Providence Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Providence Wildlife Management Area is 233 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Lac qui Parle County, near Boyd, inside Deer Permit Area 280. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, pheasants, ducks and geese and small game for it. Hunters registered 329 deer in DPA 280 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 AccessProvidence WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 233 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Lac qui Parle County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 280 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, pheasants, ducks and geese and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Boyd |
| DNR area office | Appleton |
| Nearest towns | Dawson (6 mi), St. Leo (9 mi) and Boyd (9 mi) |
What can you hunt on Providence WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, pheasants, ducks and geese and small game for Providence WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Providence WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Providence WMA?
Providence WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 280. The DNR registered 329 deer in DPA 280 in 2025, against 359 in 2024.
| DPA | Providence WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 280 | 233 | 329 | 359 | 308 |
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 Providence WMA?
From Boyd, go 10 miles W on CSAH 2,.25 mile S on Twp Rd.
Nearest towns: Dawson (6 miles), St. Leo (9 miles), Boyd (9 miles) and Canby (12 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MN 67 and US 75.
What other public land is near Providence WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Prospect WMA: 66 acres, 1.1 miles away
- Miller Richter WMA: 431 acres, 2.3 miles away
- Teardrop WMA: 42 acres, 2.3 miles away
- Creekside WMA: 100 acres, 3.2 miles away
- St. Leo WMA: 243 acres, 3.5 miles away
- Wild Wings WMA: 166 acres, 3.5 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Providence WMA
Counting Providence WMA itself, 543 of the 24,390 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (2.2%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 543 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Providence WMA?
In Lac qui Parle County, near Boyd. The DNR's directions: From Boyd, go 10 miles W on CSAH 2,.25 mile S on Twp Rd.
Which deer permit area is Providence WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 280. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Providence WMA?
543 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Providence WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 6 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Prospect WMA (1.1 miles).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Providence 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.