Kemen Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Kemen Wildlife Management Area is 209 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Lac qui Parle County, near Madison, inside Deer Permit Area 279. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, pheasants and small game for it. Hunters registered 397 deer in DPA 279 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 AccessKemen WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 209 acres in 3 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Lac qui Parle County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 279 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, pheasants and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Madison |
| DNR area office | Appleton |
| Nearest towns | Madison (3 mi), Marietta (7 mi) and Bellingham (10 mi) |
What can you hunt on Kemen WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, pheasants and small game for Kemen WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Kemen WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Kemen WMA?
Kemen WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 279. The DNR registered 397 deer in DPA 279 in 2025, against 370 in 2024.
| DPA | Kemen WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 279 | 209 | 397 | 370 | 358 |
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 Kemen WMA?
From Madison, go 3.5 miles W on SH 40, 1 mile S on Co Rd 55.
Nearest towns: Madison (3 miles), Marietta (7 miles), Bellingham (10 miles) and Nassau (10 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 75, MN 40 and US 212.
What other public land is near Kemen WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Haydenville WMA: 484 acres, 0.7 miles away
- Fulica WMA: 21 acres, 1.7 miles away
- Madrena WMA: 306 acres, 3.1 miles away
- Madison WMA: 228 acres, 3.2 miles away
- Northeast Four Corners WMA: 361 acres, 3.4 miles away
- Gollnick WMA: 516 acres, 3.9 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Kemen WMA
Counting Kemen WMA itself, 897 of the 24,695 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (3.6%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 717 |
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 180 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Kemen WMA?
In Lac qui Parle County, near Madison. The DNR's directions: From Madison, go 3.5 miles W on SH 40, 1 mile S on Co Rd 55.
Which deer permit area is Kemen WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 279. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Kemen WMA?
897 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Kemen WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 6 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Haydenville WMA (0.7 miles).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Kemen 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.