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State forest in Hubbard County
Paul Bunyan State Forest hunting, season by season
60,840 acres of public land open to hunters in Hubbard County, with DPA 259 deer dates.
Photo: Tony Webster (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Paul Bunyan State Forest
Parking, trailheads and gates near Paul Bunyan State Forest
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 3.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 4.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 4.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 4.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 4.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 4.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 4.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 5.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 6.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 6.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 7.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 7.3 mi from the centreDirections
Parking, trailhead and gate locations come from OpenStreetMap contributors. Roads into public land can be gated or seasonal; check with the managing agency before you go.
Paul Bunyan State Forest in brief, from the agency file
60,840 acres of Hubbard County belong to Paul Bunyan State Forest. Size rank in Hubbard County: 1st of 4 state forests. For deer it falls in DPA 259 (it also reaches DPA 684), set at antlerless permit lottery for 2026.
Management: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The legal forest boundary covers 105,116 acres, but only 60,840 are DNR land. The forest was created in 1935.
From the agency record (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources); checked October 28, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Paul Bunyan State Forest
Paul Bunyan State Forest pinned among nearby tracts
Paul Bunyan State Forest RGMA lies 2.2 mi south of Paul Bunyan State Forest, the nearest of 8 public areas within 45 miles.
| Area | Type | Acres | DPA | Straight line | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Bunyan State Forest RGMA, 2,526 ac | RGMA | 2,526 | 259 | 2.2 mi | south |
| Lester Lake SNA | SNA | 321 | 259 | 2.6 mi | north |
| Lester Lake AMA | AMA | 120 | 259 | 2.9 mi | north |
| Kabekona WMA | WMA | 381 | 259 | 5.0 mi | north |
| Kabekona Lake AMA | AMA | 40 | 259 | 5.1 mi | north |
| Spider Lake AMA | AMA | 108 | 259 | 8.4 mi | south |
| Howard Lake AMA | AMA | 20 | 259 | 9.4 mi | southeast |
| Bottle Lake AMA | AMA | 60 | 259 | 9.4 mi | southwest |
Points: DNR State Forest Management Units layer (DNR-administered land) (polygon centroid of the largest part). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Rules for hunting Paul Bunyan State Forest
Site rules for Paul Bunyan State Forest, condensed from the record.
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Hunting, trapping | Open in season |
| Game refuges inside | Closed unless listed |
| Near campgrounds, lots | Cased within 200 ft |
| Stands | Portable preferred |
| Shooting lanes | No cutting |
| Private inholdings | Permission needed |
| Target shooting | Unless posted closed |
| Forest roads | OHVs unless posted |
Sources: record; booklet: 2026-2027 Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations. Checked October 28, 2026.
Paul Bunyan State Forest season dates
This table covers Paul Bunyan State Forest only: deer rows follow its DPA, the rest come from the open seasons for its county.
| Species | Type | Zone or DPA | Begins | Through | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery | DPAs 259, 684 | Sep 19, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Deer | Youth deer | DPAs 259, 684 | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Deer | Firearms, 100 series | DPA 684 | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | |
| Deer | Firearms, 200 series | DPA 259 | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | |
| Deer | Muzzleloader | Statewide | Nov 28, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Quota areas | Quota areas 27, 45, 46, 47 | 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, 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, 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 | |
| Light geese | Early geese | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | |
| Teal | Early teal season | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Sep 9, 2026 | |
| Youth waterfowl | 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 | |
| Geese | Regular geese | North Zone | Sep 26, 2026 | Dec 25, 2026 | |
| Geese | Regular geese | Central Zone | Sep 26, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 | |
| Take-a-Kid | Take-a-Kid | Statewide | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Regular ducks | Central Zone | Oct 10, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Geese | Regular geese | Central Zone | Oct 10, 2026 | Dec 30, 2026 | |
| Raccoon, foxes | Hunting (north) | North furbearer zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Mar 15, 2027 | |
| Badger, opossum, weasels | Hunting (north) | North furbearer zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Mar 15, 2027 | |
| Ducks | Regular ducks | South Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Geese | Regular geese | South Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Jan 6, 2027 | |
| Raccoon, foxes | Hunting (south) | South furbearer zone | Oct 24, 2026 | Mar 15, 2027 | |
| Badger, opossum, weasels | 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 | |
| Light geese | Spring light goose | Statewide | Feb 18, 2027 | Apr 30, 2027 | |
| Crow | Crow segment | Statewide | Mar 1, 2027 | Mar 31, 2027 |
Wear blaze orange or pink in the firearms deer season; waterfowl hunters on water are exempt under DNR rules.
From the 2026-2027 Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations booklet (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources); checked October 28, 2026. All Minnesota seasons.
Deer seasons on Paul Bunyan State Forest
200-series DPA 259 carries the antlerless permit lottery designation this year (2,000 lottery permits for antlerless deer). To shoot an antlerless deer with a firearm in DPA 259, declare the area in the lottery by Sept. 10.
| Season | Starts | Ends | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | Sep 19, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Youth deer | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Firearms, 200 series | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | |
| Muzzleloader | Nov 28, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 |
Optional CWD testing only in DPA 259. Size of DPA 259: 550 square miles. Hubbard and Cass share DPA 259.
Other deer permit areas on this land: DPA 684 (either-sex)
From the DNR 2026 deer season map and the 2026-2027 regulations booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
Deer harvest around Paul Bunyan State Forest (DPA 259)
The whole of DPA 259 gave up 1,643 deer in 2025; the DNR publishes no figure for Paul Bunyan State Forest itself.
| Year | Adult male | Rest | Harvest | Density |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,233 | 410 | 1,643 | 3.36 |
| 2024 | 975 | 354 | 1,329 | 2.71 |
| 2023 | 792 | 474 | 1,266 | 2.59 |
| 2022 | 842 | 540 | 1,382 | 2.82 |
| 2021 | 1,076 | 638 | 1,714 | 3.50 |
| 2020 | 899 | 594 | 1,493 | 3.05 |
| 2019 | 1,043 | 898 | 1,941 | 3.96 |
| 2018 | 1,091 | 1,219 | 2,310 | 4.72 |
| 2017 | 1,638 | 2,430 | 4,068 | 8.31 |
DNR 2025 deer harvest report; earlier years from the DNR yearly reports. Checked October 28, 2026.
Paul Bunyan State Forest nearby towns
Laporte is the closest town to Paul Bunyan State Forest, about 7.6 mi away. The largest nearby is Walker (982 people). For questions, the Park Rapids DNR office is 18 mi from Paul Bunyan State Forest.
| Town | County | Pop. 2024 | Miles off | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laporte | Hubbard | 142 | 7.6 mi | north |
| Akeley | Hubbard | 418 | 8.1 mi | southeast |
| Lake George | Hubbard | – | 9.7 mi | northwest |
| Walker | Cass | 982 | 9.8 mi | east |
| Nevis | Hubbard | 385 | 10 mi | south |
Towns from the 2024 Census gazetteer and population estimates; offices and businesses from services.json (DNR and business listings, chain stores and license agents left out); straight-line miles. Checked October 28, 2026.
Paul Bunyan State Forest: Hubbard County facts
Counting Paul Bunyan State Forest, Hubbard County has 30 listed public areas. Hubbard County is one of the feeding ban counties. For bear, Hubbard County lies partly in quota area 46, 45 and 47; 2026 permits: 46 (950 permits), 45 (700 permits) and 47 (40 permits). Hubbard County turkey hunters declare area 507 and 508. County questions go to Park Rapids Area Wildlife Office, Park Rapids. 7 places in Hubbard County are closed to hunting, such as Bungoshine Creek Aquatic Management Area.
County acres from DNR and federal GIS layers (counties.json); zones from the 2026-2027 booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
Range time on the drive to Paul Bunyan State Forest
Three ranges near Paul Bunyan State Forest follow, starting with Paul Bunyan Archery at 8 miles.
From the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 28, 2026.
A look at the landscape around Paul Bunyan State Forest
Paul Bunyan State Forest shooting hours on key dates
Times are worked out for the Paul Bunyan State Forest map point on Central Time; big game ends half an hour after sunset, birds at sunset.
| Date | Moment | Sunrise | Sunset | Open | Big game close | Birds close |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 19, 2026 | Archery and grouse opener | 7:00 a.m. | 7:26 p.m. | 6:30 a.m. | 7:56 p.m. | 7:26 p.m. |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Duck opener | 7:10 a.m. | 7:11 p.m. | 6:40 a.m. | 7:41 p.m. | 7:11 p.m. |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Pheasant opener | 7:28 a.m. | 6:43 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. | 7:13 p.m. | 6:43 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Firearms deer opener | 7:10 a.m. | 4:56 p.m. | 6:40 a.m. | 5:26 p.m. | 4:56 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Muzzleloader opener | 7:40 a.m. | 4:35 p.m. | 7:10 a.m. | 5:05 p.m. | 4:35 p.m. |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Archery close | 8:05 a.m. | 4:38 p.m. | 7:35 a.m. | 5:08 p.m. | 4:38 p.m. |
| Apr 14, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:35 a.m. | 8:05 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. | 8:35 p.m. | 8:05 p.m. |
Times are rounded to the minute.
Hours rule from the DNR booklet shooting hours page; sun times calculated for the unit point (NOAA method, Central Time); checked October 28, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Straight answers on hunting Paul Bunyan State Forest
Which public ground lies closest to Paul Bunyan State Forest?
Next-closest public land: Paul Bunyan State Forest RGMA (2.2 mi), Lester Lake SNA (2.6 mi) and Lester Lake AMA (2.9 mi).
How early does shooting start at Paul Bunyan State Forest on the opener?
Opening day of the firearms season: shooting from 6:40 a.m., done by 5:26 p.m..
Can you hunt on Paul Bunyan State Forest this season?
Paul Bunyan State Forest allows hunting under the rules its agency lists.
Can I leave a stand on Paul Bunyan State Forest overnight?
Portable stands are preferred on Paul Bunyan State Forest; a stand left on state forest land is open to public use, and no shooting lanes may be cut.
Which deer permit area holds Paul Bunyan State Forest?
Paul Bunyan State Forest falls in DPA 259, antlerless permit lottery. Expect the firearms season from Nov 7 to Nov 15, 2026.
Roughly how large is the Paul Bunyan State Forest unit?
The mapped size is 60,840 acres.
Where is the access for Paul Bunyan State Forest?
No directions are published; Laporte is the closest town at 7.6 mi.
Which species does Paul Bunyan State Forest hold?
Any game in season, since no species list is published for Paul Bunyan State Forest.
Is CWD sampling required at Paul Bunyan State Forest?
DNR lists DPA 259 as outside the CWD zones, with optional testing.
Who do I call about Paul Bunyan State Forest?
Paul Bunyan State Forest falls under Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
Paul Bunyan State Forest: three things to confirm first
Carry your license, validate a deer or turkey at the kill site and register it (48 hours for deer and bear, 24 for turkey).
Sources: source · source · source · source · source · source; regulations from the 2026-2027 Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations. Checked October 28, 2026.
Other photos on this page: 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).