Moonan Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Moonan Wildlife Management Area is 995 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Waseca County, near Waseca, inside Deer Permit Area 232. 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 745 deer in DPA 232 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 areasCounty, city and regional landMoonan WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 995 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Waseca County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 232 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Waseca |
| DNR area office | Owatonna |
| Special restrictions | Yes, see the rules below |
| Nearest towns | Waseca (4 mi), Morristown (7 mi) and Medford (9 mi) |
What is Moonan WMA like?
Moonan is a large, diked wetland complex. The area is dominated by cattail marsh with open pools. Upland habitats included grasslands, woodlands and conifer cover plantings. Small woodlands and forest tracts provide habitat diversity.
Much of Moonan Marsh was developed in conjunction with the Crane Creek flood control project. A dike system encompasses most of the WMA impounding the old drainage to restore marsh habitats. More recently additional wetlands and grasslands were restored through a cooperative project with Ducks Unlimited, Inc. in the northwestern part of the WMA. A variety of wetland wildlife are found in the area including waterfowl, sandhill cranes, herons, rails, muskrats and mink. The forest tracts are home to squirrels, woodpeckers, owls and numerous song birds, especially during spring and fall migration.
In the DNR's words, from its wildlife management area data.
What can you hunt on Moonan 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 Moonan WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Moonan WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
Special restriction the DNR lists for Moonan WMA: There is a posted no shooting buffer area in the western portion of the WMA.
How many deer are taken around Moonan WMA?
Moonan WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 232. The DNR registered 745 deer in DPA 232 in 2025, against 773 in 2024.
| DPA | Moonan WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 232 | 995 | 745 | 773 | 805 |
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 Moonan WMA?
From Waseca, go 4 miles NE on CSAH 4.
Off road parking is provided by 3 parking areas adjacent to the Snake Trail (County Road 4) that runs along the north and west sides of the WMA. One area is located the north side of Moonan WMA south of the Snake Trail. An undeveloped grass parking area and carry down water access is located adjacent to the drainage ditch in the northwest corner of the WMA. A small grass parking area is located in the SW corner of the WMA as it borders the Snake Trail at the junction with a gravel township road extends that extends eastward from CSAH 4. There is water access to the southern portions of Moonan Marsh from Blowers County Park.
Nearest towns: Waseca (4 miles), Morristown (7 miles), Medford (9 miles) and Owatonna (9 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 14 and MN 13.
What other public land is near Moonan WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Findley WMA: 287 acres, next to it
- Pawek WMA: 79 acres, 1.4 miles away
- Waseca WMA: 303 acres, 2.1 miles away
- Swan WMA: 238 acres, 3.4 miles away
- Little Fawn WMA: 20 acres, 3.6 miles away
- Prairie Rose WMA: 118 acres, 5.5 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Moonan WMA
Counting Moonan WMA itself, 1,717 of the 29,036 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (5.9%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 1,681 |
| County, city and regional land | 36 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Moonan WMA?
In Waseca County, near Waseca. The DNR's directions: From Waseca, go 4 miles NE on CSAH 4.
Which deer permit area is Moonan WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 232. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Moonan WMA?
1,717 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Moonan WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 6 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Findley WMA (next to it).
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Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Minnesota included.
Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Moonan 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.