Maple Lake Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Maple Lake Wildlife Management Area is 410 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Wright County, near Maple Lake, inside Deer Permit Area 229. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds and small game for it. Hunters registered 1,039 deer in DPA 229 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 parksCounty, city and regional landMaple Lake WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 410 acres in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Wright County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 229 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Maple Lake |
| DNR area office | Sauk Rapids |
| Nearest towns | Maple Lake (next to it), Silver Creek (2 mi) and Annandale (7 mi) |
What is Maple Lake WMA like?
This 160 acre N unit of Maple Lake WMA is composed of restored prairie and oak savanna bordered by small wetlands, brushlands and forests, as well as a large wetland to the SW on the Robert Ney Memorial Park Reserve. Management will include maintenance of the wetland, grasslands, oak savanna and forest. This 260 acre S unit of Maple Lake WMA is composed of brome grasslands/brushlands bordering a 160 acre sedge/cattail dominated wetland. Management will include maintenance of the wetland and grassland/hardwood forest development.
This WMA has special significance as being part of a larger area of public land. Wright County Parks manages land to the west and south of the Maple Lake WMA north unit. While these adjacent areas are closed to public hunting and trapping, they provide large areas of natural habitat Please respect property boundaries and ask for permission before going on private lands. This WMA has special significance as being part of a larger area of public land. Wright County Parks manages land to the W and N of the WMA. While these areas are closed to public hunting and trapping, they provide large areas of natural habitat Please respect property boundaries and ask for permission before going on private lands.
In the DNR's words, from its wildlife management area data.
What can you hunt on Maple Lake WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds and small game for Maple Lake WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Maple Lake WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Maple Lake WMA?
Maple Lake WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 229. The DNR registered 1,039 deer in DPA 229 in 2025, against 1,046 in 2024.
| DPA | Maple Lake WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 229 | 410 | 1,039 | 1,046 | 900 |
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 Maple Lake WMA?
3.25 miles NE of Maple Lake within SW 1/4 of Section 21, T. 121 N., R. 26 W. From Maple Lake, MN at the intersection of CR 8 NW & Hwy 55, go N on CR 8 NW (Oak Ave N) for 1.7 miles. Head E (turn right) onto 73rd St. NW for 1.2 miles. Head N (turn left) onto Endicott Ave NW for 1 mile. Head E (turn right) onto 85th St NW for 0.6 miles and Maple Lake WMA N unit parking lot will be on the S (right) side of the road. 2 miles NE of Maple Lake within Sections 29 and 32, T. 121 N., R. 26 W. From Maple Lake, MN at the intersection of CR 8 NW & Hwy 55, go N on CR 8 NW (Oak Ave N) for 0.2 miles. Head E (turn right) onto County Rd 37 NW for 1.7 miles. Head N (turn left) onto Douglas Ave NW for 0.5 miles. Head W (turn left) onto 65th St NW for 0.2 miles. Head N (turn right) and becomes Elder Ave NW for 0.7 miles and Maple Lake WMA S unit parking lot will be on the W (left) side of the road.
Nearest towns: Maple Lake (next to it), Silver Creek (2 miles), Annandale (7 miles) and Buffalo (7 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MN 55.
What other public land is near Maple Lake WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Corinna WMA: 81 acres, 1.9 miles away
- Hidden Marsh WMA: 39 acres, 3.4 miles away
- Swartout WMA: 110 acres, 3.6 miles away
- Kelly-meyer WMA: 136 acres, 4.5 miles away
- Hoglund WMA: 362 acres, 4.8 miles away
- Suconnix WMA: 1,007 acres, 4.9 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Maple Lake WMA
Counting Maple Lake WMA itself, 1,594 of the 28,684 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (5.6%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State parks | 838 |
| State wildlife management areas | 501 |
| County, city and regional land | 136 |
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 119 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Maple Lake WMA?
In Wright County, near Maple Lake. The DNR's directions: 3.25 miles NE of Maple Lake within SW 1/4 of Section 21, T. 121 N., R. 26 W. From Maple Lake, MN at the intersection of CR 8 NW & Hwy 55, go N on CR 8 NW (Oak Ave N) for 1.7 miles. Head E (turn right) onto 73rd St. NW for 1.2 miles. Head N (turn left) onto Endicott Ave NW for 1 mile. Head E (turn right) onto 85th St NW for 0.6 miles and Maple Lake WMA N unit parking lot will be on the S (right) side of the road. 2 miles NE of Maple Lake within Sections 29 and 32, T. 121 N., R. 26 W. From Maple Lake, MN at the intersection of CR 8 NW & Hwy 55, go N on CR 8 NW (Oak Ave N) for 0.2 miles. Head E (turn right) onto County Rd 37 NW for 1.7 miles. Head N (turn left) onto Douglas Ave NW for 0.5 miles. Head W (turn left) onto 65th St NW for 0.2 miles. Head N (turn right) and becomes Elder Ave NW for 0.7 miles and Maple Lake WMA S unit parking lot will be on the W (left) side of the road.
Which deer permit area is Maple Lake WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 229. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Maple Lake WMA?
1,594 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Maple Lake WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 6 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Corinna WMA (1.9 miles).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Maple Lake 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).
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