Hope Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Hope Wildlife Management Area is 214 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Lincoln and Lyon counties, near Florence, inside Deer Permit Area 294. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, pheasants, mourning doves and small game for it. Hunters registered 472 deer in DPA 294 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 AccessHope WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 214 acres in 3 pieces |
|---|---|
| Counties | Lincoln County and Lyon County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 294 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, pheasants, mourning doves and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Florence |
| DNR area office | Marshall |
| Nearest towns | Florence (next to it), Tyler (3 mi) and Ruthton (4 mi) |
What can you hunt on Hope WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, pheasants, mourning doves and small game for Hope WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Hope WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Hope WMA?
Hope WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 294. The DNR registered 472 deer in DPA 294 in 2025, against 462 in 2024.
| DPA | Hope WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 294 | 214 | 472 | 462 | 461 |
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 Hope WMA?
From Florence, go 2 miles NW on US 14.
Nearest towns: Florence (next to it), Tyler (3 miles), Ruthton (4 miles) and Russell (8 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 14 and MN 23.
What other public land is near Hope WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Hopeful WMA: 589 acres, next to it
- Nyroca Flats WMA: 42 acres, 1.7 miles away
- Tyler WMA: 462 acres, 2.7 miles away
- Norgaard WMA: 21 acres, 3.4 miles away
- Shelburne WMA: 162 acres, 3.7 miles away
- Ruthton WMA: 294 acres, 3.8 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Hope WMA
Counting Hope WMA itself, 1,129 of the 27,173 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (4.2%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 930 |
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 199 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Hope WMA?
In Lincoln and Lyon counties, near Florence. The DNR's directions: From Florence, go 2 miles NW on US 14.
Which deer permit area is Hope WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 294. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Hope WMA?
1,129 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Hope WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 6 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Hopeful WMA (next to it).
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, Hope 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.