Gold Portage Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Gold Portage Wildlife Management Area is 903 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Koochiching and St. Louis counties, near Ranier, inside Deer Permit Areas 107 and 119. The DNR's WMA data lists ducks and geese for it. Hunters registered 795 deer in DPA 107 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 landNational forestNational park landCounty, city and regional landGold Portage WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 903 acres |
|---|---|
| Counties | Koochiching County and St. Louis County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 107, DPA 119 |
| DNR lists for hunting | ducks and geese |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Ranier |
| DNR area office | Grand Rapids |
| Special restrictions | Yes, see the rules below |
| Nearest towns | Ranier (12 mi), International Falls (14 mi) and Littlefork (23 mi) |
What is Gold Portage WMA like?
This 900 acre WMA is part of Black Bay on Rainy Lake. There are 24 acres of rocky islands surrounded by emergent vegetation and open water. There is some wild rice. Management goals are to maintain existing vegetation.
The only access is by boat in summer or snowmobile in winter. There are no motor size restrictions. The boundary is not signed but most islands that can be hunted from have WMA signs. Fishing can be good for walleyes, northerns and smallmouth bass. Rainy Lake/Black Bay fishing regulations apply here. Bald eagle are commonly seen.
In the DNR's words, from its wildlife management area data.
What can you hunt on Gold Portage WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists ducks and geese for Gold Portage WMA. Each follows the statewide season.
What are the rules on Gold Portage WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
Special restriction the DNR lists for Gold Portage WMA: No trapping is allowed.
How many deer are taken around Gold Portage WMA?
Gold Portage WMA lies in 2 deer permit areas. The DNR registered 795 deer in DPA 107 in 2025, against 761 in 2024.
| DPA | Gold Portage WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 107 | 890 | 795 | 761 | 761 |
| DPA 119 | 14 | 279 | 295 | 231 |
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 Gold Portage WMA?
From Ranier, go 7 1/2 miles east on state highway 11, then 2 miles south on CSAH 96, then 5 miles by boat.
Nearest towns: Ranier (12 miles), International Falls (14 miles), Littlefork (23 miles) and Nett Lake (29 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MN 11.
What other public land is near Gold Portage WMA?
Public land within 3 miles of Gold Portage WMA
Counting Gold Portage WMA itself, 19,492 of the 31,915 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (61.1%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| National park land | 17,589 |
| State wildlife management areas | 906 |
| State forest and other DNR land | 906 |
| National forest | 91 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Gold Portage WMA?
In Koochiching and St. Louis counties, near Ranier. The DNR's directions: From Ranier, go 7 1/2 miles east on state highway 11, then 2 miles south on CSAH 96, then 5 miles by boat.
Which deer permit area is Gold Portage WMA in?
DPA 107 (890 acres) and DPA 119 (14 acres). Each part follows its own permit area's bag limit.
How much public land is around Gold Portage WMA?
19,492 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Gold Portage WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1.
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Gold Portage 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.
Minnesota hunting Koochiching County St. Louis County DPA 107 DPA 119