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White-tailed Deer: Minnesota hunting rules for 2026-27
Season rows, bag limits and rules for white-tailed deer, checked October 28, 2026.
Photo: NPS Photo (Public domain)
Here are the 2026-27 deer rules as the DNR prints them, opening Sep 19, 2026, with harvest figures and WMAs wherever the data has them.
The DNR line on white-tailed deer
- Take: Statewide 5 deer, 1 legal buck (3 bucks in 7 CWD DPAs); DPA limits from bucks-only to 5-deer; early antlerless +3; late CWD 5.
- How and when: Archery Sept. 19-Dec. 31; youth and early antlerless Oct. 15-18; firearms Nov. 7-22 (100 series) or Nov. 7-15 (200 series), late southeast Nov. 21-29, metro 601 Nov. 7-29; muzzleloader Nov. 28-Dec. 13; late CWD Dec. 18-20.
- Keep in mind: 130 DPAs; 2025 registered harvest 186,368; CWD management zone of 18 DPAs; feeding ban in 37 counties.
DNR source page (as of Sep 15, 2026), checked October 28, 2026.
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Every deer season row
10 rows for white-tailed deer, as the 2026-27 booklet lists them; the last column checks each against today.
| Season | Unit or zone | Bag | From | To | Days | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | Statewide except Itasca State Park (DPA… | See limits | Sep 19, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | 104 | |
| Youth deer | Statewide except Itasca State Park (DPA… | See limits | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | 4 | |
| Early antlerless | 26 DPAs | See limits | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | 4 | |
| Firearms (100 series) | 100-series DPAs plus 604, 679 and 684 | See limits | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | 16 | |
| Firearms (200 series) | 200-series DPAs plus 338, 341, 605, 642… | See limits | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | 9 | |
| Late southeast | DPAs 338, 341, 605, 642-649 | See limits | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | 9 | |
| Metro firearms | DPA 601 | 5 deer (1 legal buck). | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | 23 | |
| Muzzleloader | Statewide (areas closed to firearms are… | See limits | Nov 28, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | 16 | |
| Late CWD season | DPAs 605, 642, 643, 645-649, 655 (more… | See limits | Dec 18, 2026 | Dec 20, 2026 | 3 | |
| Special hunts (permit or no-permit areas) | State parks, cities, SNAs, refuges | Per hunt (1-5 deer). | By hunt |
White-tailed Deer row details
- Archery license valid for either-sex deer statewide except bucks-only DPAs (legal bucks only there, except residents 84+ and Veterans Home residents). No firearm while bowhunting unless carrying under the Personal Protection Act.
- Archery, limit: By DPA designation: bucks-only 1 legal buck; lottery 1 deer (antlerless only with a lottery permit); either-sex 1; 2-, 3- or 5-deer limits with bonus permits. Statewide limit 5 deer and 1 legal buck (up to 3 bucks in DPAs 643, 645-649, 655).
- Ages 10-17; ages 10-13 accompanied by an adult parent/guardian/mentor; adults may hunt only where the early antlerless season is open. No special permit; resident and nonresident youth eligible.
- Youth deer, limit: 1 deer of either sex (legal buck only in bucks-only DPAs); higher limits where early antlerless season is open.
- No early-antlerless permit is required; deer license must match the weapon. DPA 644 and Whitewater Game Refuge not open.
- Early antlerless, limit: 3 antlerless deer, in addition to the statewide and DPA limits (early antlerless, bonus and disease management permits).
- Statewide firearms license (former A license). Mandatory CWD sampling Nov. 7-8 only in surveillance-block DPAs.
- Firearms (100 series), limit: By DPA designation: bucks-only 1 legal buck; lottery 1 deer (antlerless only with a lottery permit); either-sex 1; 2-, 3- or 5-deer limits with bonus permits. Statewide limit 5 deer and 1 legal buck (up to 3 bucks in DPAs 643, 645-649, 655).
- Statewide firearms license. Mandatory CWD sampling Nov. 7-8 in the 2026 surveillance block (35 DPAs).
- Firearms (200 series), limit: By DPA designation: bucks-only 1 legal buck; lottery 1 deer (antlerless only with a lottery permit); either-sex 1; 2-, 3- or 5-deer limits with bonus permits. Statewide limit 5 deer and 1 legal buck (up to 3 bucks in DPAs 643, 645-649, 655).
From booklet p. 101, booklet p. 95, booklet p. 96, booklet p. 97, checked October 28, 2026.
Deer rules that change by DPA
| Designation | Count | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Bucks only | 7 | Legal buck only |
| Antlerless permit lottery | 32 | Doe by lottery permit |
| Either-sex | 24 | One deer, any sex |
| 2-deer limit | 20 | Bonus permits valid |
| 3-deer limit | 39 | Bonus permits valid |
| 5-deer limit | 8 | Bonus permits valid |
Dates by DPA group
| Season | DPAs | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Statewide firearms | 100 series, 604, 679, 684 | Nov. 7-22, 2026 |
| Statewide firearms | 200 series, 338, 341, 605, 642-649, 655, 661, 666, 671, 685 | Nov. 7-15, 2026 |
| Late southeast firearms | 338, 341, 605, 642-649 | Nov. 21-29, 2026 |
| Metro management zone | 601 | Nov. 7-29, 2026 |
| Muzzleloader | statewide | Nov. 28-Dec. 13, 2026 |
| Late CWD | 605, 642, 643, 645-649, 655 | Dec. 18-20, 2026 |
8 DPAs carry a 5-deer limit, mostly in the CWD management zone, and 39 carry a 3-deer limit.
DNR booklet DPA list, 2026 deer map, checked October 28, 2026.
White-tailed deer harvest figures
The 2025 DPA table is the DNR per-area harvest, which leaves out special hunts, so its sum sits a little under the 186,368 statewide.
| Year | Total | Firearms | Archery | Muzzleloader | Firearms success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 197,315 | 159,762 | 27,803 | 9,750 | 33.1% |
| 2021 | 184,698 | 150,136 | 24,443 | 10,119 | 31.8% |
| 2022 | 172,265 | 137,034 | 24,095 | 11,136 | 29.7% |
| 2023 | 158,678 | 126,531 | 23,834 | 8,313 | 28.5% |
| 2024 | 170,679 | 134,352 | 27,690 | 8,637 | 30.1% |
| 2025 | 186,368 | 146,679 | 30,043 | 9,646 | 32.4% |
Where the most deer were registered in 2025
| DPA | 2025 harvest | Per sq mi | 2026 designation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 241 | 7,163 | 7.19 | 3-deer limit |
| DPA 213 | 6,423 | 6.08 | 3-deer limit |
| DPA 225 | 5,598 | 9.06 | 3-deer limit |
| DPA 215 | 5,267 | 7.51 | 3-deer limit |
| DPA 240 | 5,068 | 7.89 | 3-deer limit |
| DPA 221 | 4,908 | 7.65 | 3-deer limit |
| DPA 214 | 4,781 | 8.63 | 3-deer limit |
| DPA 157 | 4,606 | 5.19 | 2-deer limit |
| DPA 277 | 4,575 | 4.32 | 3-deer limit |
| DPA 227 | 4,198 | 8.9 | 3-deer limit |
The 2025 deer total by season
| 2025 season | Deer |
|---|---|
| Archery | 30,043 |
| 100 series A | 30,083 |
| 200 series A | 87,522 |
| 300-600 series statewide | 11,771 |
| 300-600 series late | 4,366 |
| Metro firearms 601 | 736 |
| Muzzleloader | 9,583 |
| Youth | 7,172 |
| Early antlerless | 3,455 |
| Special firearms hunts | 541 |
| Late CWD | 1,096 |
DNR deer harvest report and 2025 harvest by DPA, checked October 28, 2026.
White-tailed Deer bag and license rules
| Rule | Limit |
|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Statewide bag limit 5 deer, 1 legal buck (legal buck = 1 antler 3+ in.). Exceptions: early antlerless and late CWD season deer do not count toward the statewide limit; up to 3 bucks (1 per archery, firearms and muzzleloader license) in DPAs 643, 645-649 and 655. Special-hunt deer count statewide, not toward the surrounding DPA. Hunters who fill one DPA limit may move to another DPA (new 2026). Landowner license: +1 antlerless deer in either-sex, 2-, 3- and 5-deer DPAs. |
| White-tailed deer (DPA designations) | Bucks-only 1 legal buck; antlerless permit lottery 1 deer (antlerless only with a lottery permit or an exemption); either-sex 1 deer; 2-deer, 3-deer and 5-deer limit areas allow bonus permits (only 1 legal buck). Bonus permits not valid in bucks-only, lottery or either-sex DPAs; disease management permits only in listed 600-series DPAs. |
| White-tailed deer (early antlerless season) | 3 antlerless deer in addition to statewide and DPA limits. |
| White-tailed deer (late CWD season) | 5 deer, antlerless or legal bucks. |
What deer licenses cost
| License | Residency | Who | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Youth archery deer | resident | Youth 10-12 | Free |
| Youth firearms deer | resident | Youth 10-12 | Free |
| Youth muzzleloader deer | resident | Youth 10-12 | Free |
| Deer by firearms | resident | Youth 13-17 | $5 |
| Deer by archery | resident | Youth 13-17 | $5 |
| Deer by muzzleloader | resident | Youth 13-17 | $5 |
| Deer by firearms | resident | Adult 18+ | $34 |
| Deer by archery | resident | Adult 18+ | $34 |
| Deer by muzzleloader | resident | Adult 18+ | $34 |
| Early antlerless permit | resident | Optional | $8.50 |
| Bonus permit | resident | Antlerless deer | $18 |
| Disease management antlerless permit | resident | $1.50 (p. 19); $2.50 (p. 90) |
Licenses sell online, by phone and at license agents; there are no paper tags, and the license (paper or app) is carried afield.
booklet p. 100, booklet p. 19, booklet p. 85, booklet p. 87, checked October 28, 2026.
Where to hunt white-tailed deer on public ground
For white-tailed deer, start with these 12 large WMAs; 1,384 WMAs list the species statewide.
| Place | Type | County | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Lake | WMA | Beltrami · | 322,246 |
| Roseau River | WMA | Roseau · | 75,163 |
| Thief Lake | WMA | Beltrami · | 54,650 |
| Mille Lacs | WMA | Kanabec · | 38,678 |
| Lac qui Parle | WMA | 33,623 | |
| Wapiti | WMA | Beltrami · | 31,759 |
| Beaches Lake | WMA | Kittson · | 30,623 |
| Whitewater | WMA | Wabasha · | 27,451 |
| Carlos Avery | WMA | Chisago · | 24,598 |
| Moose River | WMA | 21,273 | |
| Mud Goose | WMA | 17,011 | |
| Moose Willow | WMA | 16,946 |
Counts follow the species lists on DNR WMA pages and federal refuge rules. Federal refuges are closed unless opened; WPAs are open unless posted, with nontoxic shot required.
DNR WMA finder and WMA rules, checked October 28, 2026.
Rules afield for white-tailed deer
Legal light for white-tailed deer runs from half an hour ahead of sunrise until half an hour past sunset, the same for bow, rifle and muzzleloader.
The deer-season blaze rule covers the cap and the outer garment above the waist; blaze camouflage must be at least half orange or pink. A deer hunter in a fabric or synthetic ground blind on public land also needs orange on top of the blind, visible all around, or 144 square inches on each side.
Minnesota bans deer baiting statewide and, in 37 counties, bans feeding and attractants as a CWD measure.
There are no tags to cut any more. Validate at the kill site first, then register online, by app or at a walk-in station; phone registration has ended. Allow no more than 48 hours, and finish before processing, to register a deer.
No day of the week is closed for white-tailed deer.
booklet shooting hours, blaze rules, validation and registration, checked October 28, 2026.
White-tailed Deer shooting times west to east
Times below apply the booklet rule for white-tailed deer to the sun at the centre of each county, rounded to the minute.
| When | Point | Centre of | Sunrise | Sunset | Legal window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 7, 2026 | Firearms opener | Clay | 7:16 a.m. | 5:03 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 5:33 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Firearms opener | Ramsey | 6:58 a.m. | 4:54 p.m. | 6:28 a.m. to 5:24 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Firearms opener | St. Louis | 7:02 a.m. | 4:46 p.m. | 6:32 a.m. to 5:16 p.m. |
| Sep 19, 2026 | Archery opener | Clay | 7:07 a.m. | 7:32 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. to 8:02 p.m. |
| Sep 19, 2026 | Archery opener | Ramsey | 6:54 a.m. | 7:18 p.m. | 6:24 a.m. to 7:48 p.m. |
| Sep 19, 2026 | Archery opener | St. Louis | 6:51 a.m. | 7:17 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 7:47 p.m. |
Rule from the booklet shooting hours page; sun times computed for the county centre (NOAA method, Central Time) and checked against U.S. Naval Observatory tables; checked October 28, 2026.
White-tailed Deer: guns, bows and statutes
| Weapons | Legal | Not legal |
|---|---|---|
| Big game firearms (deer, bear, elk) | Rifle, shotgun or handgun .220 caliber or larger with centerfire ignition, single projectile, soft point or expanding bullet; muzzleloaders loaded at the muzzle (smooth-bore .45+, rifled .40+; scopes legal). Statewide since the 2025 shotgun-zone repeal except counties with shotgun-only ordinances. | Full metal jacket bullets, multiple projectiles (buckshot), breech-loaded or cylinder-loaded black powder revolvers, firearms larger than 10 gauge. |
Booklet rules on deer hunts
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Shooting from vehicles and roads | No taking wild animals with a firearm or bow from a motor vehicle (except disability permit holders); no shooting at big game on or within the right-of-way of improved public roads. |
| ATV use during deer seasons | Licensed deer hunters may not use ATVs/snowmobiles where their license is valid except before/after shooting hours, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., on own land or with permission; state forest trails closed to recreational riding during the firearms season. |
| Carcass import | No deer, elk or moose carcasses from outside Minnesota except boned meat, quarters, hides, antlers, clean skull plates, mounts; heads to a taxidermist within 48 hours. |
| Party hunting (deer) | Party members afield together with the same weapon class may tag deer for each other; the license holder must be at the site and validate; youth must take their own deer. |
booklet p. 34, booklet p. 79, booklet p. 83, booklet p. 92, checked October 28, 2026.
White-tailed Deer FAQ
Do white-tailed deer have to be registered?
There are no tags to cut any more. Validate at the kill site first, then register online, by app or at a walk-in station; phone registration has ended. Allow no more than 48 hours, and finish before processing, to register a deer.
Is baiting legal for white-tailed deer?
Minnesota bans deer baiting statewide and, in 37 counties, bans feeding and attractants as a CWD measure.
Which wildlife areas name white-tailed deer?
By acreage: Red Lake WMA, Roseau River WMA, Thief Lake WMA, out of 1,384 WMAs naming the species.
What is legal to shoot white-tailed deer with?
The booklet allows rifle, shotgun or handgun .220 caliber or larger with centerfire ignition, single projectile, soft point or expanding bullet; muzzleloaders loaded at the muzzle (smooth-bore .45+, rifled .40+; scopes legal). Statewide since the 2025 shotgun-zone repeal except counties with shotgun-only ordinances.
Can I fill tags in more than one DPA?
Statewide bag limit 5 deer, 1 legal buck (legal buck = 1 antler 3+ in.). Exceptions: early antlerless and late CWD season deer do not count toward the statewide limit; up to 3 bucks (1 per archery, firearms and muzzleloader license) in DPAs 643, 645-649 and 655. Special-hunt deer count statewide, not toward the surrounding DPA. Hunters who fill one DPA limit may move to another DPA (new 2026). Landowner license: +1 antlerless deer in either-sex, 2-, 3- and 5-deer DPAs.
What is the 2026 CWD surveillance block?
Sampling is mandatory Nov. 7-8 in the 35-DPA surveillance block; the 18-DPA management zone has the carcass disposal rule and DNR dumpsters ended.
Where do shotgun-only deer rules remain?
No zone remains, but Brown, Clay, Cottonwood, Dodge, Faribault, Houston, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Nobles, Pope, Rock, Watonwan and Wilkin told the state of shotgun-only or partial ordinances by May 5, 2026.
Can I hunt white-tailed deer on a Sunday?
There is no Sunday ban; deer hunting runs seven days a week.
When is the deer season in Minnesota?
9 season rows run Sep 19 to Dec 31, 2026. Archery Sept. 19-Dec. 31; youth and early antlerless Oct. 15-18; firearms Nov. 7-22 (100 series) or Nov. 7-15 (200 series), late southeast Nov. 21-29, metro 601 Nov. 7-29; muzzleloader Nov. 28-Dec. 13; late CWD Dec. 18-20.
What may a hunter keep of white-tailed deer?
Statewide 5 deer, 1 legal buck (3 bucks in 7 CWD DPAs); DPA limits from bucks-only to 5-deer; early antlerless +3; late CWD 5 (DNR summary).
Which permits apply to white-tailed deer?
Costs: Youth archery deer (resident, Youth 10-12): Free; Youth firearms deer (resident, Youth 10-12): Free; Youth muzzleloader deer (resident, Youth 10-12): Free; Deer by firearms (resident, Youth 13-17): $5; Deer by archery (resident, Youth 13-17): $5.
Is night hunting allowed for white-tailed deer?
Legal light for white-tailed deer runs from half an hour ahead of sunrise until half an hour past sunset, the same for bow, rifle and muzzleloader.
Is pink allowed instead of orange for white-tailed deer?
The deer-season blaze rule covers the cap and the outer garment above the waist; blaze camouflage must be at least half orange or pink. A deer hunter in a fabric or synthetic ground blind on public land also needs orange on top of the blind, visible all around, or 144 square inches on each side.
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); Russ (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0).