Herberger Lake Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Herberger Lake Wildlife Management Area is 690 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Douglas County, near Osakis, inside Deer Permit Area 213. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, pheasants, ducks and geese and small game for it. Hunters registered 6,423 deer in DPA 213 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 AccessHerberger Lake WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 690 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Douglas County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 213 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, pheasants, ducks and geese and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Osakis |
| DNR area office | Fergus Falls |
| Nearest towns | West Union (3 mi), Osakis (3 mi) and Westport (5 mi) |
What can you hunt on Herberger Lake WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, pheasants, ducks and geese and small game for Herberger Lake WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Herberger Lake WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Herberger Lake WMA?
Herberger Lake WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 213. The DNR registered 6,423 deer in DPA 213 in 2025, against 5,814 in 2024.
| DPA | Herberger Lake WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 213 | 690 | 6,423 | 5,814 | 5,058 |
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 Herberger Lake WMA?
From Osakis, go 4 1/2 miles S on CSAH 3.
Nearest towns: West Union (3 miles), Osakis (3 miles), Westport (5 miles) and Nelson (7 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 52, I-94, MN 27 and MN 127. 1 Walk-In Access site within 3 miles.
What other public land is near Herberger Lake WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Kuhtz Lake WMA: 21 acres, 1 mile away
- Osakis WMA: 477 acres, 1.3 miles away
- Aurzada Prairie WMA: 105 acres, 1.5 miles away
- Spohn WMA: 162 acres, 1.9 miles away
- West Union WMA: 243 acres, 2 miles away
- Quistorff WMA: 359 acres, 2.3 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Herberger Lake WMA
Counting Herberger Lake WMA itself, 3,914 of the 29,260 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (13.4%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 2,014 |
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 1,900 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Herberger Lake WMA?
In Douglas County, near Osakis. The DNR's directions: From Osakis, go 4 1/2 miles S on CSAH 3.
Which deer permit area is Herberger Lake WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 213. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Herberger Lake WMA?
3,914 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Herberger Lake WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 6 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Kuhtz Lake WMA (1 mile).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Herberger 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.