Kroschel Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Kroschel Wildlife Management Area is 1,538 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Kanabec County, near Kroschel, inside Deer Permit Area 157. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds, bear and small game for it. Hunters registered 4,606 deer in DPA 157 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 landKroschel WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 1,538 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Kanabec County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 157 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds, bear and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Kroschel |
| DNR area office | Cambridge |
| Nearest towns | Brook Park (9 mi), McGrath (11 mi) and Hinckley (11 mi) |
What can you hunt on Kroschel WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds, bear and small game for Kroschel WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Kroschel WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Kroschel WMA?
Kroschel WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 157. The DNR registered 4,606 deer in DPA 157 in 2025, against 4,255 in 2024.
| DPA | Kroschel WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 157 | 1,538 | 4,606 | 4,255 | 3,716 |
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 Kroschel WMA?
From Kroschel, go 1 mile N on Co Rd 20 then 2 1/2 miles W on Co Rd 84.
Three parking lots are located along 340th Avenue (County 84) for easy WMA access.
Nearest towns: Brook Park (9 miles), McGrath (11 miles), Hinckley (11 miles) and Quamba (11 miles).
What other public land is near Kroschel WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Bean Dam WMA: 247 acres, 1 mile away
- Lake Five WMA: 276 acres, 1.8 miles away
- Pomroy Pastures WMA: 991 acres, 2.5 miles away
- Hay Snake WMA: 237 acres, 4.9 miles away
- Pine County V&S 4 WMA: 285 acres, 6.7 miles away
- Whited WMA: 170 acres, 7.7 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Kroschel WMA
Counting Kroschel WMA itself, 9,137 of the 34,355 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (26.6%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State forest and other DNR land | 6,934 |
| State wildlife management areas | 2,203 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Kroschel WMA?
In Kanabec County, near Kroschel. The DNR's directions: From Kroschel, go 1 mile N on Co Rd 20 then 2 1/2 miles W on Co Rd 84.
Which deer permit area is Kroschel WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 157. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Kroschel WMA?
9,137 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Kroschel WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 6 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Bean Dam WMA (1 mile).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Kroschel 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.