Chain-O-Sloughs Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Chain-O-Sloughs Wildlife Management Area is 281 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Lincoln County, near Ivanhoe, inside Deer Permit Area 286. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game for it. Hunters registered 588 deer in DPA 286 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 areasWalk-In AccessChain-O-Sloughs WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 281 acres in 3 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Lincoln County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 286 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Ivanhoe |
| DNR area office | Marshall |
| Nearest towns | Ivanhoe (2 mi), Arco (4 mi) and Hendricks (9 mi) |
What can you hunt on Chain-O-Sloughs WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game for Chain-O-Sloughs WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Chain-O-Sloughs WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Chain-O-Sloughs WMA?
Chain-O-Sloughs WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 286. The DNR registered 588 deer in DPA 286 in 2025, against 497 in 2024.
| DPA | Chain-O-Sloughs WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 286 | 281 | 588 | 497 | 436 |
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 Chain-O-Sloughs WMA?
From Ivanhoe, go 2 miles S on CSAH 5 then 1 1/2 miles W on Twp Rd.
Nearest towns: Ivanhoe (2 miles), Arco (4 miles), Hendricks (9 miles) and Lake Benton (11 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 75 and MN 19. 5 Walk-In Access sites within 3 miles.
What other public land is near Chain-O-Sloughs WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Spanton WMA: 48 acres, next to it
- Ash Lake WMA: 300 acres, 0.8 miles away
- Anderson Lake WMA: 591 acres, 1.7 miles away
- Iron Horse WMA: 32 acres, 2 miles away
- Herschberger WMA: 242 acres, 2.2 miles away
- Coot WMA: 348 acres, 2.2 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Chain-O-Sloughs WMA
Counting Chain-O-Sloughs WMA itself, 2,227 of the 26,714 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (8.3%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 2,227 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Chain-O-Sloughs WMA?
In Lincoln County, near Ivanhoe. The DNR's directions: From Ivanhoe, go 2 miles S on CSAH 5 then 1 1/2 miles W on Twp Rd.
Which deer permit area is Chain-O-Sloughs WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 286. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Chain-O-Sloughs WMA?
2,227 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Chain-O-Sloughs WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 6 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Spanton WMA (next to it).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Chain-O-Sloughs 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.