| Game refuge | Small game | Waterfowl | Gun deer | Bow deer | Trapping |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester | Open | Closed | Open | Open | Open |
Bear permit areas · Turkey areas 501-512 · Duck zone lines · State game 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.
Public ground a Olmsted County hunter can walk
By kind, Olmsted County public land counts 15 wildlife management areas and 1 state forest. Forests add 761 state forest acres by GIS measure.
- State forests: 1 on fileRichard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest (48,840 ac*)
- Wildlife management areas, 15 hereWhitewater Wildlife Management Area (27,451 ac*), Gordon W. Yeager Wildlife Management Area (490 ac), Rock Dell Wildlife Management Area (489 ac), Moon Valley Wildlife Management Area (429 ac), Haverhill Wildlife Management Area (398 ac), Vermilya Wildlife Management Area (198 ac*), Keller Wildlife Management Area (196 ac), LLEIF's Land Wildlife Management Area (147 ac), Eastside Wildlife Management Area (119 ac), Schumann Wildlife Management Area (92 ac), Nelson Fen Wildlife Management Area (79 ac), High Forest Wildlife Management Area (69 ac), Marian Marshall Wildlife Management Area (59 ac), Suess Wildlife Management Area (54 ac), South Fork Zumbro River Wildlife Management Area (29 ac*)
Over the line
- Chosen Valley Wildlife Management Area12 miles off · 197 ac
- Tri-cooperative Wildlife Management Area14 miles off · 47 ac
- Izaak Walton League Wildlife Management Area15 miles off · 120 ac
- Cary Creek Wildlife Management Area15 miles off · 50 ac
- William Pease Wildlife Management Area16 miles off · 64 ac
Hunting is barred at Middle Branch Whitewater Aquatic Management Area, Mill Creek Aquatic Management Area, North Branch Root River Aquatic Management Area and Oronoco Prairie Scientific and Natural Area, so plan around them.
All land pages · WMAs statewide · WIA program · State forests
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.
Hunting services and contacts in Olmsted County
Processors marked venison donation are on the state donation list for 2026.
Who answers for Olmsted
St. Paul is home to the Central Region office that covers Olmsted County. Day-to-day wildlife work here belongs to the Rochester area office in Rochester.
Deer processors
Mounts
Outdoor stores
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.
Seat, towns and next-door counties of Olmsted County
Pick a base in Olmsted County: every town below links to a page with nearby public land and services.
- Rochestercounty seat · 123,624 people in 2024 · 2,537 open ac in a 10-mi circle
There are 6 Minnesota counties on the far side of the Olmsted County line.
Towns from the Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; adjacency from the Census county adjacency file.
Olmsted County ranges and shoot dates
Cards for Olmsted County carry each range’s access rule (4 ranges in all).
Nearest public range: Spring Lake Park Archery Range in Dakota County, about 60 miles from the county centre. Details
Shoots in the county
| When and what | Kind | Go |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 6-7, 2027 | Gun show | Event page |
| Mar 19-20, 2027 | NASP | Host page |
| Mar 19-20, 2027 | NASP | Host page |
Ranges from the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 28, 2026. The DNR Shooting Range Finder could not be read.
Olmsted County shooting time on key dates
Sun times below are calculated for Olmsted County; the big game column adds the half hour after sunset and the bird column stops at sunset.
| Day | Season | Sun up | Sun down | Big game hours | Migratory birds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 19, 2026 | Archery and grouse opener | 6:52 a.m. | 7:15 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 7:15 p.m. |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Duck opener | 7:00 a.m. | 7:02 p.m. | 6:30 a.m. to 7:32 p.m. | 6:30 a.m. to 7:02 p.m. |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Pheasant opener | 7:16 a.m. | 6:37 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 7:07 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 6:37 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Firearms deer opener | 6:53 a.m. | 4:54 p.m. | 6:23 a.m. to 5:24 p.m. | 6:23 a.m. to 4:54 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Muzzleloader opener | 7:20 a.m. | 4:35 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 4:35 p.m. |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Archery close | 7:44 a.m. | 4:40 p.m. | 7:14 a.m. to 5:10 p.m. | 7:14 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. |
| Apr 14, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:30 a.m. | 7:51 p.m. | 6:00 a.m. to 8:21 p.m. | 6:00 a.m. to 7:51 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.
Coming up around Olmsted County this season
As of October 28, 2026, 1 upcoming event.
Dates ahead
| Date | Event | Where | Sign up | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 6, 2027 | Deer Creek Longspurs Banquet, an NWTF chapter banquet | Stewartville | Buy tickets | Source |
For firearms safety, Olmsted County had 7 DNR classes in 2026, last starting Sep 18, 2026 in Mantorville, Rochester and Stewartville. All DNR classes.
Fishing in Olmsted County
Lakes, rivers, boat ramps and bait shops for Olmsted County are on State Fishing Spots, our sister site.
Asked about hunting Olmsted County
Can I shoot a doe in Olmsted County without a permit?
Yes, archery and either-sex or multi-deer areas allow antlerless deer under the statewide limit.
Does any Olmsted County permit area sit in the CWD management zone?
Yes: 643, 655, 644 and 647. The carcass disposal rule applies there.
What caliber is legal for deer in Olmsted County?
Centerfire .220 or larger with expanding bullets.
What was the best recent year in DPA 643?
2025 leads the run at 3,469 registered deer for the whole area.
When is the next bear lottery deadline for Olmsted County?
May 1, 2027 for the 2027 season (booklet date).
How many spring turkeys came from area 501?
2,341 in spring 2026.
How much land can the public hunt in Olmsted County?
Yes: 16 listed units and about 5,498 public acres by GIS.
Where can a Olmsted County hunter buy a license?
Online, by phone or at a DNR license agent.
What day do ducks open in Olmsted County?
Sept. 26, 2026 in all three zones; Central and South close for a split before reopening.
Is a venison processor close to Olmsted County?
Valley Venison comes first for Olmsted County, then Dennison Meat Locker and Huettl's Locker & Dressing Plant.
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.
Last look at the Olmsted County rules
DNR can change dates and rules between license years, and later notices can override the booklet.
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); ShenandoahNPS (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).