Camp Kerk Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Camp Kerk Wildlife Management Area is 1,110 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Swift County, near Murdock, inside Deer Permit Area 277. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, pheasants, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds and small game for it. Hunters registered 4,575 deer in DPA 277 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 areasState parksWalk-In AccessCamp Kerk WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 1,110 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Swift County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 277 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, pheasants, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Murdock |
| DNR area office | Appleton |
| Nearest towns | Sunburg (6 mi), De Graff (7 mi) and Murdock (8 mi) |
What can you hunt on Camp Kerk WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, pheasants, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds and small game for Camp Kerk WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Camp Kerk WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Camp Kerk WMA?
Camp Kerk WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 277. The DNR registered 4,575 deer in DPA 277 in 2025, against 4,301 in 2024.
| DPA | Camp Kerk WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 277 | 1,110 | 4,575 | 4,301 | 4,013 |
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 Camp Kerk WMA?
From Murdock, go 9 miles N on CSAH 33.
Nearest towns: Sunburg (6 miles), De Graff (7 miles), Murdock (8 miles) and Benson (10 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MN 9.
What other public land is near Camp Kerk WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Hollerberg Lake WMA: 160 acres, 2.3 miles away
- Monson WMA: 209 acres, 2.6 miles away
- Bench WMA: 614 acres, 3.9 miles away
- Simon Lake WMA: 412 acres, 3.9 miles away
- Sunburg WMA: 109 acres, 5 miles away
- Hayes-myhre WMA: 41 acres, 5.5 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Camp Kerk WMA
Counting Camp Kerk WMA itself, 2,969 of the 33,154 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (9%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 1,639 |
| State wildlife management areas | 1,330 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Camp Kerk WMA?
In Swift County, near Murdock. The DNR's directions: From Murdock, go 9 miles N on CSAH 33.
Which deer permit area is Camp Kerk WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 277. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Camp Kerk WMA?
2,969 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Camp Kerk WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 6 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Hollerberg Lake WMA (2.3 miles).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Camp Kerk 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.