2025 Deer Hunting Season Details Announced for Minnesota Northwest Region

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has released details for the 2025 deer hunting season in the northwest region, with most areas having the same bag limits as last year. However, two deer permit areas (DPAs) have increased bag limits, and another has a lower limit to reduce antlerless deer harvest. The region's wildlife manager, Blane Klemek, attributes the unchanged bag limits to the relatively mild winter, which allowed deer to move around without difficulty.

Key Takeaways:

Most deer permit areas (DPAs) in the northwest region have the same bag limits as last year.
Two DPAs (265 and 671) have increased bag limits from two-deer and one-deer limits to three-deer and two-deer limits, respectively.
DPA 111 has a one-deer limit, bucks-only, due to conservation efforts.
A mild winter allowed deer to move around without difficulty, reducing the need for changed bag limits.
The Northwest Region includes 23 counties from Lake of the Woods to Traverse County.
Hunters should review the new hunting regulations and CWD testing requirements before the season.

Statistics:

103 DPAs statewide have the same management designation as last season.
25 DPAs have increased bag limits.
2 DPAs have lower bag limits to reduce antlerless deer harvest.
Hunters can harvest antlerless deer without a permit in areas with either-sex, two-deer limit, three-deer limit, or five-deer limit designations.
Self-service CWD testing stations will be available in CWD management and surveillance zones during opening weekend of firearms season and the following Monday.
Hunters are required to have deer age 1 or older sampled in all CWD management and surveillance zones if they harvest their deer during the opening weekend of the firearms season.

Sources:

[Blane Klemek, Northwest Region wildlife manager for the DNR in Bemidji]
[Minnesota Department of Natural Resources news release]
[Paul Burr, the DNR's acting big game program coordinator]