Hopeful Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Hopeful Wildlife Management Area is 589 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Lincoln and Lyon counties, near Tyler, inside Deer Permit Areas 286 and 294. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game for it. Hunters registered 588 deer in DPA 286 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 AccessHopeful WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 589 acres |
|---|---|
| Counties | Lincoln County and Lyon County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 286, DPA 294 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Tyler |
| DNR area office | Marshall |
| Nearest towns | Florence (2 mi), Tyler (2 mi) and Ruthton (5 mi) |
What can you hunt on Hopeful WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game for Hopeful WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Hopeful WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Hopeful WMA?
Hopeful WMA lies in 2 deer permit areas. The DNR registered 588 deer in DPA 286 in 2025, against 497 in 2024.
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 Hopeful WMA?
From Tyler, go 2.2 mile east on US Hwy 14.
Nearest towns: Florence (2 miles), Tyler (2 miles), Ruthton (5 miles) and Russell (8 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 14 and MN 23. 1 Walk-In Access site within 3 miles.
What other public land is near Hopeful WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Hope WMA: 214 acres, next to it
- Tyler WMA: 462 acres, 2 miles away
- Norgaard WMA: 21 acres, 2 miles away
- Nyroca Flats WMA: 42 acres, 2.9 miles away
- Discors WMA: 140 acres, 3 miles away
- Marshfield WMA: 78 acres, 4.4 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Hopeful WMA
Counting Hopeful WMA itself, 1,499 of the 26,462 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (5.7%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 1,300 |
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 199 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Hopeful WMA?
In Lincoln and Lyon counties, near Tyler. The DNR's directions: From Tyler, go 2.2 mile east on US Hwy 14.
Which deer permit area is Hopeful WMA in?
DPA 286 (587 acres) and DPA 294 (3 acres). Each part follows its own permit area's bag limit.
How much public land is around Hopeful WMA?
1,499 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Hopeful WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 6 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Hope WMA (next to it).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Hopeful 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.
Minnesota hunting Lincoln County Lyon County DPA 286 DPA 294