Grant County, Minnesota: public hunting land
Grant County has 15,347 acres of public land open to the public, 4.2% of the county, the largest share national wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas (11,431 acres), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public). The DNR's map shows 20 wildlife management areas here covering 3,866 acres, the largest Mustinka WMA (748 acres in the county). The DNR's Walk-In Access program adds 2 sites of private land open to hunters, 202 acres in all. Deer here are counted by deer permit area: DPA 272 (366 deer in 2025), DPA 273 (1,013 deer in 2025), DPA 270 (330 deer in 2025) and DPA 213 (6,423 deer in 2025).
Data updated October 2026. Land: PAD-US 4.1. Wildlife Management Areas and Walk-In Access: the DNR's map layers, read 2026-10. Harvest: DNR Deer Harvest Reports, 2021 to 2025.
State wildlife management areasState forest and other DNR landNational wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areasWalk-In AccessGrant CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 368,235 acres (575 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Public land | 4.2% (15,347 acres) |
| WMAs | 20 (3,866 acres) |
| Walk-In Access | 2 sites, 202 acres |
| Deer permit areas | DPA 272, DPA 273, DPA 270, DPA 213 |
| Towns | Hoffman, Barrett, Norcross, Elbow Lake, Nashua and Tintah |
How much public hunting land is in Grant County?
15,347 of the county's 368,235 acres are public land open to the public (4.2%). 15,347 acres of that are state wildlife, state forest or federal land, where hunting is the rule rather than the exception.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Grant County |
|---|---|---|
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 11,431 | 3.1% |
| State wildlife management areas | 3,871 | 1.1% |
| State forest and other DNR land | 34 | under 0.1% |
| Other federal land | 11 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 15,347 | 4.2% |
Measured by FilledTag inside the county line from USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public). State wildlife management areas, state forest land and national forests are open to hunting in season; refuges and waterfowl production areas follow U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rules; state parks allow hunting only in special hunts; national park land is closed to hunting; city and county parks set their own rules. PAD-US 4.1 leaves out most of the tax-forfeited land Minnesota counties manage, much of it open to hunting, so the public land here may be more than shown; the county land department has the maps.
The largest public areas in Grant County by PAD-US, besides the WMAs: Grant County Waterfowl Production Area (11,429 acres).
Which wildlife management areas are in Grant County?
20, largest first.
| WMA | Acres in the county | DNR lists for hunting |
|---|---|---|
| Mustinka WMA | 748 | deer, pheasants, ducks and geese and small game |
| Barrett WMA | 393 | deer, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game |
| Pelican Creek WMA | 357 | deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds and small game |
| Kube-swift WMA | 332 | deer, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game |
| Helsene WMA | 274 | deer, pheasants, ducks and geese and small game |
| Macsville WMA | 270 | deer, pheasants, ducks and geese and small game |
| Marple WMA | 212 | ducks and geese |
| Blakesley WMA | 190 | deer, pheasants, ducks and geese and small game |
| Chippewa Pond WMA | 172 | deer and pheasants |
| Berskow WMA | 166 | deer, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game |
| Wilts WMA | 145 | deer, pheasants and small game |
| Towner WMA | 119 | deer, pheasants, ducks and geese and small game |
| Alvstad WMA | 118 | deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese and small game |
| Jenson WMA | 112 | deer, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game |
| Shuck WMA | 86 | pheasants, ducks and geese and small game |
| Bergerud WMA | 56 | ducks and geese |
| Isaacson WMA | 41 | pheasants and ducks and geese |
| Strom-Bordson WMA | 35 | deer, pheasants and small game |
| Pomme De Terre WMA | 35 | deer, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds and small game |
| State Gravel Pit #2531 WMA | 5 | ducks and geese |
Where is the Walk-In Access in Grant County?
The DNR's 2026 Walk-In Access layer shows 2 sites in Grant County, 202 acres of private land open to hunters with a Walk-In Access validation from September 1 to May 31. The largest is Grant WIA #719 (142 acres). DNR Walk-In Access.
| Site | Acres | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Grant WIA #719 | 142 | 45.9605, -96.2612 |
| Grant WIA #476 | 60 | 45.8574, -96.1905 |
Locations are the middle of each site, from the DNR's 2026 layer. Landowners may leave the program during the year; the DNR's Walk-In Access page and its site status page have the current list.
How many deer are taken in Grant County?
The DNR counts deer by permit area, not by county. Grant County lies in 4 permit areas; the largest share is in DPA 272 (54.7% of the county). Each figure below is for the whole permit area.
| DPA | Share of the county | Deer harvested in the whole DPA | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 272 | 54.7% | 366 | 2025 |
| DPA 273 | 29.4% | 1,013 | 2025 |
| DPA 270 | 11.3% | 330 | 2025 |
| DPA 213 | 4.6% | 6,423 | 2025 |
Harvest: Minnesota DNR Deer Harvest Reports (2021 to 2025, 2025 report). Share of the county measured by FilledTag from the DNR's deer permit areas and the Census county line.
How do you get around Grant County?
Highways: MN 55 (about 34 miles in the county), US 59 (about 26 miles in the county), MN 27 (about 25 miles in the county), US 52 (about 19 miles in the county) and I-94 (about 19 miles in the county). Towns: Hoffman, Barrett, Norcross, Elbow Lake, Herman, Wendell and Ashby.
Questions hunters ask
What is the largest public land in Grant County besides the WMAs?
By PAD-US 4.1: Grant County Waterfowl Production Area (11,429 acres in the county). The largest kind of public land here is national wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas, 11,431 acres.
What is the largest WMA in Grant County?
Mustinka WMA, with 748 acres inside the county. The county has 20 WMAs in all.
Does Grant County have Walk-In Access land?
Yes. The DNR's 2026 layer shows 2 sites and 202 acres in Grant County.
Which deer permit area is Grant County in?
DPA 272 (54.7%), DPA 273 (29.4%), DPA 270 (11.3%) and DPA 213 (4.6%). Bag limits and firearms dates follow the permit area.
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Where these numbers come from
- Public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public). Wildlife Management Areas: Minnesota DNR Wildlife Management Area boundaries, publicly accessible. Walk-In Access: Minnesota DNR Walk-In Access sites.
- Deer harvest: Minnesota DNR Deer Harvest Reports (2021 to 2025, 2025 report).
- County line: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 cartographic county boundaries. Highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 primary and secondary roads.
FilledTag is not part of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Numbers are copied from the DNR and the federal sources above, or measured from their maps.
Minnesota hunting DPA 272 DPA 273 DPA 270 DPA 213 Pope County Wilkin County Douglas County Stevens County Traverse County Otter Tail County Walk-In Access