Groundhouse Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Groundhouse Wildlife Management Area is 162 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Mille Lacs County, near Onamia, inside Deer Permit Area 157. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, wild turkey, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds, bear and small game for it. Hunters registered 4,606 deer in DPA 157 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 landGroundhouse WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 162 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Mille Lacs County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 157 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, wild turkey, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds, bear and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Onamia |
| DNR area office | Mille Lacs WMA |
| Nearest towns | Ogilvie (6 mi), Bock (6 mi) and Milaca (10 mi) |
What can you hunt on Groundhouse WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, wild turkey, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds, bear and small game for Groundhouse WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Groundhouse WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Groundhouse WMA?
Groundhouse WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 157. The DNR registered 4,606 deer in DPA 157 in 2025, against 4,255 in 2024.
| DPA | Groundhouse WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 157 | 162 | 4,606 | 4,255 | 3,716 |
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 Groundhouse WMA?
Take Hwy 169 south 8 miles. Turn left on County Road 20. Go east 14 miles (Cnty 20 turns into County 24) and turn left on 220th Street. Head east on 220th Street then turn left onto the State Forest Road. Continue 0.4 miles north to parking areas. Follow trail west of gate through State Forest to the WMA.
Nearest towns: Ogilvie (6 miles), Bock (6 miles), Milaca (10 miles) and Mora (11 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MN 23 and MN 47.
What other public land is near Groundhouse WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Mille Lacs WMA: 38,708 acres, 4.1 miles away
- Ann Lake WMA: 1,876 acres, 4.6 miles away
- Four Brooks WMA: 4,201 acres, 7.6 miles away
- Tosher Creek WMA: 323 acres, 8.6 miles away
- Dalbo WMA: 3,365 acres, 9.7 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Groundhouse WMA
Counting Groundhouse WMA itself, 7,544 of the 22,086 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (34.2%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State forest and other DNR land | 7,382 |
| State wildlife management areas | 162 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Groundhouse WMA?
In Mille Lacs County, near Onamia. The DNR's directions: Take Hwy 169 south 8 miles. Turn left on County Road 20. Go east 14 miles (Cnty 20 turns into County 24) and turn left on 220th Street. Head east on 220th Street then turn left onto the State Forest Road. Continue 0.4 miles north to parking areas. Follow trail west of gate through State Forest to the WMA.
Which deer permit area is Groundhouse WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 157. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Groundhouse WMA?
7,544 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Groundhouse WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 5 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Mille Lacs WMA (4.1 miles).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Groundhouse 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.