Perham Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Perham Wildlife Management Area is 314 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Otter Tail County, near Perham, inside Deer Permit Area 241. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, wild turkey, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds and small game for it. Hunters registered 7,163 deer in DPA 241 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 landCounty, city and regional landPerham WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 314 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Otter Tail County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 241 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, wild turkey, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Perham |
| DNR area office | Fergus Falls |
| Nearest towns | Perham (8 mi), Wolf Lake (9 mi) and New York Mills (12 mi) |
What can you hunt on Perham WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, wild turkey, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds and small game for Perham WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Perham WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Perham WMA?
Perham WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 241. The DNR registered 7,163 deer in DPA 241 in 2025, against 6,563 in 2024.
| DPA | Perham WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 241 | 314 | 7,163 | 6,563 | 6,052 |
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 Perham WMA?
From Perham, go 11 miles NE on CSAH 8 and 53.
Access with parking area is on west side of the unit off highway 53.
Nearest towns: Perham (8 miles), Wolf Lake (9 miles), New York Mills (12 miles) and Frazee (12 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MN 87.
What other public land is near Perham WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Butler WMA: 71 acres, 1.6 miles away
- Bluff Creek WMA: 404 acres, 6.5 miles away
- Homestead WMA: 44 acres, 9.2 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Perham WMA
Counting Perham WMA itself, 1,148 of the 24,565 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (4.7%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State forest and other DNR land | 763 |
| State wildlife management areas | 385 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Perham WMA?
In Otter Tail County, near Perham. The DNR's directions: From Perham, go 11 miles NE on CSAH 8 and 53.
Which deer permit area is Perham WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 241. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Perham WMA?
1,148 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Perham WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 3 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Butler WMA (1.6 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, Perham 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.