Deer Permit Area 182, Minnesota
Unit info
- Game species
- White-tailed Deer, Black Bear, Ruffed Grouse
- Group
- Zone 100 — Northern Minnesota
- Area
- 289 mi²
- Public land
- N/A
White-tailed Deer — season & harvest
- Reported harvest
- 995
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
Sign in to contributeDPA 182 is a northern Minnesota deer permit area spanning approximately 290 square miles of boreal coniferous forest and peatland in the Koochiching and Itasca county region (Zone 100). Public land access is very limited at roughly 1.5% of the unit, making permission from private landowners essential for most hunters. The area operates under an Intensive designation allowing up to three deer per hunter, with no draw required — licenses are available over the counter.
Boreal coniferous forest and peatland dominate the landscape, with abundant lakes, ponds, rivers, and wetlands characteristic of northern Minnesota's Zone 100. The area sits within the greater Koochiching-Itasca forest belt, featuring black spruce, tamarack, and aspen stands interspersed with extensive wetland complexes and more than 90 ponds.
Public land access is extremely limited at approximately 4.29 square miles (1.48%) of the 289.68-square-mile unit. The unit falls near Koochiching and Smokey Bear State Forests and portions of the Koochiching-Washington Forest Legacy Project lands in Itasca and Koochiching counties, which provide some public hunting. The vast majority of the unit is private timber and agricultural land, requiring landowner permission to access.
low
Deer season structure: Archery Sept 16 - Dec 31; Firearms A (all legal firearms) Nov 4 - Nov 19; Muzzleloader Nov 25 - Dec 10. Intensive area with a 3-deer limit (max 1 buck). No antlerless lottery draw required — OTC licenses. Black bear are present and huntable in northern Minnesota with a lottery tag (separate DNR bear permit required). Ruffed grouse season runs mid-September through late January with no permit required. Turkey and elk are not established in this far-north zone.
Intensive designation allows harvest of up to 3 deer (only 1 buck), making it attractive for hunters looking to fill multiple tags. Remote boreal forest character keeps overall pressure low despite the generous limit. Proximity to state forest lands offers supplemental public access for those willing to scout. Ruffed grouse and black bear also present, making it a viable multi-species northern MN trip.
Questions, tips & discussion
Ask anything about Deer Permit Area 182— 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 182.
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.