Gary Clancy Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Gary Clancy Wildlife Management Area is 162 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Blue Earth County, near Mankato, inside Deer Permit Area 299. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game for it. Hunters registered 726 deer in DPA 299 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 areasGary Clancy WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 162 acres in 3 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Blue Earth County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 299 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Mankato |
| DNR area office | Nicollet |
| Nearest towns | Garden City (next to it), Lake Crystal (5 mi) and Good Thunder (5 mi) |
What is Gary Clancy WMA like?
The Gary Clancy Wildlife Management Area is located just over 1 mile northeast of Garden City in Blue Earth County. The WMA includes 167 acres with over 1.3 miles of frontage along the Watonwan River. Development of this unit includes seeding 105 acres of former cropland to native prairie and 4 acres to native hardwood tree species.
In the DNR's words, from its wildlife management area data.
What can you hunt on Gary Clancy WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game for Gary Clancy WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Gary Clancy WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Gary Clancy WMA?
Gary Clancy WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 299. The DNR registered 726 deer in DPA 299 in 2025, against 785 in 2024.
| DPA | Gary Clancy WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 299 | 162 | 726 | 785 | 797 |
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 Gary Clancy WMA?
From Mankato, take State Hwy 169 south for approximately 10 miles, then turn left (East) on 181 St for 0.70 miles, then turn right (South) on Finch Rd for 0.50 miles.
Nearest towns: Garden City (next to it), Lake Crystal (5 miles), Good Thunder (5 miles) and Vernon Center (7 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 169, MN 66 and MN 60.
What other public land is near Gary Clancy WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Gage WMA: 29 acres, 2.3 miles away
- O A Vee Memorial WMA: 253 acres, 4.1 miles away
- Saiki WMA: 39 acres, 5.1 miles away
- Picnic Rock WMA: 181 acres, 5.2 miles away
- Maple River WMA: 492 acres, 6.7 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Gary Clancy WMA
Counting Gary Clancy WMA itself, 646 of the 22,422 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (2.9%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 450 |
| State wildlife management areas | 196 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Gary Clancy WMA?
In Blue Earth County, near Mankato. The DNR's directions: From Mankato, take State Hwy 169 south for approximately 10 miles, then turn left (East) on 181 St for 0.70 miles, then turn right (South) on Finch Rd for 0.50 miles.
Which deer permit area is Gary Clancy WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 299. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Gary Clancy WMA?
646 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Gary Clancy WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 5 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Gage WMA (2.3 miles).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Gary Clancy 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.