Deer Permit Area 117, Minnesota
Unit info
- Game species
- White-tailed Deer, Black Bear, Ruffed Grouse
- Group
- Zone 100 — Northern Minnesota
- Area
- 1,134 mi²
- Public land
- N/A
White-tailed Deer — season & harvest
- Reported harvest
- 14
Draw odds for White-tailed Deeraren't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.
Season & harvest data is published for White-tailed Deer so far. Black Bear, Ruffed Grouse also occur here — that data can be added as the community contributes.
About this unit
AI-compiled · sourcedDPA 117 is a remote, roadless wilderness unit centered on the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northeastern Minnesota, within the Superior National Forest. Deer densities are low but the unit is almost entirely public land with virtually no hunting pressure, offering a true backcountry experience. It is an either-sex (hunter-choice) permit area with no draw required — any licensed deer hunter can hunt here.
Remote boreal forest dominated by evergreen (conifer) cover including black spruce, balsam fir, and jack pine, interspersed with lakes, bogs, wetlands, and rocky ridges typical of the Canadian Shield. The unit encompasses much of the BWCA Wilderness, making it largely roadless and accessible primarily by canoe or foot travel.
low
Deer: Either-sex (hunter-choice) unit, no lottery required. Archery season opens the Saturday nearest September 16 through December 31; firearms season follows the standard northern zone November schedule. Deer populations are low relative to southern MN — success rates are modest but hunting pressure per acre is extremely low. Black bear: Northeastern MN is core bear range; Minnesota bear hunting requires a separate bear license and zone permit. Grouse: Ruffed grouse and spruce grouse are abundant in the boreal forest understory and commonly hunted as incidental game. No elk or turkey are present in this unit.
One of the lowest-pressure deer hunting units in Minnesota due to the logistical challenge of accessing BWCA wilderness. Hunter-choice (either-sex) permit means no antlerless lottery needed. Excellent black bear and ruffed/spruce grouse hunting alongside deer. The backcountry experience is exceptional for hunters who embrace canoe-in camp hunting.
Questions, tips & discussion
Ask anything about Deer Permit Area 117— or drop a tip or trick: access points, where game holds, glassing spots, conditions, crowding, gear that worked. This is where the unit's species-specific intel gets built, hunter by hunter.
Nothing posted yet about Deer Permit Area 117.
Be the first — ask a question (“Best public access on the north end?”) or share a tip (“Glass the burn scars off the main ridge at first light”).
Boundaries: MN DNR official Deer Permit Areas. Community info last updated 23d ago.