Traverse County, Minnesota: public hunting land
Traverse County has 5,726 acres of public land open to the public, 1.5% of the county, the largest share national wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas (4,155 acres), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public). The DNR's map shows 5 wildlife management areas here covering 1,546 acres, the largest Reservation Dam WMA (554 acres in the county). The DNR's Walk-In Access program adds 7 sites of private land open to hunters, 746 acres in all. Deer here are counted by deer permit area: DPA 671 (446 deer in 2025) and DPA 274 (495 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 areasNational wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areasWalk-In AccessTraverse CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 374,974 acres (586 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Public land | 1.5% (5,726 acres) |
| WMAs | 5 (1,546 acres) |
| Walk-In Access | 7 sites, 746 acres |
| Deer permit areas | DPA 671, DPA 274 |
| Towns | Wheaton, Browns Valley, Tintah, Dumont, Johnson and Nashua |
How much public hunting land is in Traverse County?
5,726 of the county's 374,974 acres are public land open to the public (1.5%). 5,726 acres of that are state wildlife, state forest or federal land, where hunting is the rule rather than the exception.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Traverse County |
|---|---|---|
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 4,155 | 1.1% |
| State wildlife management areas | 1,571 | 0.4% |
| All public land open to the public | 5,726 | 1.5% |
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 Traverse County by PAD-US, besides the WMAs: Traverse County Waterfowl Production Area (4,155 acres).
Which wildlife management areas are in Traverse County?
5, largest first.
| WMA | Acres in the county | DNR lists for hunting |
|---|---|---|
| Reservation Dam WMA | 554 | deer, pheasants, ducks and geese and small game |
| Hunters Paradise WMA | 489 | deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game |
| Metz WMA | 291 | deer, pheasants, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds and small game |
| Foley WMA | 110 | ducks and geese |
| Bois De Sioux WMA | 102 | deer, pheasants and small game |
Where is the Walk-In Access in Traverse County?
The DNR's 2026 Walk-In Access layer shows 7 sites in Traverse County, 746 acres of private land open to hunters with a Walk-In Access validation from September 1 to May 31. The largest is Traverse WIA #820 (177 acres). DNR Walk-In Access.
| Site | Acres | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Traverse WIA #820 | 177 | 45.8937, -96.4229 |
| Traverse WIA #762 | 156 | 45.9678, -96.5199 |
| Traverse WIA #1141 | 131 | 45.8786, -96.4233 |
| Traverse WIA #772 | 79 | 45.6332, -96.3653 |
| Traverse WIA #1108 | 73 | 45.8792, -96.4824 |
| Traverse WIA #722 | 72 | 45.8699, -96.3221 |
| Traverse WIA #773 | 58 | 45.7421, -96.3859 |
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 Traverse County?
The DNR counts deer by permit area, not by county. Traverse County lies in 2 permit areas; the largest share is in DPA 671 (99.8% 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 671 | 99.8% | 446 | 2025 |
| DPA 274 | 0.2% | 495 | 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 Traverse County?
Highways: MN 27 (about 36 miles in the county), US 75 (about 31 miles in the county), MN 9 (about 6 miles in the county), MN 7 (about 3 miles in the county) and MN 28 (about 3 miles in the county). Towns: Wheaton, Browns Valley, Tintah and Dumont.
Questions hunters ask
What is the largest public land in Traverse County besides the WMAs?
By PAD-US 4.1: Traverse County Waterfowl Production Area (4,155 acres in the county). The largest kind of public land here is national wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas, 4,155 acres.
What is the largest WMA in Traverse County?
Reservation Dam WMA, with 554 acres inside the county. The county has 5 WMAs in all.
Does Traverse County have Walk-In Access land?
Yes. The DNR's 2026 layer shows 7 sites and 746 acres in Traverse County.
Which deer permit area is Traverse County in?
DPA 671 (99.8%) and DPA 274 (0.2%). 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 274 Grant County Wilkin County Stevens County Big Stone County Walk-In Access