Bean Dam Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Bean Dam Wildlife Management Area is 247 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Kanabec County, near Kroschel, inside Deer Permit Area 157. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, wild turkey, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds, bear and small game for it. Hunters registered 4,606 deer in DPA 157 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 landBean Dam WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 247 acres in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Kanabec County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 157 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, wild turkey, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds, bear and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Kroschel |
| DNR area office | Cambridge |
| Nearest towns | McGrath (10 mi), Brook Park (12 mi) and Isle (13 mi) |
What can you hunt on Bean Dam WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, wild turkey, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds, bear and small game for Bean Dam WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Bean Dam WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Bean Dam WMA?
Bean Dam WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 157. The DNR registered 4,606 deer in DPA 157 in 2025, against 4,255 in 2024.
| DPA | Bean Dam WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 157 | 247 | 4,606 | 4,255 | 3,716 |
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 Bean Dam WMA?
From Kroschel, go 1 mile N on CSAH 20 then 4 miles W on CO RD 84 then 1 mile N and 1 mile W on TWP RDS.
Nearest towns: McGrath (10 miles), Brook Park (12 miles), Isle (13 miles) and Quamba (13 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MN 65 and MN 27.
What other public land is near Bean Dam WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Kroschel WMA: 1,538 acres, 1 mile away
- Lake Five WMA: 276 acres, 2.7 miles away
- Hay Snake WMA: 237 acres, 2.9 miles away
- Pomroy Pastures WMA: 991 acres, 5.3 miles away
- Pine County V&S 4 WMA: 285 acres, 8.6 miles away
- Whited WMA: 170 acres, 8.7 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Bean Dam WMA
Counting Bean Dam WMA itself, 9,692 of the 24,282 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (39.9%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State forest and other DNR land | 7,742 |
| State wildlife management areas | 1,950 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Bean Dam WMA?
In Kanabec County, near Kroschel. The DNR's directions: From Kroschel, go 1 mile N on CSAH 20 then 4 miles W on CO RD 84 then 1 mile N and 1 mile W on TWP RDS.
Which deer permit area is Bean Dam WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 157. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Bean Dam WMA?
9,692 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Bean Dam WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 6 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Kroschel WMA (1 mile).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Bean Dam 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.