Persen Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Persen Wildlife Management Area is 227 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Swift County, near Appleton, inside Deer Permit Area 275. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, pheasants, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds and small game for it. Hunters registered 997 deer in DPA 275 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 areasNational wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areasWalk-In AccessPersen WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 227 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Swift County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 275 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, pheasants, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Appleton |
| DNR area office | Appleton |
| Nearest towns | Holloway (3 mi), Appleton (4 mi) and Milan (5 mi) |
What can you hunt on Persen WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, pheasants, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds and small game for Persen WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Persen WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Persen WMA?
Persen WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 275. The DNR registered 997 deer in DPA 275 in 2025, against 880 in 2024.
| DPA | Persen WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 275 | 227 | 997 | 880 | 775 |
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 Persen WMA?
From Appleton, go 4 miles E on CSAH 6.
Nearest towns: Holloway (3 miles), Appleton (4 miles), Milan (5 miles) and Danvers (10 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 59, MN 7 and MN 119. 1 Walk-In Access site within 3 miles.
What other public land is near Persen WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Milan WMA: 447 acres, 2.2 miles away
- Lac qui Parle WMA: 33,602 acres, 3.8 miles away
- Benderberg WMA: 427 acres, 5.1 miles away
- Shible WMA: 47 acres, 5.8 miles away
- Clair T. Rollings Chippewa Co. WMA: 121 acres, 8.7 miles away
- Hantho WMA: 335 acres, 8.8 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Persen WMA
Counting Persen WMA itself, 871 of the 23,129 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (3.8%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 562 |
| State wildlife management areas | 309 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Persen WMA?
In Swift County, near Appleton. The DNR's directions: From Appleton, go 4 miles E on CSAH 6.
Which deer permit area is Persen WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 275. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Persen WMA?
871 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Persen WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 6 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Milan WMA (2.2 miles).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Persen 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.