Palmville Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Palmville Wildlife Management Area is 14,885 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Roseau and Marshall counties, near Wannaska, inside Deer Permit Areas 268 and 101. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds, sharp-tailed grouse, bear and small game for it. Hunters registered 801 deer in DPA 268 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 landPalmville WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 14,885 acres in 13 pieces |
|---|---|
| Counties | Roseau County and Marshall County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 268, DPA 101 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds, sharp-tailed grouse, bear and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Wannaska |
| DNR area office | Thief Lake WMA |
| Nearest towns | Strathcona (7 mi), Middle River (10 mi) and Greenbush (12 mi) |
What is Palmville WMA like?
This is a large management area with interspersed brushlands and forested habitats surrounding a large, rich fen.
In the DNR's words, from its wildlife management area data.
What can you hunt on Palmville WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds, sharp-tailed grouse, bear and small game for Palmville WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Palmville WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Palmville WMA?
Palmville WMA lies in 2 deer permit areas. The DNR registered 801 deer in DPA 268 in 2025, against 810 in 2024.
| DPA | Palmville WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 268 | 14,857 | 801 | 810 | 676 |
| DPA 101 | 28 | 759 | 688 | 594 |
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 Palmville WMA?
From Wannaska, travel 2 miles south on SR 89, then 7.5 miles west on Roseau County 8. The access to the north end of the WMA is found on the south side of the road. No parking lot.
Nearest towns: Strathcona (7 miles), Middle River (10 miles), Greenbush (12 miles) and Badger (12 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MN 89.
What other public land is near Palmville WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Thief Lake WMA: 54,632 acres, next to it
- Nereson WMA: 9,861 acres, next to it
- Skime WMA: 870 acres, 3.3 miles away
- Wannaska WMA: 79 acres, 3.7 miles away
- Whiteford WMA: 76 acres, 7.4 miles away
- Wapiti WMA: 31,755 acres, 8.5 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Palmville WMA
Counting Palmville WMA itself, 36,835 of the 102,256 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (36%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 36,835 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Palmville WMA?
In Roseau and Marshall counties, near Wannaska. The DNR's directions: From Wannaska, travel 2 miles south on SR 89, then 7.5 miles west on Roseau County 8. The access to the north end of the WMA is found on the south side of the road. No parking lot.
Which deer permit area is Palmville WMA in?
DPA 268 (14,857 acres) and DPA 101 (28 acres). Each part follows its own permit area's bag limit.
How much public land is around Palmville WMA?
36,835 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Palmville WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 6 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Thief Lake WMA (next to it).
Get a Minnesota hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Minnesota are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
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, Palmville 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.
Minnesota hunting Roseau County Marshall County DPA 268 DPA 101