Burgen Lake Prairie Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Burgen Lake Prairie Wildlife Management Area is 2,322 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Wadena County, near Nimrod, inside Deer Permit Area 246. 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 3,143 deer in DPA 246 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 landBurgen Lake Prairie WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 2,322 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Wadena County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 246 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds, bear and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Nimrod |
| DNR area office | Park Rapids |
| Nearest towns | Nimrod (4 mi), Hubbard (9 mi) and Menahga (10 mi) |
What is Burgen Lake Prairie WMA like?
The majority of this WMA is either alder/willow swamp, wet meadow, and medium/tall grass prairie, and mesic brush prairie. The forested habitat on the WMA is dominated by Aspen and Jack Pine. There are small patches of mesic and dry oak savanna. Management of these habitats will be focused toward providing some or all of the habitat needs of prairie species, forest game, furbearers and waterfowl. This management will also benefit many non-game species. Wetland-grassland complexes on the unit will be maintained for duck and goose nesting cover, loafing grounds, and feeding and resting areas.
In the DNR's words, from its wildlife management area data.
What can you hunt on Burgen Lake Prairie WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds, bear and small game for Burgen Lake Prairie WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Burgen Lake Prairie WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Burgen Lake Prairie WMA?
Burgen Lake Prairie WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 246. The DNR registered 3,143 deer in DPA 246 in 2025, against 2,624 in 2024.
| DPA | Burgen Lake Prairie WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 246 | 2,322 | 3,143 | 2,624 | 2,394 |
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 Burgen Lake Prairie WMA?
From Nimrod, go 6 miles north on County Road 18.
Nearest towns: Nimrod (4 miles), Hubbard (9 miles), Menahga (10 miles) and Sebeka (11 miles).
What other public land is near Burgen Lake Prairie WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Huntersville WMA: 521 acres, 1.5 miles away
- Yaeger Lake WMA: 1,148 acres, 2.2 miles away
- Crow Wing River Corridor WMA: 750 acres, 4.5 miles away
- Crow Wing Chain WMA: 3,334 acres, 5 miles away
- Nuthatch WMA: 2,167 acres, 5.5 miles away
- Menahga WMA: 353 acres, 5.7 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Burgen Lake Prairie WMA
Counting Burgen Lake Prairie WMA itself, 10,871 of the 40,021 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (27.2%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State forest and other DNR land | 7,712 |
| State wildlife management areas | 3,159 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Burgen Lake Prairie WMA?
In Wadena County, near Nimrod. The DNR's directions: From Nimrod, go 6 miles north on County Road 18.
Which deer permit area is Burgen Lake Prairie WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 246. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Burgen Lake Prairie WMA?
10,871 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Burgen Lake Prairie WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 6 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Huntersville WMA (1.5 miles).
Get a Minnesota hunt plan when they open
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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, Burgen Lake Prairie 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.