Deer Permit Area 224, Minnesota
Unit info
- Game species
- White-tailed Deer, Black Bear, Ruffed Grouse, Wild Turkey
- Group
- Zone 200 — Central Minnesota
- Area
- 48 mi²
- Public land
- N/A
White-tailed Deer — season & harvest
- Reported harvest
- 294
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, Wild Turkey also occur here — that data can be added as the community contributes.
About this unit
AI-compiled · sourcedDPA 224 is a central Minnesota deer permit area of roughly 48 square miles located in Mille Lacs and Kanabec counties, dominated by the 39,000-acre Mille Lacs Wildlife Management Area with nearly all land publicly accessible. Antlerless deer tags are lottery-only (300 permits issued), making this a managed-pressure area with quality habitat in a classic boreal-transition forest of aspen, wetland, and bog. Hunters seeking a buck can hunt over the counter; antlerless hopefuls must draw.
Nearly flat to gently rolling boreal-transition landscape in Mille Lacs and Kanabec counties. Approximately 60% forested — dominated by aspen, birch, and northern hardwoods — with the remainder in wetlands, bogs, and managed openings. Cooperative farm plots (corn, hay) on the WMA create classic deer feeding edges. About 100 miles of internal roads and trails provide access throughout the unit.
moderate
White-tailed deer is the primary target. Black bear are documented residents of the Mille Lacs WMA and the broader region. Ruffed grouse and woodcock are actively managed with formal annual surveys. Wild turkey are present with informal survey data confirming occurrence. Pheasants are at the northern fringe of their range here and are incidental.
Nearly all-public unit with outstanding access infrastructure. Lottery antlerless permit (300 issued) keeps doe harvest controlled and maintains quality deer numbers in managed forest habitat. Black bear, ruffed grouse, and woodcock hunting also available; turkey present in lower numbers. CWD status should be verified with MN DNR before hunting.
Questions, tips & discussion
Ask anything about Deer Permit Area 224— 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 224.
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.