Deer Permit Area 172, Minnesota
Unit info
- Game species
- White-tailed Deer, Black Bear, Wild Turkey, Ruffed Grouse
- Group
- Zone 100 — Northern Minnesota
- Area
- 772 mi²
- Public land
- N/A
White-tailed Deer — season & harvest
- Reported harvest
- 1,687
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
Sign in to contributeDPA 172 spans approximately 777 square miles of north-central Minnesota across far northern Crow Wing and central-northeastern Cass counties, featuring rolling forested terrain interspersed with lakes and wetlands. About 30% of the unit is public land, offering solid access for deer hunters, and the area falls under mandatory CWD testing during firearm season. Hunters here pursue a one-deer limit with a modest antlerless permit lottery, and the mixed aspen-hardwood forests also support excellent ruffed grouse, black bear, and wild turkey opportunities.
Rolling hills with abundant lakes, wetlands, and mixed boreal-transitional forest dominated by aspen, birch, jack pine, and lowland hardwoods. Typical north-central Minnesota lake country with numerous creek drainages and boggy lowlands interspersed among upland ridges.
Approximately 30.43% of the 777-square-mile unit (about 236 square miles) is public land. Access includes Minnesota Forest Legacy Program parcels in Cass and Crow Wing counties, scattered WMAs, county-managed forest lands, and DNR-administered state forest tracts. Private timberland with some public hunting easements is also present. No major national forest units fall within DPA 172, though Chippewa National Forest is nearby to the north.
moderate
Deer: one-deer base limit, antlerless by lottery only (~250 permits issued), Hunter Choice designation, mandatory CWD check during firearm season. Bear: black bear present; permits available by draw through the MN DNR bear lottery for this north-central zone. Turkey: wild turkey present in the area; spring and fall seasons available by license/permit. Grouse: ruffed grouse and woodcock are abundant in the aspen-dominated forests; no permit required, season runs Sept through November.
One-deer limit unit with a small antlerless permit lottery (approximately 250 permits). Mandatory CWD testing applies during firearm season. The unit sits in classic Minnesota lake-country deer habitat with a mix of public and private land. Archery runs Sept 16 - Dec 31, firearms Nov 4 - Nov 19, and muzzleloader Nov 25 - Dec 10. Strong ruffed grouse and black bear hunting on the same public ground makes this a versatile multi-species destination.
Questions, tips & discussion
Ask anything about Deer Permit Area 172— 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 172.
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 114d ago.