Christopher Kurilla Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Christopher Kurilla Wildlife Management Area is 239 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Stearns County, near New Munich, inside Deer Permit Area 218. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds and small game for it. Hunters registered 3,769 deer in DPA 218 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 areasCounty, city and regional landChristopher Kurilla WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 239 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Stearns County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 218 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | New Munich |
| DNR area office | Sauk Rapids |
| Nearest towns | New Munich (next to it), Melrose (3 mi) and Freeport (3 mi) |
What is Christopher Kurilla WMA like?
This 200+ acre WMA is located in rolling prairie pothole/farming area of central MN. Situated adjacent to the Sauk River, this unit has numerous pockets of oak hardwood (old growth) forest among wetlands and restored prairie resulting in diverse species.
This area has much to offer hunters, trappers, wildlife observers, hikers and others interested in diverse habitats. This WMA is named after an individual who contributed much of his life to conservation. The unit was donated by area clubs and grants. Please respect property boundaries and ask permission before going on private land. The future of our WMA program depends on everyone being responsible users of WMAs. This area is within a traditional deer and turkey wintering area. Hunting, trapping, and wildlife viewing are popular activities. Many rewards and discoveries await hikers willing to traverse more remote areas of the WMA.
In the DNR's words, from its wildlife management area data.
What can you hunt on Christopher Kurilla WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds and small game for Christopher Kurilla WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Christopher Kurilla WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Christopher Kurilla WMA?
Christopher Kurilla WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 218. The DNR registered 3,769 deer in DPA 218 in 2025, against 3,553 in 2024.
| DPA | Christopher Kurilla WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 218 | 239 | 3,769 | 3,553 | 3,092 |
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 Christopher Kurilla WMA?
This WMA is 1/4 mile NW of New Munich.
Wheelchair access is limited to the state highway/parking lot on the east side of the WMA.
Nearest towns: New Munich (next to it), Melrose (3 miles), Freeport (3 miles) and Greenwald (5 miles). Highways within 5 miles: I-94, US 52 and MN 237.
What other public land is near Christopher Kurilla WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Ritter WMA: 100 acres, 5.2 miles away
- Daniel Shay WMA: 211 acres, 5.9 miles away
- Sauk River WMA: 939 acres, 6.8 miles away
- Spirit Marsh WMA: 39 acres, 7 miles away
- Vision WMA: 234 acres, 9.9 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Christopher Kurilla WMA
Counting Christopher Kurilla WMA itself, 315 of the 24,752 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (1.3%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 240 |
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 57 |
| County, city and regional land | 18 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Christopher Kurilla WMA?
In Stearns County, near New Munich. The DNR's directions: This WMA is 1/4 mile NW of New Munich.
Which deer permit area is Christopher Kurilla WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 218. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Christopher Kurilla WMA?
315 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Christopher Kurilla WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 5 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Ritter WMA (5.2 miles).
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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, Christopher Kurilla 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.