Cartney Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Cartney Wildlife Management Area is 481 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Mower County, near Le Roy, inside Deer Permit Area 655. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, pheasants, ducks and geese and small game for it. Hunters registered 451 deer in DPA 655 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 landState parksCartney WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 481 acres in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Mower County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 655 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, pheasants, ducks and geese and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Le Roy |
| DNR area office | Owatonna |
| Nearest towns | Le Roy (4 mi), Taopi (5 mi) and Ostrander (5 mi) |
What is Cartney WMA like?
This WMA is wet mesic prairie with some upland areas and a tributary to the Little Iowa River flows through its length. This unit is managed for wetland prairie species by frequent prescribed burns and prairie restoration projects.
This unit has good examples of wet mesic prairie and sedge meadow. There are pockets of aspen and willow that provide winter habitat for pheasants and non-game birds. This area is managed for pheasants, but is a used by deer hunters, and trappers. Excellent pheasant hunting and opportunity to observe native prairie plants.
In the DNR's words, from its wildlife management area data.
What can you hunt on Cartney WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, pheasants, ducks and geese and small game for Cartney WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Cartney WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Cartney WMA?
Cartney WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 655. The DNR registered 451 deer in DPA 655 in 2025, against 459 in 2024.
| DPA | Cartney WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 655 | 481 | 451 | 459 | 431 |
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 Cartney WMA?
From Le Roy, go 4 miles N on CSAH 14 then 1mile W on Twp Rd.
Access is limited from three graveled parking lots. The north lot provides the best access for physically challenged people.
Nearest towns: Le Roy (4 miles), Taopi (5 miles), Ostrander (5 miles) and Grand Meadow (7 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MN 56.
What other public land is near Cartney WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Beaver Creek WMA: 1,294 acres, 5.4 miles away
- Upper Iowa River WMA: 131 acres, 6.2 miles away
- Goethite WMA: 304 acres, 8.1 miles away
- Deer Creek WMA: 40 acres, 8.1 miles away
- Nosek WMA: 141 acres, 9.3 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Cartney WMA
Counting Cartney WMA itself, 1,156 of the 28,752 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (4%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State parks | 667 |
| State wildlife management areas | 481 |
| State forest and other DNR land | 8 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Cartney WMA?
In Mower County, near Le Roy. The DNR's directions: From Le Roy, go 4 miles N on CSAH 14 then 1mile W on Twp Rd.
Which deer permit area is Cartney WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 655. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Cartney WMA?
1,156 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Cartney WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 5 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Beaver Creek WMA (5.4 miles).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Cartney 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.