Forada Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Forada Wildlife Management Area is 829 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Douglas County, near Forada, inside Deer Permit Area 213. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, wild turkey and pheasants for it. Hunters registered 6,423 deer in DPA 213 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 areasForada WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 829 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Douglas County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 213 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, wild turkey and pheasants |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Forada |
| DNR area office | Fergus Falls |
| Nearest towns | Forada (2 mi), Villard (5 mi) and Alexandria (5 mi) |
What can you hunt on Forada WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, wild turkey and pheasants for Forada WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Forada WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Forada WMA?
Forada WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 213. The DNR registered 6,423 deer in DPA 213 in 2025, against 5,814 in 2024.
| DPA | Forada WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 213 | 829 | 6,423 | 5,814 | 5,058 |
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 Forada WMA?
From Forada, go 1 1/2 miles E on CSAH 4.
Nearest towns: Forada (2 miles), Villard (5 miles), Alexandria (5 miles) and Nelson (6 miles). Highways within 5 miles: I-94, US 52, MN 29 and MN 27.
What other public land is near Forada WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Volkman WMA: 276 acres, 1.5 miles away
- Engelbrecht WMA: 316 acres, 1.7 miles away
- Blair Pond WMA: 32 acres, 3.5 miles away
- Great Northern WMA: 150 acres, 6 miles away
- Herberger Lake WMA: 690 acres, 7 miles away
- Osakis WMA: 477 acres, 7.4 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Forada WMA
Counting Forada WMA itself, 1,958 of the 29,246 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (6.7%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 1,426 |
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 532 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Forada WMA?
In Douglas County, near Forada. The DNR's directions: From Forada, go 1 1/2 miles E on CSAH 4.
Which deer permit area is Forada WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 213. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Forada WMA?
1,958 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Forada WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 6 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Volkman WMA (1.5 miles).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Forada 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.