Lake Yankton Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Lake Yankton Wildlife Management Area is 237 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Lyon County, near Lake Benton, inside Deer Permit Areas 295 and 288. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game for it. Hunters registered 904 deer in DPA 295 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 AccessLake Yankton WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 237 acres in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Lyon County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 295, DPA 288 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Lake Benton |
| DNR area office | Marshall |
| Nearest towns | Balaton (next to it), Garvin (4 mi) and Russell (7 mi) |
What can you hunt on Lake Yankton WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game for Lake Yankton WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Lake Yankton WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Lake Yankton WMA?
Lake Yankton WMA lies in 2 deer permit areas. The DNR registered 904 deer in DPA 295 in 2025, against 835 in 2024.
| DPA | Lake Yankton WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 295 | 215 | 904 | 835 | 827 |
| DPA 288 | 22 | 731 | 634 | 556 |
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 Lake Yankton WMA?
From Lake Benton, go 1/2 mile E on US 14.
Nearest towns: Balaton (next to it), Garvin (4 miles), Russell (7 miles) and Florence (9 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 14, US 59 and MN 91. 2 Walk-In Access sites within 3 miles.
What other public land is near Lake Yankton WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Dayland Marsh WMA: 21 acres, 1.3 miles away
- Giese WMA: 37 acres, 1.5 miles away
- Deer Lane WMA: 117 acres, 1.7 miles away
- Sodus WMA: 756 acres, 1.9 miles away
- Garvin WMA: 82 acres, 2.1 miles away
- Lyons WMA: 572 acres, 2.7 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Lake Yankton WMA
Counting Lake Yankton WMA itself, 1,324 of the 27,437 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (4.8%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 934 |
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 390 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Lake Yankton WMA?
In Lyon County, near Lake Benton. The DNR's directions: From Lake Benton, go 1/2 mile E on US 14.
Which deer permit area is Lake Yankton WMA in?
DPA 295 (215 acres) and DPA 288 (22 acres). Each part follows its own permit area's bag limit.
How much public land is around Lake Yankton WMA?
1,324 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Lake Yankton WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 6 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Dayland Marsh WMA (1.3 miles).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Lake Yankton 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.