Chosen Valley Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Chosen Valley Wildlife Management Area is 197 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Fillmore County, near Chatfield, inside Deer Permit Area 647. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game for it. Hunters registered 1,444 deer in DPA 647 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 landCounty, city and regional landChosen Valley WMACounty lineHighway
| Size | 197 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Fillmore County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 647 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Chatfield |
| DNR area office | Rochester |
| Nearest towns | Chatfield (6 mi), Marion (7 mi) and Stewartville (8 mi) |
What is Chosen Valley WMA like?
Primarily upland game bird habitat comprised of native warm season and cool season grasses. Two large winter woody cover plantings exist. Lost Creek dissects this unit.
Management emphasis for this unit is to develop and maintain upland bird habitat. Recreation is dominated by hunting and trapping.
In the DNR's words, from its wildlife management area data.
What can you hunt on Chosen Valley WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game for Chosen Valley WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Chosen Valley WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Chosen Valley WMA?
Chosen Valley WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 647. The DNR registered 1,444 deer in DPA 647 in 2025, against 1,358 in 2024.
| DPA | Chosen Valley WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 647 | 197 | 1,444 | 1,358 | 1,247 |
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 Chosen Valley WMA?
From Chatfield, go 6 miles W on CSAH 2.
Two parking lot exists on this unit along County Road 2 on south side of WMA.
Nearest towns: Chatfield (6 miles), Marion (7 miles), Stewartville (8 miles) and Racine (9 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MN 30.
What other public land is near Chosen Valley WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- William Pease WMA: 65 acres, 5 miles away
- LLEIF's Land WMA: 147 acres, 6 miles away
- Spring Valley WMA: 81 acres, 7.6 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Chosen Valley WMA
Counting Chosen Valley WMA itself, 199 of the 23,277 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (0.9%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 199 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Chosen Valley WMA?
In Fillmore County, near Chatfield. The DNR's directions: From Chatfield, go 6 miles W on CSAH 2.
Which deer permit area is Chosen Valley WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 647. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Chosen Valley WMA?
199 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Chosen Valley WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 3 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest William Pease WMA (5 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, Chosen Valley 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.