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Central Minnesota county guide
Washington County Hunting
Deer permit areas 601 and 236 cover Washington 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: fastfonz (CC BY 2.0)
The county runs to 385 square miles of land and 39 square miles of water, with offices in Stillwater. Census staff put the 2024 head count at 283,960, close to 738 per square mile. Region 3 of the DNR, headquartered at St. Paul, oversees the county. Deer seasons and limits come from DPA 601 and 236, not from the county boundary. About 7,885 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.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Washington County
How DNR divides Washington County for deer
DPA 601 takes in 62% of Washington County, and 236 cover the rest. Antlerless opportunity differs by unit: 5-deer in 601; 3-deer in 236. The statewide firearm season gives 236 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 601 and 236. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 601 | 62% | 5-deer | — | Sept. 19–Dec. 31 | Nov. 7–Nov. 30 | Nov. 28–Dec. 13 |
| 236 | 38% | 3-deer | — | Sept. 19–Dec. 31 | Nov. 7–Nov. 15 | Nov. 28–Dec. 13 |
| DPA | Series | Youth | Early antlerless | Late | CWD | Sq mi | DPA in county |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 601 | 600 | Oct. 15–Oct. 18 | Oct. 15–Oct. 18 | — | Mgmt zone | 1,436 | 18% |
| 236 | 200 | Oct. 15–Oct. 18 | Oct. 15–Oct. 18 | — | Voluntary | 401 | 40% |
DPA 601 · DPA 236 · 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 Washington County
Read these as permit area totals. A DPA that reaches Washington County usually covers parts of other counties too, and DNR keeps no county table. The 2025 report credits DPA 601 with 2,588 deer. Since 2017 (3,195) the area has moved -19%, with 2018 the high year. The density column shows 1.04 bucks to the square mile for DPA 601. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 601 | 62% | 18% | — | — | 2,588 | 1.04 |
| 236 | 38% | 40% | 1,986 | 2,085 | 2,388 | 3.58 |
DPA 601 harvest detail
| Year | Adult males | Male fawns | Adult females | Female 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.
Every dated season covering Washington County
Deer dates in Washington County follow its deer permit areas (601 and 236), not the county line. The 51 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 | All DPAs here | 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) | DPA 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 law for Washington County
Hunters in 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. Washington County falls inside the feeding and attractant ban that DNR applies to 37 counties. Washington 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.
Disease notes by year
| Year | DNR summary | Positives |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | New detection near Stillwater; extra voluntary testing in DPA 236 (Oct. 1-Dec. 31 self-service stations). | — |
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.
Washington County bears, gobblers and ducks
Bear areas and permits
No lottery is needed for bear anywhere in Washington 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 510 (100%). In spring 2026, permit area 510 hunters registered 1,219 turkeys. 4,499 spring permits named 510 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 510 | 100% | 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 Washington 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 Washington County by kind
The map pins 8 units inside Washington County and 5 neighbours beyond it. State parks hunt only by special hunt or in listed open portions.
- Wildlife management areas: 6 on fileKeystone Woods Wildlife Management Area (1,840 acres), Lamprey Pass Wildlife Management Area (1,277 acres*), Hardwood Creek Wildlife Management Area (583 acres), Bayport Wildlife Management Area (452 acres), Paul Hugo Farms Wildlife Management Area (357 acres), Rutstrum Wildlife Management Area (24 acres)
- State parks with hunts: 2 on fileWilliam O'Brien State Park (1,909 acres), Afton State Park (1,599 acres)
Permit and no-permit hunts
| Hunt | Where | Hunt no. | Days | Bag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Youth firearms | Afton State Park | 951 | Nov. 7-8 | 3 |
Over the Washington County line
- Spring Lake Islands Wildlife Management Area19 miles from centre · 765 acres
- Carlos Avery Wildlife Management Area21 miles from centre · 24,598 acres
- Hastings Wildlife Management Area23 miles from centre · 40 acres
- Franconia Bluffs Scientific and Natural Area25 miles from centre · 87 acres
- Linwood Lake Aquatic Management Area25 miles from centre · 49 acres
Within the county, Brown's Creek Aquatic Management Area, Crystal Spring Scientific and Natural Area, Falls Creek Scientific and Natural Area, Forest Lake Aquatic Management Area, Grey Cloud Dunes Scientific and Natural Area, Lost Valley Prairie Scientific and Natural Area, St. Croix Savanna Scientific and Natural Area and Trout Brook Aquatic Management Area stay shut to hunting.
Land statewide · WMA pages · Private land access
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 Washington 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 North Metro in Forest Lake about WMAs and local seasons.
Get a deer cut
For a mount
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 Washington County
Every town page for Washington County works out legal shooting light for that spot.
- Stillwatercounty seat · 19,386 residents · 2,741 public ac inside 10 mi
- Hugo16,765 residents · 6,144 public ac inside 10 mi
- Woodbury80,596 residents · 1,919 public ac inside 10 mi
- Hastingscrosses the line · 22,502 residents · 9,847 public ac inside 10 mi
Along its edges Washington County meets 4 Minnesota counties, plus Pierce (WI), Polk (WI) and St. Croix (WI).
Towns from the Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; adjacency from the Census county adjacency file.
Where to zero a deer rifle in Washington County
Washington County has 7 listed ranges, all clubs, shops or private ranges.
| Range or club | City | What it has | Access rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakdale Gun Club sportsmen’s club | Lake Elmo | trap/rifle/handgun/smallbore rimfire/muzzleloader/action pistol/shotgun | Members only |
Marsden Archery Range in Ramsey County is the nearest public range, roughly 13 miles. Open it
Upcoming here
| When, name | Type | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 20, 2026 | Class | Register |
| Jan 29-30, 2027 | NASP | More |
| Jan 29-30, 2027 | NASP | More |
| Feb 12-13, 2027 | NASP | More |
| Feb 13, 2027 | NASP | More |
| Feb 13, 2027 | NASP | More |
Ranges from the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 28, 2026. The DNR Shooting Range Finder could not be read.
First and last legal light at Washington County
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 | 6:53 a.m. | 7:17 p.m. | 6:23 a.m. to 7:47 p.m. | 6:23 a.m. to 7:17 p.m. |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Duck opener | 7:02 a.m. | 7:04 p.m. | 6:32 a.m. to 7:34 p.m. | 6:32 a.m. to 7:04 p.m. |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Pheasant opener | 7:19 a.m. | 6:38 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 7:08 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 6:38 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Firearms deer opener | 6:57 a.m. | 4:53 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 4:53 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Muzzleloader opener | 7:26 a.m. | 4:34 p.m. | 6:56 a.m. to 5:04 p.m. | 6:56 a.m. to 4:34 p.m. |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Archery close | 7:50 a.m. | 4:38 p.m. | 7:20 a.m. to 5:08 p.m. | 7:20 a.m. to 4:38 p.m. |
| Apr 14, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:30 a.m. | 7:54 p.m. | 6:00 a.m. to 8:24 p.m. | 6:00 a.m. to 7:54 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.
Washington County: banquets, classes and hunts
DU dinner, DU gun or purse bingo, NWTF chapter banquet and state park youth deer hunt: 5 upcoming events.
Still to come
| Held on | Event | Where held | Link | Checked at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 7–8, 2026 | Afton State Park Special Youth Deer Hunt 2026, a state park youth deer hunt | Event details | Source | |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Forest Lake Trap Team Boomstick Bingo!, a DU gun or purse bingo | American Legion Post 225 (Forest Lake) | Buy tickets | Source |
| Dec 4, 2026 | Cottage Grove/Woodbury 2026 Dinner, a DU dinner | Tinucci's (Newport) | Buy tickets | Source |
| Dec 5, 2026 | Ducks Unlimited and Hugo Legion Bingo!, a DU gun or purse bingo | American Legion Post 620 (Hugo) | Buy tickets | Source |
| Mar 13, 2027 | Capital City Strutters Banquet, an NWTF chapter banquet | Newport | Buy tickets | Source |
Volunteer instructors ran 12 DNR classes in Washington County during 2026 (11 hybrid, 1 classroom), most recently on Oct 12, 2026. Statewide classes.
Quick Washington County answers
Which furbearer zone is Washington 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 Washington County?
Region 3 (Central), headquartered in St. Paul.
When does firearm deer season open in Washington County?
Nov. 7, 2026. DPA 601 runs Nov. 7–Nov. 30.
Where can a Washington County deer be butchered?
Our nearest listings are Lutz Cuts Meat Processing, Grundhofer's Old-Fashion Meats and White Bear Butchery; November is busy, so ring first.
Can crossbows be used for deer in Washington 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 Washington County?
No. The Dec. 18-20 late CWD season does not reach its permit areas.
When can bears be hunted around Washington County?
Sept. 1 to Oct. 18, 2026, with baiting from Aug. 14.
How dense is the buck harvest in DPA 601?
1.04 bucks per square mile in 2025.
What do the WMAs in Washington County add up to?
Roughly 3,423 WMA acres on the DNR layer.
Must I hunt only my declared turkey area in Washington County?
No. Spring hunters declare the area they hunt most but are not restricted to it.
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 Washington 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: Tony Webster (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain); Tony Webster (CC BY-SA 2.0); fastfonz (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).