Budde Meadows Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Budde Meadows Wildlife Management Area is 282 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Mahnomen County, near Beaulieu, inside Deer Permit Area 298. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds, bear and small game for it. Hunters registered 779 deer in DPA 298 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 landBudde Meadows WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 282 acres in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Mahnomen County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 298 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds, bear and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Beaulieu |
| DNR area office | Detroit Lakes |
| Nearest towns | Pine Bend (4 mi), The Ranch (6 mi) and Midway (7 mi) |
What is Budde Meadows WMA like?
This WMA is open to hunting, trapping and compatible wildlife uses, but access to the WMA is extremely difficult. Habitat types on the WMA consists of predominately oak, maple, aspen, and basswood forest communities, along with numerous wetlands, small lakes, and sedge meadows. Lake Creek flows for a 1/2 mile throughout the property.
In the DNR's words, from its wildlife management area data.
What can you hunt on Budde Meadows WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds, bear and small game for Budde Meadows WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Budde Meadows WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Budde Meadows WMA?
Budde Meadows WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 298. The DNR registered 779 deer in DPA 298 in 2025, against 671 in 2024.
| DPA | Budde Meadows WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 298 | 282 | 779 | 671 | 491 |
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 Budde Meadows WMA?
From Beaulieu, go 7 miles N and E on CSAH 3 then 3 miles E on TWP RD.
Accessing this WMA involves 1.5 miles of cross county travel through DNR Forestry Land. No roads access the WMA.
Nearest towns: Pine Bend (4 miles), The Ranch (6 miles), Midway (7 miles) and Beaulieu (7 miles).
What other public land is near Budde Meadows WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Beaulieu WMA: 280 acres, 3.9 miles away
- Vanose WMA: 2,497 acres, 4 miles away
- Rosebud WMA: 46 acres, 5.8 miles away
- Hasselton WMA: 216 acres, 6.3 miles away
- Lengby WMA: 130 acres, 6.4 miles away
- Foot WMA: 78 acres, 6.4 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Budde Meadows WMA
Counting Budde Meadows WMA itself, 1,344 of the 26,555 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (5.1%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State forest and other DNR land | 1,062 |
| State wildlife management areas | 282 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Budde Meadows WMA?
In Mahnomen County, near Beaulieu. The DNR's directions: From Beaulieu, go 7 miles N and E on CSAH 3 then 3 miles E on TWP RD.
Which deer permit area is Budde Meadows WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 298. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Budde Meadows WMA?
1,344 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Budde Meadows WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 6 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Beaulieu WMA (3.9 miles).
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, Budde Meadows 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.