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Town page · St. Louis County
Cook hunters’ map of public ground, MN
Hunting ground near Cook, the St. Louis County DPAs and their 2026-27 windows, deer harvest by permit area, bear quota areas and local businesses.
Photo: Nearby stand-in for Cook: Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park (22 mi from Cook). U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Cook lies in St. Louis County, inside DNR Region 2 (Northeast). Among the towns ringing Kabetogama State Forest, Cook qualified as the base, with the boundary 3.6 miles out. Sturgeon River State Forest anchors this page; its boundary comes within 5 miles of Cook. Its population stood near 520 in the Census 2024 series. Mapped public acreage within 10 miles comes to about 50,050, spread over 9 listed units. Nearest of every listed unit is Owens Wildlife Management Area, which reaches the town itself.
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.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Cook
Cook DPAs, limits and dates
Each DPA link opens its own page with harvest by year, counties and every 2026 season window.
| DPA | Share of county | 2026 designation | Firearms | Late southeast | Muzzleloader | Early antlerless | CWD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 178 | 16% | Antlerless permit lottery (25) | Nov 7–22 | – | Nov 28–Dec 13 | No | – |
| DPA 118 | 16% | Bucks only | Nov 7–22 | – | Nov 28–Dec 13 | No | – |
| DPA 119 | 14% | Bucks only | Nov 7–22 | – | Nov 28–Dec 13 | No | – |
| DPA 176 | 12% | Antlerless permit lottery (25) | Nov 7–22 | – | Nov 28–Dec 13 | No | – |
| DPA 181 | 9% | Antlerless permit lottery (100) | Nov 7–22 | – | Nov 28–Dec 13 | No | – |
| DPA 132 | 7% | Bucks only | Nov 7–22 | – | Nov 28–Dec 13 | No | – |
| DPA 130 | 7% | Bucks only | Nov 7–22 | – | Nov 28–Dec 13 | No | – |
| DPA 177 first unit | 7% | Antlerless permit lottery (25) | Nov 7–22 | – | Nov 28–Dec 13 | No | – |
| DPA 182 | 3% | 3-deer limit | Nov 7–22 | – | Nov 28–Dec 13 | No | – |
| DPA 109 | 2% | Antlerless permit lottery (50) | Nov 7–22 | – | Nov 28–Dec 13 | No | – |
Deer rules at Owens Wildlife Management Area, the nearest unit with a mapped deer area, come from DPA 177, a 100 series permit area. DPA 177 runs an antlerless lottery this year (25 permits); without a drawn permit, firearm and muzzleloader hunters there take a buck only. DPA 177 firearms: Nov 7–22.
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.
Cook public land by miles
The boundary column runs straight from Cook to the closest edge; the center column runs to the mapped point, so a big state forest can start much nearer than its center figure.
| Property | Off town | Type | Run by | DPA | Line | Point | Acres | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owens WMA | at town | WMA | DNR | 177 | at town | 0.4 mi | 164 | – |
| Gunflint Ranger District, Superior National Forest | 1.1 mi E | Ranger district | USFS | 117, 126 | 1.1 mi | 104 mi | 391,034 | – |
| Kawishiwi Ranger District, Superior National Forest | 1.1 mi E | Ranger district | USFS | 117, 118 | 1.1 mi | 48 mi | 431,828 | – |
| Lacroix Ranger District, Superior National Forest | 1.1 mi N | Ranger district | USFS | 107, 109 | 1.1 mi | 25 mi | 409,160 | – |
| Laurentian Ranger District, Superior National Forest | 1.1 mi SE | Ranger district | USFS | 130, 131 | 1.1 mi | 51 mi | 349,280 | – |
| Tofte Ranger District, Superior National Forest | 1.1 mi E | Ranger district | USFS | 117, 126 | 1.1 mi | 76 mi | 591,085 | – |
| Kabetogama State Forest Why listed | 3.6 mi NW | State forest | DNR | 107, 109 | 3.6 mi | 22 mi | 162,190 | – |
| Sturgeon River State Forest Why listed | 5.4 mi SW | State forest | DNR | 176, 177 | 5.4 mi | 14 mi | 56,661 | – |
| Hwy 115 RGMA | 8.4 mi E | Grouse area | DNR | 177 | 8.4 mi | 8.2 mi | 674 | 3.6 trail mi |
| Lost Lake Peatland SNA | 12 mi E | SNA | DNR | 177 | past 10 mi | 12 mi | 3,178 | – |
No unit near Cook beats Tofte Ranger District, Superior National Forest for size: 591,085 acres. That ring mixes 1 WMA, 3 state forests and grouse areas and 5 federal units. Nearest of the WMAs is Owens Wildlife Management Area, managed by the Tower area wildlife office.
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.
Cook area deer harvest by DPA
DNR reports deer harvest by permit area, so the chart shows the whole of DPA 177, which spills beyond St. Louis County. From 1,576 in 2017 the count moved to 510 in 2025. Adult males: 442 in 2025. That works out to 1.06 deer per square mile of land, ranking 94th among DPAs.
| Year | Harvest | Adult bucks | Adult does | Density |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 649 | 421 | 180 | 1.35 |
| 2023 | 563 | 423 | 120 | 1.17 |
| 2024 | 481 | 388 | 78 | 1.0 |
| 2025 | 510 | 442 | 58 | 1.06 |
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.
St. Louis County seasons that reach Cook
For St. Louis County, 49 season segments cover big game, upland birds, waterfowl and furbearers this license year.
| 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 | 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 22, 24, 25, 31, 51, 53 | 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.
Bear and turkey units for Cook
| Area | Of county | Licenses | Latest take |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bear permit area 24 | 29% of county | 100 permits | 65 bears (2025) |
| Bear permit area 25 | 28% of county | 375 permits | 239 bears (2025) |
| Bear permit area 31 | 25% of county | 400 permits | 212 bears (2025) |
| Bear permit area 51 | 10% of county | 1,500 permits | 436 bears (2025) |
| Bear permit area 22 | 8% of county | 75 permits | 1 bears (2025) |
| Bear permit area 53 | 1% of county | 20 permits | 10 bears (2025) |
| Turkey area 508 | 100% of county | Periods A-F | 3,067 spring birds (2026) |
Area 24 is the main bear quota unit here, at 100 permits, and baiting may begin Aug. 14. For spring 2026, DNR counted 3,067 turkeys in permit area 508. The waterfowl zones split along state and federal highways rather than county lines, so use the DNR map near Cook. Check which side of I-94/US 10 you hunt for furbearer dates. Before hunting a refuge near Cook, check the openings in the table.
Refuges in the county
| Name | Upland | Ducks | Firearms | Archery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butterball | Closed | Closed | Closed | Closed |
| Little Rice | Closed | Closed | Closed | Closed |
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.
Cook clock times for legal hunting
Legal light for deer at Cook brackets sunrise and sunset by 30 minutes; ducks and geese open 30 minutes before sunrise and stop at sunset.
| When | Event | Rise | Set | Big game | Ducks and geese |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 19, 2026 | Archery and grouse opener | 6:51 a.m. | 7:17 p.m. | 6:21 a.m.–7:47 p.m. | 6:21 a.m.–7:17 p.m. |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Duck opener | 7:00 a.m. | 7:02 p.m. | 6:30 a.m.–7:32 p.m. | 6:30 a.m.–7:02 p.m. |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Pheasant opener | 7:20 a.m. | 6:34 p.m. | 6:50 a.m.–7:04 p.m. | 6:50 a.m.–6:34 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Firearms deer opener | 7:02 a.m. | 4:46 p.m. | 6:32 a.m.–5:16 p.m. | 6:32 a.m.–4:46 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Muzzleloader opener | 7:33 a.m. | 4:24 p.m. | 7:03 a.m.–4:54 p.m. | 7:03 a.m.–4:24 p.m. |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Archery close | 7:58 a.m. | 4:27 p.m. | 7:28 a.m.–4:57 p.m. | 7:28 a.m.–4:27 p.m. |
| Apr 14, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:25 a.m. | 7:56 p.m. | 5:55 a.m.–8:26 p.m. | 5:55 a.m.–7:56 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.
Hunting businesses a short drive from Cook
Phone, map and website buttons show only where a source listed them; nobody here checked opening hours. Orty's Custom Meats (61 mi) is approved for the 2026 venison donation program, per the Minnesota Department of Agriculture list. Deer heads can be sampled at Bear's Den Wild-Game & Domestic Meat Processing, a DNR CWD partner.
| Service | Close (15 mi) | Wider (35 mi) | Closest | Miles | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer processors | 0 | 1 | Carlsons Sausage & Wild Game Processing | 26 mi SE | Biwabik |
| Taxidermy shops | 0 | 2 | Tim's Taxidermy | 15 mi SE | Britt |
| Sporting goods | 1 | 6 | Far North Outfitters | 14 mi S | Britt |
| Outfitters and preserves | 0 | 0 | Back Country Guided Hunts | 36 mi E | Babbitt |
Deer processors
Taxidermy shops
Sporting goods
Outfitters 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.
Cook shooters: three nearest ranges
Three closest ranges to Cook, measured as the crow flies.
Straight-line miles from the town centre; ranges checked October 28, 2026.
Area wildlife office for Cook hunters
St. Louis County belongs to the Tower wildlife work area (69%), with Cloquet and Two Harbors taking the remainder. Regional headquarters for the Northeast Region is in Grand Rapids. No office visit is needed for a license: buy it online, by phone or from an agent.
Minnesota DNR Tower Area Wildlife Office, 19 mi to the east
Minnesota DNR Grand Rapids Area Wildlife Office, southwest 58 mi
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.
Cook hunting questions
Which town pages are close to Cook?
Closest four: Tower, Soudan, Buhl and Biwabik.
Does a ground blind near Cook need orange?
A fabric ground blind on public land needs orange on top or 144 square inches on each side during deer season; turkey hunters no longer need it.
Is there much public hunting land around Cook?
9 units with about 50,050 mapped acres lie within 10 miles.
Which WMA, WPA or state forest is closest to Cook?
Among DNR and federal units, the nearest is Owens Wildlife Management Area, which reaches the town itself. The second unit is Gunflint Ranger District, Superior National Forest, its nearest boundary 1.1 miles out.
What dates can I carry a deer rifle near Cook?
Nov 7–22 for firearms in DPA 177; rifles are legal for deer since the 2025 repeal of the shotgun zone.
Which DPA covers the public land by Cook?
Owens Wildlife Management Area lies in DPA 177, antlerless permit lottery for 2026.
Is bear hunting open around Cook?
Yes, Sept. 1 to Oct. 18 in quota area 24, which covers 29% of St. Louis County (100 permits for 2026).
Do deer near Cook need a CWD test?
No, testing is voluntary in DPA 177; DNR offers mail-in kits and partner sampling.
How far is the nearest deer processor from Cook?
Carlsons Sausage & Wild Game Processing sits 26 mi from Cook, the shortest trip on our list.
How early can I shoot deer near Cook?
Deer may be shot from 6:32 a.m. on Nov. 7 near Cook.
Can I register a deer by phone?
No. Phone registration ended in 2026; register online, in the app or at a walk-in station within 48 hours.
Which DNR wildlife office covers Cook?
The Tower area wildlife office, 650 Highway 169, Tower, (218) 300-7860.
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.
Loose ends for Cook hunters
Starting at dawn from Cook? Check the St. Louis County legal light table and know which DPA you will be standing in.
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); Juliana Chong (CC BY 2.0).