Kertsonville Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Kertsonville Wildlife Management Area is 371 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Polk County, near Crookston, inside Deer Permit Area 256. The DNR's WMA data lists deer and small game for it. Hunters registered 1,042 deer in DPA 256 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 areasState forest and other DNR landNational wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areasCounty, city and regional landKertsonville WMACounty lineHighway
| Size | 371 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Polk County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 256 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Crookston |
| DNR area office | Thief River Falls |
| Special restrictions | Yes, see the rules below |
| Nearest towns | Crookston (9 mi), Beltrami (13 mi) and Red Lake Falls (13 mi) |
What is Kertsonville WMA like?
This WMA is remnant tall grass prairie with minor amounts of brush and trees; it is primarily mesic prairie with some low swales. The major emphasis will be to manage and improve the prairie for a diversity of native plants and wildlife.
Kertsonville is a medium sized prairie wildlife area which abuts the Pankratz Memorial Prairie (owned by The Nature Conservancy). This is a good area to observe prairie wildlife and wildflowers.
In the DNR's words, from its wildlife management area data.
What can you hunt on Kertsonville WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer and small game for Kertsonville WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Kertsonville WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
Special restriction the DNR lists for Kertsonville WMA: Currently there is no public hunting access to this unit. A township road dead ends in the TNC parcel at the south end. Firearms are not permitted on the TNC land, but the WMA may be accessed for wildlife viewing and photography.
How many deer are taken around Kertsonville WMA?
Kertsonville WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 256. The DNR registered 1,042 deer in DPA 256 in 2025, against 1,033 in 2024.
| DPA | Kertsonville WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 256 | 371 | 1,042 | 1,033 | 867 |
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 Kertsonville WMA?
From Crookston, go 6 miles E on US. Hwy 2 then 2 miles S on CSAH 46 then 1 1/4 miles E on TWP RD.
Access is fair from the east and on the trail that crosses parts of the unit on the east side.
Nearest towns: Crookston (9 miles), Beltrami (13 miles), Red Lake Falls (13 miles) and Mentor (13 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 2 and MN 102.
What other public land is near Kertsonville WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Tympanuchus WMA: 848 acres, 1 mile away
- Thorson Prairie WMA: 1,108 acres, 2.5 miles away
- Burnham WMA: 990 acres, 4.5 miles away
- Dugdale WMA: 960 acres, 6 miles away
- Trail WMA: 609 acres, 6.1 miles away
- Stipa WMA: 161 acres, 6.3 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Kertsonville WMA
Counting Kertsonville WMA itself, 2,328 of the 24,637 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (9.4%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 1,483 |
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 781 |
| State forest and other DNR land | 64 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Kertsonville WMA?
In Polk County, near Crookston. The DNR's directions: From Crookston, go 6 miles E on US. Hwy 2 then 2 miles S on CSAH 46 then 1 1/4 miles E on TWP RD.
Which deer permit area is Kertsonville WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 256. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Kertsonville WMA?
2,328 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Kertsonville WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 6 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Tympanuchus WMA (1 mile).
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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, Kertsonville 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.