Boesch Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Boesch Wildlife Management Area is 225 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Brown County, near New Ulm, inside Deer Permit Area 290. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, wild turkey, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds and small game for it. Hunters registered 1,202 deer in DPA 290 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 areasWalk-In AccessBoesch WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 225 acres in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Brown County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 290 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, wild turkey, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | New Ulm |
| DNR area office | New Ulm |
| Nearest towns | Essig (3 mi), New Ulm (5 mi) and Sleepy Eye (9 mi) |
What can you hunt on Boesch WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, wild turkey, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds and small game for Boesch WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Boesch WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Boesch WMA?
Boesch WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 290. The DNR registered 1,202 deer in DPA 290 in 2025, against 1,206 in 2024.
| DPA | Boesch WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 290 | 225 | 1,202 | 1,206 | 1,018 |
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 Boesch WMA?
From New Ulm, go 3 miles NW on Co Rd.
Nearest towns: Essig (3 miles), New Ulm (5 miles), Sleepy Eye (9 miles) and Lafayette (9 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MN 68 and US 14. 1 Walk-In Access site within 3 miles.
What other public land is near Boesch WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- River Valley WMA: 272 acres, next to it
- Rosenau-Lambrecht WMA: 569 acres, 1.5 miles away
- Somsen WMA: 49 acres, 2.5 miles away
- Fritsche Creek WMA: 386 acres, 3.5 miles away
- Minnriver WMA: 91 acres, 8.5 miles away
- Swan Lake WMA: 3,396 acres, 9.8 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Boesch WMA
Counting Boesch WMA itself, 1,077 of the 23,458 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (4.6%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 1,077 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Boesch WMA?
In Brown County, near New Ulm. The DNR's directions: From New Ulm, go 3 miles NW on Co Rd.
Which deer permit area is Boesch WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 290. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Boesch WMA?
1,077 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Boesch WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 6 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest River Valley WMA (next to it).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Boesch 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.