Grass Lake Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Grass Lake Wildlife Management Area is 478 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Wright County, near Cokato, inside Deer Permit Area 685. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, pheasants, ducks and geese and small game for it.
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 landGrass Lake WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 478 acres in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Wright County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 685 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, pheasants, ducks and geese and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Cokato |
| DNR area office | Sauk Rapids |
| Nearest towns | Howard Lake (3 mi), Cokato (3 mi) and Winsted (6 mi) |
What is Grass Lake WMA like?
This WMA has excellent prairie grassland and cattail dominated wetland habitat. This area usually has good numbers of pheasants associated with it. Beautiful vistas of expansive grassland and wetland habitats blend with border areas of older farmsteads.
Future land acquisitions could allow for larger wetland restorations. Note list of donators for part of the WMA on the west parking lot wood routed sign.
In the DNR's words, from its wildlife management area data.
What can you hunt on Grass Lake WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, pheasants, ducks and geese and small game for Grass Lake WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Grass Lake WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Grass Lake WMA?
Grass Lake WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 685.
| DPA | Grass Lake WMA acres in it |
|---|---|
| DPA 685 | 478 |
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 Grass Lake WMA?
4 miles SE of Cokato within Sections 13, T118N, R28 W and Section 18, T118N, R27W.
Nearest towns: Howard Lake (3 miles), Cokato (3 miles), Winsted (6 miles) and Waverly (8 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 12.
What other public land is near Grass Lake WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Clouster Lake WMA: 80 acres, 8.2 miles away
- Knapp WMA: 434 acres, 8.3 miles away
- Woodland WMA: 723 acres, 10 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Grass Lake WMA
Counting Grass Lake WMA itself, 635 of the 29,026 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (2.2%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 479 |
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 149 |
| County, city and regional land | 7 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Grass Lake WMA?
In Wright County, near Cokato. The DNR's directions: 4 miles SE of Cokato within Sections 13, T118N, R28 W and Section 18, T118N, R27W.
Which deer permit area is Grass Lake WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 685. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Grass Lake WMA?
635 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Grass Lake WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 3 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Clouster Lake WMA (8.2 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, Grass Lake 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.