Ash Lake Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Ash Lake Wildlife Management Area is 300 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Lincoln County, near Ivanhoe, inside Deer Permit Area 286. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game for it. Hunters registered 588 deer in DPA 286 in 2025.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: the DNR's wildlife management area data, read 2026-10. Harvest: DNR Deer Harvest Reports, 2021 to 2025.
State wildlife management areasNational wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areasWalk-In AccessAsh Lake WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 300 acres in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Lincoln County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 286 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Ivanhoe |
| DNR area office | Marshall |
| Nearest towns | Ivanhoe (3 mi), Arco (6 mi) and Hendricks (7 mi) |
What can you hunt on Ash Lake WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game for Ash Lake WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Ash Lake WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Ash Lake WMA?
Ash Lake WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 286. The DNR registered 588 deer in DPA 286 in 2025, against 497 in 2024.
| DPA | Ash Lake WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 286 | 300 | 588 | 497 | 436 |
Harvest for the whole deer permit area, not the WMA alone: Minnesota DNR Deer Harvest Reports (2021 to 2025, 2025 report).
How do you get to Ash Lake WMA?
From Ivanhoe, go 2.5 miles W on SH 19 then 2 miles S on 180th Ave.
Nearest towns: Ivanhoe (3 miles), Arco (6 miles), Hendricks (7 miles) and Lake Benton (11 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 75 and MN 19. 2 Walk-In Access sites within 3 miles.
What other public land is near Ash Lake WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Anderson Lake WMA: 591 acres, next to it
- Chain-O-Sloughs WMA: 281 acres, 0.8 miles away
- Herschberger WMA: 242 acres, 1.2 miles away
- Ivanhoe WMA: 382 acres, 1.8 miles away
- Blue Wing WMA: 108 acres, 1.9 miles away
- Iron Horse WMA: 32 acres, 2.1 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Ash Lake WMA
Counting Ash Lake WMA itself, 2,009 of the 26,675 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (7.5%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 2,009 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Ash Lake WMA?
In Lincoln County, near Ivanhoe. The DNR's directions: From Ivanhoe, go 2.5 miles W on SH 19 then 2 miles S on 180th Ave.
Which deer permit area is Ash Lake WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 286. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Ash Lake WMA?
2,009 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Ash Lake WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 6 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Anderson Lake WMA (next to it).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Ash Lake WMA; Minnesota DNR Wildlife Management Area boundaries, publicly accessible.
- Boundary and acres: the DNR's map layer above. Surrounding public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
- Deer harvest: Minnesota DNR Deer Harvest Reports (2021 to 2025, 2025 report).
FilledTag is not part of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Check the DNR's rules and posted signs before you go.