Michaelson Farm Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Michaelson Farm Wildlife Management Area is 259 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Benton County, near Rice, inside Deer Permit Areas 221 and 215. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds, mourning doves and small game for it. Hunters registered 4,908 deer in DPA 221 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 areasOther federal landMichaelson Farm WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 259 acres in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Benton County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 221, DPA 215 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds, mourning doves and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Rice |
| DNR area office | Little Falls |
| Special restrictions | Yes, see the rules below |
| Nearest towns | Rice (2 mi), St. Stephen (3 mi) and Royalton (7 mi) |
What is Michaelson Farm WMA like?
This WMA is Mississippi River flood plain with cropland, restored native prairie, seasonally flooded timber, lowland grass and brush. Upland timber and restored prairie occur on the ridge overlooking the valley.
In the DNR's words, from its wildlife management area data.
What can you hunt on Michaelson Farm WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds, mourning doves and small game for Michaelson Farm WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Michaelson Farm WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
Special restriction the DNR lists for Michaelson Farm WMA: Motorized vehicles are prohibited on the WMA except on designated routes and parking lots. Off-highway vehicles (OHVs), all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), snowmobiles and motorized watercraft are prohibited anywhere on the WMA.
How many deer are taken around Michaelson Farm WMA?
Michaelson Farm WMA lies in 2 deer permit areas. The DNR registered 4,908 deer in DPA 221 in 2025, against 4,438 in 2024.
| DPA | Michaelson Farm WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 221 | 254 | 4,908 | 4,438 | 4,050 |
| DPA 215 | 5 | 5,267 | 4,913 | 4,318 |
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 Michaelson Farm WMA?
From Rice, go 0.5 miles west on county road 2 (125th Street NW), then 1 mile south on 6th Avenue NW around the waste water treatment ponds, ending at the WMA parking lot on the north side of the WMA.
Nearest towns: Rice (2 miles), St. Stephen (3 miles), Royalton (7 miles) and Sartell (8 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 10.
What other public land is near Michaelson Farm WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Sartell WMA: 368 acres, 2.9 miles away
- Wisneski WMA: 164 acres, 5.1 miles away
- Benton WMA: 82 acres, 6.8 miles away
- McDougall WMA: 472 acres, 8.7 miles away
- Rice Area Sportsmens Club WMA: 580 acres, 9.4 miles away
- Happy Valley WMA: 206 acres, 9.8 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Michaelson Farm WMA
Counting Michaelson Farm WMA itself, 421 of the 24,070 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (1.7%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 310 |
| State forest and other DNR land | 60 |
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 51 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Michaelson Farm WMA?
In Benton County, near Rice. The DNR's directions: From Rice, go 0.5 miles west on county road 2 (125th Street NW), then 1 mile south on 6th Avenue NW around the waste water treatment ponds, ending at the WMA parking lot on the north side of the WMA.
Which deer permit area is Michaelson Farm WMA in?
DPA 221 (254 acres) and DPA 215 (5 acres). Each part follows its own permit area's bag limit.
How much public land is around Michaelson Farm WMA?
421 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Michaelson Farm WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 6 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Sartell WMA (2.9 miles).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Michaelson Farm 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.