Bergdahl Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Bergdahl Wildlife Management Area is 181 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Watonwan County, near Madelia, inside Deer Permit Area 299. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds and small game for it. Hunters registered 726 deer in DPA 299 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 areasBergdahl WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 181 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Watonwan County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 299 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Madelia |
| DNR area office | Windom |
| Nearest towns | Madelia (3 mi), Hanska (6 mi) and Lake Crystal (8 mi) |
What can you hunt on Bergdahl WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds and small game for Bergdahl WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Bergdahl WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Bergdahl WMA?
Bergdahl WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 299. The DNR registered 726 deer in DPA 299 in 2025, against 785 in 2024.
| DPA | Bergdahl WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 299 | 181 | 726 | 785 | 797 |
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 Bergdahl WMA?
From Madelia, go 1 1/2 miles N on SH 15 then 1 1/2 miles E and N on Township Road.
Nearest towns: Madelia (3 miles), Hanska (6 miles), Lake Crystal (8 miles) and La Salle (9 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MN 60, MN 15 and MN 257.
What other public land is near Bergdahl WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Emerson WMA: 119 acres, 1 mile away
- Younger Brothers WMA: 349 acres, 5.7 miles away
- Case Lake WMA: 33 acres, 6.3 miles away
- Tierney WMA: 55 acres, 6.6 miles away
- W. R. Taylor Memorial WMA: 218 acres, 8.1 miles away
- Lewisville WMA: 94 acres, 8.4 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Bergdahl WMA
Counting Bergdahl WMA itself, 312 of the 22,583 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (1.4%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 300 |
| State forest and other DNR land | 12 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Bergdahl WMA?
In Watonwan County, near Madelia. The DNR's directions: From Madelia, go 1 1/2 miles N on SH 15 then 1 1/2 miles E and N on Township Road.
Which deer permit area is Bergdahl WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 299. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Bergdahl WMA?
312 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Bergdahl WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 6 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Emerson WMA (1 mile).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Bergdahl 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.