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DNR Region 2 · Itasca County town
Bigfork, Minnesota, and the public land in reach
How far Bigfork sits from WMAs, waterfowl production areas and state forests, which DPAs set the deer rules in Itasca County, and where to register, process and mount a deer.
Photo: Public ground 2.7 mi from Bigfork: George Washington State Forest (nearby stand-in). Tony Webster (CC BY 2.0)
Bigfork is a city in Itasca County, whose seat is Grand Rapids. Bigfork made the list as the base town for Big Fork State Forest, whose closest boundary lies 1.6 miles out. Hunters headed for George Washington State Forest can stay in Bigfork; the boundary sits 2.7 miles out. Roughly 403 people lived in Bigfork as of the 2024 estimate. 9 public units lie within 10 miles; the mapped public polygons there cover about 84,482 acres. The quickest public ground to reach is Big Fork State Forest, its nearest boundary 1.6 miles out.
Town point and land area from the Census 2024 Gazetteer, population from the Census Vintage 2024 estimates; public acreage and boundary miles within 10 miles are a GIS measure over DNR, USFS and USFWS boundaries (places.json). DNR region from the DNR county region list. Checked October 28, 2026.
Public land in reach of Bigfork
Ground that reaches the 10-mile ring around Bigfork comes first, and a base-area tag marks the unit this town was chosen for.
| Land | Heading | Kind | Managed by | DPA | Boundary | Middle | Acreage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Fork State Forest Base area | 1.6 mi NW | State forest | DNR | 109, 169 | 1.6 mi | 5.6 mi | 45,186 | – |
| Blackduck Ranger District, Chippewa National Forest | 1.6 mi W | Ranger district | USFS | 110, 169 | 1.6 mi | 34 mi | 187,217 | – |
| Deer River Ranger District, Chippewa National Forest | 1.6 mi SW | Ranger district | USFS | 169, 171 | 1.6 mi | 22 mi | 297,666 | – |
| Walker Ranger District, Chippewa National Forest | 1.6 mi SW | Ranger district | USFS | 171, 172 | 1.6 mi | 52 mi | 174,775 | – |
| George Washington State Forest Base area | 2.7 mi E | State forest | DNR | 109, 169 | 2.7 mi | 7.4 mi | 95,433 | – |
| Scenic State Park | 5.4 mi SE | State park | DNR | 169 | 5.4 mi | 5.3 mi | 2,558 | Special hunts |
| Ladies Tresses Swamp SNA | 6.2 mi E | SNA | DNR | 169 | 6.2 mi | 6.2 mi | 40 | – |
| Pine Island State Forest | 9.0 mi NW | State forest | DNR | 104, 105 | 9.0 mi | 42 mi | 631,695 | – |
| Little Too Much Lake SNA | 9.9 mi SW | SNA | DNR | 169 | 9.9 mi | 10 mi | 58 | – |
| Caldwell Brook Cedar Swamp SNA | 16 mi NW | SNA | DNR | 104 | outside ring | 16 mi | 81 | – |
Pine Island State Forest, at 631,695 acres, is the largest unit inside the ring. The 10-mile list breaks down into 3 state forests and grouse areas, 3 federal units and 3 AMAs, SNAs and parks. Scenic State Park opens only for special hunts with their own application.
Lands from DNR WMA, state forest, SNA, AMA and parks records, USFS and USFWS (lands.json; each land page cites its own source). Boundary miles from places.json, center miles from each mapped point. WPA rules from the USFWS Minnesota WMD hunting regulations; WMA rules from the DNR WMA rules. Checked October 28, 2026.
Where Bigfork hunters take a deer after the shot
The table counts each trade within 15 and 35 miles of Bigfork and shows the closest few below it. Donated deer go to registered processors such as Orty's Custom Meats (29 mi). For a CWD test, Barnwood Bucks Taxidermy (24 mi) takes samples for DNR.
| Category | Count, 15 mi | Count, 35 mi | First stop | How far | Located in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game processors | 0 | 2 | Denny's Deer Processing | 24 mi SW | Squaw Lake |
| Taxidermy | 0 | 4 | Barnwood Bucks Taxidermy | 24 mi SW | Squaw Lake |
| Gun and archery stores | 0 | 5 | Itasca Archery Supply | 30 mi S | Grand Rapids |
| Guides and preserves | 0 | 2 | Bear River Guide Service | 29 mi S | Deer River |
Game processors
Taxidermy
Gun and archery stores
Guides and preserves
Processors from the MDA venison donation processor list, the DNR CWD partner list and Yellow Pages; taxidermists, shops and preserves from the DNR partner list, DNR license agent feed and Yellow Pages (services.json). Checked October 28, 2026; hours were not checked.
DPA designations for Bigfork hunters
Archery runs Sept. 19 to Dec. 31 in every DPA here; the table holds what differs between the DPAs near Bigfork.
| Deer area | Share | Designation | Firearm days | Late season | Black powder | Early antlerless | CWD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 679 | 35% | Either-sex | Nov 7–22 | – | Nov 28–Dec 13 | No | Mgmt zone |
| DPA 169 | 31% | Antlerless permit lottery (25) | Nov 7–22 | – | Nov 28–Dec 13 | No | – |
| DPA 197 | 16% | Antlerless permit lottery (300) | Nov 7–22 | – | Nov 28–Dec 13 | No | – |
| DPA 176 | 5% | Antlerless permit lottery (25) | Nov 7–22 | – | Nov 28–Dec 13 | No | – |
| DPA 109 closest land | 5% | Antlerless permit lottery (50) | Nov 7–22 | – | Nov 28–Dec 13 | No | – |
| DPA 178 | 4% | Antlerless permit lottery (25) | Nov 7–22 | – | Nov 28–Dec 13 | No | – |
| DPA 110 | 2% | Antlerless permit lottery (250) | Nov 7–22 | – | Nov 28–Dec 13 | No | – |
The deer permit area under Big Fork State Forest, the nearest unit with a mapped deer area, is DPA 109 (100 series). Lottery rules apply in DPA 109: 50 antlerless permits for 2026, and the area allows one deer. The firearms window in DPA 109 is Nov 7–22. The CWD feeding and attractant ban covers Itasca County.
DPA designations, lottery quotas, season windows and CWD status from the DNR deer permit area service and the 2026-2027 booklet DPA lists; county shares from a GIS overlay (counties.json). CWD rules from the booklet CWD pages; shotgun ordinances from the booklet county list. Checked October 28, 2026.
Bigfork dates from bow opener to spring turkey
Waterfowl rows follow the North, Central and South zones and furbearer rows the North and South zones, so check which side of the line you hunt in Itasca County.
| Game | Segment | DPA or zone | First day | Last day | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery | All DPAs here | Sep 19, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth deer | All DPAs here | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Firearms (100 series) | All DPAs here | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Muzzleloader | Statewide | Nov 28, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Quota areas | Quota areas 24, 25, 27, 28, 46, 47, 51 | 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.
Bigfork permit areas beyond deer
| Unit | Coverage | 2026 permits | Recent harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bear area 27 | 57% of county | 450 permits | 192 bears (2025) |
| Bear area 28 | 15% of county | 60 permits | 33 bears (2025) |
| Bear area 51 | 12% of county | 1,500 permits | 436 bears (2025) |
| Bear area 24 | 10% of county | 100 permits | 65 bears (2025) |
| Bear area 25 | 5% of county | 375 permits | 239 bears (2025) |
| Bear area 47 | 1% of county | 40 permits | 25 bears (2025) |
| Bear area 46 | 0% of county | 950 permits | 350 bears (2025) |
| Turkey zone 508 | 100% of county | Periods A-F | 3,067 spring birds (2026) |
Quota bear area 27 covers 57% of Itasca County; DNR set 450 permits for 2026. Spring turkey harvest in area 508: 3,067 in 2026, 3,248 the year before. Waterfowl zone lines follow highways (MN 210/23/39 between North and Central, US 212/I-494/I-94 between Central and South), so check the DNR map for which zone Bigfork falls in. Furbearers follow the I-94/US 10 line between the North and South zones. Itasca County has 2 listed state game refuges, open only as shown.
Refuge openings
| Refuge | Small game | Ducks | Firearms deer/bear | Archery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lower Pigeon Lake | Closed | Closed | Open | Open |
| Pigeon River Flowage | Closed | Closed | Open | Open |
Bear areas and 2026 permits from the 2026 bear regulations; bear harvest from the DNR bear harvest reports; turkey harvest from the DNR spring turkey reports; elk, sharp-tailed grouse and prairie chicken from DNR pages; refuges from the booklet state game refuge table; zone lines from the booklet waterfowl map. Shares are GIS overlays. Checked October 28, 2026.
Registered deer near Bigfork, by permit area
Harvest is labelled by DPA because that is how DNR reports it; DPA 109 reaches past the Itasca County line. Hunters registered 415 deer there in 2025, against 314 in 2020. 370 adult bucks were registered in 2025. The DPA averaged 0.35 deer per square mile of land in 2025.
| Year | All deer | Adult male | Adult female | Deer/sq mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 318 | 265 | 41 | 0.27 |
| 2023 | 348 | 295 | 40 | 0.29 |
| 2024 | 375 | 339 | 29 | 0.32 |
| 2025 | 415 | 370 | 27 | 0.35 |
From the DNR 2025 deer harvest report and earlier reports (harvest.json); DPA numbers as in each report year, and boundaries changed over time. Checked October 28, 2026.
Gun ranges and clubs by Bigfork
Top of the list for Bigfork: Itasca Gun Club, 32 miles away.
Straight-line miles from the town centre; ranges checked October 28, 2026.
Bigfork DNR contacts
Call the Grand Rapids area wildlife office about land in Itasca County. Regional matters go to Grand Rapids, home of the Northeast Region office. Licenses come through the electronic licensing system; call the office for local land questions.
Minnesota DNR Grand Rapids Area Wildlife Office, 36 mi away
Minnesota DNR Region 2 (Northeast) Headquarters, 36 mi south
Offices from the DNR wildlife area offices page and the DNR regions page; work-area shares from the DNR wildlife admin layer (counties.json). Checked October 28, 2026.
Sunrise-based hunting hours at Bigfork
Sun times below are calculated for Bigfork; 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 | 6:55 a.m. | 7:21 p.m. | 6:25 a.m.–7:51 p.m. | 6:25 a.m.–7:21 p.m. |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Duck opener | 7:05 a.m. | 7:07 p.m. | 6:35 a.m.–7:37 p.m. | 6:35 a.m.–7:07 p.m. |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Pheasant opener | 7:24 a.m. | 6:38 p.m. | 6:54 a.m.–7:08 p.m. | 6:54 a.m.–6:38 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Firearms deer opener | 7:06 a.m. | 4:50 p.m. | 6:36 a.m.–5:20 p.m. | 6:36 a.m.–4:50 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Muzzleloader opener | 7:37 a.m. | 4:28 p.m. | 7:07 a.m.–4:58 p.m. | 7:07 a.m.–4:28 p.m. |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Archery close | 8:02 a.m. | 4:32 p.m. | 7:32 a.m.–5:02 p.m. | 7:32 a.m.–4:32 p.m. |
| Apr 14, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:30 a.m. | 8:00 p.m. | 6:00 a.m.–8:30 p.m. | 6:00 a.m.–8:00 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.
Bigfork hunting, quick answers
Do I need a paper tag for deer near Bigfork?
No paper tag: validate in the app or mark the validation on the paper license at the kill site, then register within 48 hours.
Who manages the WMAs around Bigfork?
The Grand Rapids area wildlife office (Grand Rapids); phone (218) 328-8860.
Are there other bases close to Bigfork?
Yes: Inger, Deer River, Northome and Ball Club, by straight-line miles.
What are the blaze rules near Bigfork?
Firearms deer seasons require orange or pink above the waist; small game hunters need one visible piece at other times.
How much public land lies within 10 miles of Bigfork?
About 84,482 acres by GIS measure, over 9 listed units.
Which listed unit sits nearest Bigfork, Minnesota?
First on the distance list is Big Fork State Forest, its nearest boundary 1.6 miles out. Next in line: Blackduck Ranger District, Chippewa National Forest, its nearest boundary 1.6 miles out.
How long is the firearms deer season by Bigfork?
The DPA 109 window is Nov 7–22, 2026.
Is the DPA near Bigfork a lottery area?
Yes, DPA 109 is one of the 32 antlerless permit lottery areas, with 50 permits for 2026.
How do bear licenses work around Bigfork?
Apply in the DNR bear drawing for quota area 27 (450 permits); leftover licenses went on surplus sale Aug. 5.
Can I move a deer carcass from near Bigfork?
Yes; Minnesota has no carcass rules outside the management zone, though carcasses may not be dumped on public land, roadsides or water. Deer feeding is illegal across Itasca County.
Which processor is closest to Bigfork?
Denny's Deer Processing, 24 mi, tops our list; call first.
When is legal light on Nov. 7 near Bigfork?
For the firearms opener, legal light runs 6:36 a.m. to 5:20 p.m. at the county centre.
Answers from places.json, lands.json, counties.json, services.json and the 2026-2027 Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations; registration from booklet p. 28, blaze rules from booklet p. 39. Checked October 28, 2026.
Ready to leave Bigfork for public land?
DNR can change rules between booklets. Re-check the Itasca County page and the DNR site before the trip.
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); 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); USFWS Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0).