Lyons Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Lyons Wildlife Management Area is 572 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Lyon County, near Balaton, inside Deer Permit Area 288. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game for it. Hunters registered 731 deer in DPA 288 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 areasState parksWalk-In AccessLyons WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 572 acres in 7 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Lyon County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 288 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Balaton |
| DNR area office | Marshall |
| Nearest towns | Russell (2 mi), Balaton (3 mi) and Lynd (6 mi) |
What can you hunt on Lyons WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game for Lyons WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Lyons WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Lyons WMA?
Lyons WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 288. The DNR registered 731 deer in DPA 288 in 2025, against 634 in 2024.
| DPA | Lyons WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 288 | 572 | 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 Lyons WMA?
From Balaton, go 3 miles N on CSAH 5 then 1/2 mile W on CR 60.
Nearest towns: Russell (2 miles), Balaton (3 miles), Lynd (6 miles) and Garvin (8 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MN 23, US 14, MN 91 and US 59. 3 Walk-In Access sites within 3 miles.
What other public land is near Lyons WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Lyrock WMA: 55 acres, next to it
- Sodus WMA: 756 acres, 0.6 miles away
- Ringneck Ravine WMA: 69 acres, 0.8 miles away
- Richard Dwire WMA: 40 acres, 1 mile away
- Jacobson WMA: 290 acres, 1 mile away
- Rock Lake Marsh WMA: 100 acres, 1.1 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Lyons WMA
Counting Lyons WMA itself, 3,811 of the 36,884 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (10.3%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 2,409 |
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 1,203 |
| State parks | 199 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Lyons WMA?
In Lyon County, near Balaton. The DNR's directions: From Balaton, go 3 miles N on CSAH 5 then 1/2 mile W on CR 60.
Which deer permit area is Lyons WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 288. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Lyons WMA?
3,811 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Lyons WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 6 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Lyrock WMA (next to it).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Lyons 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.