Atherton Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Atherton Wildlife Management Area is 523 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Wilkin County, near Lawndale, inside Deer Permit Area 269. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game for it. Hunters registered 464 deer in DPA 269 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 areasState forest and other DNR landNational wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areasWalk-In AccessAtherton WMACounty lineHighway
| Size | 523 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Wilkin County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 269 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Lawndale |
| DNR area office | Fergus Falls |
| Nearest towns | Barnesville (7 mi), Rothsay (8 mi) and Baker (12 mi) |
What can you hunt on Atherton WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game for Atherton WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Atherton WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Atherton WMA?
Atherton WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 269. The DNR registered 464 deer in DPA 269 in 2025, against 418 in 2024.
| DPA | Atherton WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 269 | 523 | 464 | 418 | 395 |
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 Atherton WMA?
From Lawndale, go 3 miles W on CSAH 30 then 1 mile S on TWP RD.
Access is from 270th Ave on east side of the unit with a parking area in the NE corner.
Nearest towns: Barnesville (7 miles), Rothsay (8 miles), Baker (12 miles) and Kent (13 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MN 9, I-94 and US 52. 8 Walk-In Access sites within 3 miles.
What other public land is near Atherton WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Rogelstad Swanson WMA: 632 acres, 1 mile away
- Rothsay WMA: 4,085 acres, 1.9 miles away
- Manston Marsh WMA: 2,731 acres, 3.7 miles away
- Interstate Highway 94 Borrow Pit WMA: 93 acres, 8.7 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Atherton WMA
Counting Atherton WMA itself, 2,190 of the 26,548 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (8.2%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 1,872 |
| State forest and other DNR land | 318 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Atherton WMA?
In Wilkin County, near Lawndale. The DNR's directions: From Lawndale, go 3 miles W on CSAH 30 then 1 mile S on TWP RD.
Which deer permit area is Atherton WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 269. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Atherton WMA?
2,190 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Atherton WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 4 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Rogelstad Swanson WMA (1 mile).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Atherton 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.