Bill Freeman Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Bill Freeman Wildlife Management Area is 322 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Stevens County, near Hancock, inside Deer Permit Area 275. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, pheasants, mourning doves 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 areasBill Freeman WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 322 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Stevens County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 275 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, pheasants, mourning doves and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Hancock |
| DNR area office | Fergus Falls |
| Nearest towns | Hancock (9 mi), Alberta (9 mi) and Morris (9 mi) |
What is Bill Freeman WMA like?
The habitat on this WMA is mostly grassland with a number of small, restored wetlands. There is one patch of woody cover on the southeast corner of the WMA to provide winter cover. This WMA has a significant amount of native prairie and restored prairie. Almost all of the grassland restoration on the Bill Freeman WMA has been done with seed harvested from this unit. The Bill Freeman WMA is managed with Prescribed Burning, and Conservation Grazing to provide grassland and wetland habitat.
Uncommon native wildflowers, such as Pasque flowers, prairie smoke, Canada anemone, coneflowers, purple prairie clover, and wild sunflowers grow here. Upland sandpipers are found on the unit. This is an excellent place to see dry to mesic grassland bird species. Look for upland sandpipers, bobolinks, western meadowlarks and clay-colored sparrows.
In the DNR's words, from its wildlife management area data.
What can you hunt on Bill Freeman WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, pheasants, mourning doves and small game for Bill Freeman WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Bill Freeman WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Bill Freeman WMA?
Bill Freeman WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 275. The DNR registered 997 deer in DPA 275 in 2025, against 880 in 2024.
| DPA | Bill Freeman WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 275 | 322 | 997 | 880 | 775 |
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 Bill Freeman WMA?
From Hancock, go 8 miles W on CSAH 8 then 3 miles S on CSAH 7.
Nearest towns: Hancock (9 miles), Alberta (9 miles), Morris (9 miles) and Chokio (12 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 59.
What other public land is near Bill Freeman WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Hennen WMA: 35 acres, 1 mile away
- Reimers WMA: 26 acres, 3 miles away
- Alberta WMA: 463 acres, 3.8 miles away
- Dablow WMA: 42 acres, 4 miles away
- Byrne Lake WMA: 217 acres, 4.7 miles away
- Mathison WMA: 47 acres, 5.3 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Bill Freeman WMA
Counting Bill Freeman WMA itself, 623 of the 24,158 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (2.6%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 356 |
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 267 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Bill Freeman WMA?
In Stevens County, near Hancock. The DNR's directions: From Hancock, go 8 miles W on CSAH 8 then 3 miles S on CSAH 7.
Which deer permit area is Bill Freeman WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 275. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Bill Freeman WMA?
623 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Bill Freeman WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 6 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Hennen WMA (1 mile).
Get a Minnesota hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Minnesota are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Minnesota included.
Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Bill Freeman 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.