Mule Lake Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Mule Lake Wildlife Management Area is 351 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Cass County, near Longville, inside Deer Permit Area 172. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds, bear and small game for it. Hunters registered 1,687 deer in DPA 172 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 forestOther federal landMule Lake WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 351 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Cass County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 172 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds, bear and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Longville |
| DNR area office | Park Rapids |
| Nearest towns | Longville (5 mi), Whipholt (10 mi) and Chickamaw Beach (11 mi) |
What can you hunt on Mule Lake WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds, bear and small game for Mule Lake WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Mule Lake WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Mule Lake WMA?
Mule Lake WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 172. The DNR registered 1,687 deer in DPA 172 in 2025, against 1,536 in 2024.
| DPA | Mule Lake WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 172 | 351 | 1,687 | 1,536 | 1,258 |
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 Mule Lake WMA?
From Longville, go 7 miles south on State Highway 84.
Nearest towns: Longville (5 miles), Whipholt (10 miles), Chickamaw Beach (11 miles) and Hackensack (11 miles).
What other public land is near Mule Lake WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Woman Lake WMA: 108 acres, 1.4 miles away
- George Cook WMA: 151 acres, 3.2 miles away
- Daggett Brook WMA: 632 acres, 7 miles away
- Ah-gwah-ching WMA: 228 acres, 8.7 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Mule Lake WMA
Counting Mule Lake WMA itself, 2,244 of the 28,309 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (7.9%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State forest and other DNR land | 1,774 |
| State wildlife management areas | 469 |
| Other federal land | 1 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Mule Lake WMA?
In Cass County, near Longville. The DNR's directions: From Longville, go 7 miles south on State Highway 84.
Which deer permit area is Mule Lake WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 172. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Mule Lake WMA?
2,244 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Mule Lake WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 4 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Woman Lake WMA (1.4 miles).
Get a Minnesota hunt plan when they open
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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, Mule 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).
FilledTag is not part of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Check the DNR's rules and posted signs before you go.