Benderberg Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Benderberg Wildlife Management Area is 427 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Chippewa County, near Milan, inside Deer Permit Areas 275 and 278. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, pheasants, ducks and geese and small game for it. Hunters registered 997 deer in DPA 275 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 areasState parksWalk-In AccessBenderberg WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 427 acres in 3 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Chippewa County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 275, DPA 278 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, pheasants, ducks and geese and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Milan |
| DNR area office | New London |
| Nearest towns | Milan (2 mi), Watson (4 mi) and Holloway (9 mi) |
What is Benderberg WMA like?
This WMA has two separate tracts. The north tract is mostly lowland flowage with reed canary grass, cattail, brush, and open water. The south tract is made up of cattail choked flowage, old lowland pasture, and native tall grass nesting cover seeding.
The north tract has former cropped upland that are now in various stages of conversion to native tall grass and flower mix nesting cover, including a 30 acre seeding planned for the spring of 2011. And parking areas are under development. The south tract contains a newly established 7 acre food plot with two rows of planted tree forming the north and west borders of the plot.
In the DNR's words, from its wildlife management area data.
What can you hunt on Benderberg WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, pheasants, ducks and geese and small game for Benderberg WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Benderberg WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Benderberg WMA?
Benderberg WMA lies in 2 deer permit areas. The DNR registered 997 deer in DPA 275 in 2025, against 880 in 2024.
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 Benderberg WMA?
For the northern tract, from Milan, go 2.25 miles East on State Highway 40. The southern tract of this WMA is accessible through the Clair T. Rollings Chippewa Co. WMA.
Nearest towns: Milan (2 miles), Watson (4 miles), Holloway (9 miles) and Appleton (9 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 59, MN 7 and MN 29.
What other public land is near Benderberg WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Clair T. Rollings Chippewa Co. WMA: 121 acres, next to it
- Milan WMA: 447 acres, 1.5 miles away
- Lac qui Parle WMA: 33,602 acres, 1.6 miles away
- Tunsberg WMA: 81 acres, 2.3 miles away
- Bergo WMA: 189 acres, 3.4 miles away
- Byholt Marsh WMA: 283 acres, 4.1 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Benderberg WMA
Counting Benderberg WMA itself, 3,191 of the 38,947 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 | 2,970 |
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 221 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Benderberg WMA?
In Chippewa County, near Milan. The DNR's directions: For the northern tract, from Milan, go 2.25 miles East on State Highway 40. The southern tract of this WMA is accessible through the Clair T. Rollings Chippewa Co. WMA.
Which deer permit area is Benderberg WMA in?
DPA 275 (242 acres) and DPA 278 (185 acres). Each part follows its own permit area's bag limit.
How much public land is around Benderberg WMA?
3,191 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Benderberg WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 6 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Clair T. Rollings Chippewa Co. WMA (next to it).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Benderberg 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.