Ray Cook Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Ray Cook Wildlife Management Area is 252 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Crow Wing County, near Brainerd, inside Deer Permit Area 249. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, wild turkey, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds, bear and small game for it. Hunters registered 3,126 deer in DPA 249 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 landState parksCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landRay Cook WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 252 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Crow Wing County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 249 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, wild turkey, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds, bear and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Brainerd |
| DNR area office | Brainerd |
| Nearest towns | Brainerd (5 mi), Baxter (5 mi) and Fort Ripley (10 mi) |
What is Ray Cook WMA like?
Acquisition began in 1967 for wetland habitat improvement for waterfowl and furbearers. It has 130 acquired acres with two wetlands bounded by lowland brush, oak, aspen, and prairie grass fields.
The boundaries have been surveyed posted; southwest side needs reposting. The south end of the south wetland is privately owned.
In the DNR's words, from its wildlife management area data.
What can you hunt on Ray Cook WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, wild turkey, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds, bear and small game for Ray Cook WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Ray Cook WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Ray Cook WMA?
Ray Cook WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 249. The DNR registered 3,126 deer in DPA 249 in 2025, against 2,772 in 2024.
| DPA | Ray Cook WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 249 | 252 | 3,126 | 2,772 | 2,539 |
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 Ray Cook WMA?
From the junction of St. Hwy. 18 and Co. Rd. 45 in Brainerd, S. on Co. Rd. 45 4.5 miles, W on Cook Wildlife road.5 miles to parking lot in field on S. side of road. Another.3 miles down this road is an access to the wetland on this WMA.
Efforts are continuing to acquire land to provide public access to the portion of the WMA South of the main lake basin.
Nearest towns: Brainerd (5 miles), Baxter (5 miles), Fort Ripley (10 miles) and East Gull Lake (11 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MN 25, MN 371, MN 210, MN 18 and MN 309.
What other public land is near Ray Cook WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Poor Farm WMA: 312 acres, 3.5 miles away
- Telef Paulson WMA: 40 acres, 5.1 miles away
- Little Nokasippi River WMA: 481 acres, 8.2 miles away
- Loerch WMA: 207 acres, 9.8 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Ray Cook WMA
Counting Ray Cook WMA itself, 692 of the 25,197 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (2.7%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State forest and other DNR land | 419 |
| State wildlife management areas | 252 |
| County, city and regional land | 21 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Ray Cook WMA?
In Crow Wing County, near Brainerd. The DNR's directions: From the junction of St. Hwy. 18 and Co. Rd. 45 in Brainerd, S. on Co. Rd. 45 4.5 miles, W on Cook Wildlife road.5 miles to parking lot in field on S. side of road. Another.3 miles down this road is an access to the wetland on this WMA.
Which deer permit area is Ray Cook WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 249. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Ray Cook WMA?
692 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Ray Cook WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 4 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Poor Farm WMA (3.5 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, Ray Cook 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.