Hegg Lake Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Hegg Lake Wildlife Management Area is 380 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Douglas County, near Kensington, inside Deer Permit Area 273. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, pheasants, ducks and geese and small game for it. Hunters registered 1,013 deer in DPA 273 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 areasWalk-In AccessHegg Lake WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 380 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Douglas County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 273 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, pheasants, ducks and geese and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Kensington |
| DNR area office | Fergus Falls |
| Nearest towns | Kensington (next to it), Farwell (3 mi) and Hoffman (6 mi) |
What can you hunt on Hegg Lake WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, pheasants, ducks and geese and small game for Hegg Lake WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Hegg Lake WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Hegg Lake WMA?
Hegg Lake WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 273. The DNR registered 1,013 deer in DPA 273 in 2025, against 978 in 2024.
| DPA | Hegg Lake WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 273 | 380 | 1,013 | 978 | 968 |
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 Hegg Lake WMA?
From Kensington, go 1 mile N on CSAH 1 then 1 mile E on TWP RD.
Nearest towns: Kensington (next to it), Farwell (3 miles), Hoffman (6 miles) and Lowry (8 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MN 55 and MN 27. 1 Walk-In Access site within 3 miles.
What other public land is near Hegg Lake WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Kensington WMA: 100 acres, 0.6 miles away
- Farwell WMA: 173 acres, 2.6 miles away
- Eng Lake WMA: 23 acres, 2.6 miles away
- Chippewa Pond WMA: 173 acres, 3.3 miles away
- Roy L Thompson WMA: 216 acres, 3.8 miles away
- Viking WMA: 198 acres, 5 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Hegg Lake WMA
Counting Hegg Lake WMA itself, 2,288 of the 26,963 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (8.5%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 1,714 |
| State wildlife management areas | 574 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Hegg Lake WMA?
In Douglas County, near Kensington. The DNR's directions: From Kensington, go 1 mile N on CSAH 1 then 1 mile E on TWP RD.
Which deer permit area is Hegg Lake WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 273. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Hegg Lake WMA?
2,288 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Hegg Lake WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 6 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Kensington WMA (0.6 miles).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Hegg 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.