Deer Permit Area 159, Minnesota
Unit info
- Game species
- White-tailed Deer, Black Bear, Wild Turkey, Ruffed Grouse
- Group
- Zone 100 — Northern Minnesota
- Area
- 579 mi²
- Public land
- N/A
White-tailed Deer — season & harvest
- Reported harvest
- 1,915
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, Wild Turkey, Ruffed Grouse also occur here — that data can be added as the community contributes.
About this unit
AI-compiled · sourcedDPA 159 covers approximately 579 square miles of east-central Minnesota in Pine County, east of Interstate 35 from the Chisago County border north to Askov, anchored by St. Croix State Park (33,895 acres — the largest in Minnesota), Chengwatana State Forest, and numerous WMAs that together make up nearly 30% of the unit as public land. Whitetail deer densities are moderate with a history of managed antlerless lottery permits, and the area is also a legitimate no-quota black bear unit with huntable populations of ruffed grouse and wild turkey, making it one of the more diverse multi-species opportunities in the 100-series zones.
Rolling mixed-forest lowlands dominated by second-growth aspen, birch, jack pine, and black spruce interspersed with tamarack bogs, river-bottom hardwoods, and open oak savanna pockets. The St. Croix and Kettle rivers corridor adds 21+ miles of riparian edge. Wetlands, marshes, and small lakes are common throughout, creating classic north-central transitional forest habitat.
moderate
Deer: firearm season runs Nov 4–19, archery Sept 16–Dec 31, muzzleloader Nov 25–Dec 10. Antlerless deer requires a lottery permit (1,500 permits issued); antlered bucks are open to any licensed firearm hunter statewide. Bear: no-quota zone — OTC license, no draw required, two-bear annual limit; populations present near Hinckley, Sandstone, and Askov with Chengwatana and General Andrews state forests as key habitat. Turkey: present in the southern portions of the unit near Pine City and the St. Croix River valley; spring and fall seasons available via permit. Ruffed Grouse: huntable numbers throughout the aspen-birch uplands; season typically Sept–Jan with no permit required.
One of the few 100-series DPAs with genuine multi-species potential: lottery antlerless deer, no-quota black bear (one of the more accessible bear areas in the state), wild turkey in the southern portions, and strong ruffed grouse numbers in the aspen-birch uplands. St. Croix State Park hosts a managed special firearm deer hunt (hunt #902, ~300 permits). The Kettle River adds a scenic float-hunt option for deer and grouse. The no-quota bear designation means no application required — a tag is purchased over the counter.
Questions, tips & discussion
Ask anything about Deer Permit Area 159— 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 159.
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.