Pickerel Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Pickerel Wildlife Management Area is 321 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Becker County, near Detroit Lakes, inside Deer Permit Area 258. 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 1,329 deer in DPA 258 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 wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areasCounty, city and regional landPickerel WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 321 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Becker County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 258 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds, bear and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Detroit Lakes |
| DNR area office | Detroit Lakes |
| Nearest towns | Detroit Lakes (6 mi), Frazee (8 mi) and Audubon (12 mi) |
What is Pickerel WMA like?
The rugged, hilly terrain contains many small kettle hole ponds within the red oak/aspen forest, but the wetlands only total about 20 acres. Several trails begin at the township road and wind west through the forest, past a series of small clearcuts.
Management strategy is to create small clearcuts to benefit deer and grouse and to monitor for common buckthorn. Pickerel was assembled from a quarter section of tax forfeit land purchased from Becker County in the mid 1950s and 160 acres added in 1963 for a total of 320 acres. The WMA is adjacent to Perch and Pickerel Lakes and is a mile southwest of Cotton Lake. Woodland wildlife such as deer, grouse, broad-winged hawks, wood pewees, wood ducks, mallards, and a few blue-winged teal can be seen. Also spring wildflowers and hiking.
In the DNR's words, from its wildlife management area data.
What can you hunt on Pickerel WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds, bear and small game for Pickerel WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Pickerel WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Pickerel WMA?
Pickerel WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 258. The DNR registered 1,329 deer in DPA 258 in 2025, against 1,093 in 2024.
| DPA | Pickerel WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 258 | 321 | 1,329 | 1,093 | 883 |
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 Pickerel WMA?
From Detroit Lakes, go 6 m. E on State Highway 34, 1 m. N on 335th Avenue, W and N 1 m. on Southeast Perch Lake Road to end of the road.
Nearest towns: Detroit Lakes (6 miles), Frazee (8 miles), Audubon (12 miles) and Callaway (12 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MN 34 and US 10.
What other public land is near Pickerel WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Hubbel Pond WMA: 3,515 acres, 1.1 miles away
- Shelly Island WMA: 103 acres, 1.7 miles away
- Frank WMA: 615 acres, 3.5 miles away
- Stenseth WMA: 27 acres, 5.3 miles away
- Bruce J. Schwartz WMA: 89 acres, 6.7 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Pickerel WMA
Counting Pickerel WMA itself, 2,912 of the 24,168 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (12%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 2,046 |
| State forest and other DNR land | 784 |
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 82 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Pickerel WMA?
In Becker County, near Detroit Lakes. The DNR's directions: From Detroit Lakes, go 6 m. E on State Highway 34, 1 m. N on 335th Avenue, W and N 1 m. on Southeast Perch Lake Road to end of the road.
Which deer permit area is Pickerel WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 258. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Pickerel WMA?
2,912 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Pickerel WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 5 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Hubbel Pond WMA (1.1 miles).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Pickerel 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.