Rogelstad Swanson Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Rogelstad Swanson Wildlife Management Area is 632 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Wilkin County, near Rothsay, inside Deer Permit Area 269. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game for it. Hunters registered 464 deer in DPA 269 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 areasWalk-In AccessRogelstad Swanson WMACounty lineHighway
| Size | 632 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Wilkin County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 269 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Rothsay |
| DNR area office | Fergus Falls |
| Nearest towns | Rothsay (8 mi), Barnesville (9 mi) and Kent (12 mi) |
What can you hunt on Rogelstad Swanson WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game for Rogelstad Swanson WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Rogelstad Swanson WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Rogelstad Swanson WMA?
Rogelstad Swanson WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 269. The DNR registered 464 deer in DPA 269 in 2025, against 418 in 2024.
| DPA | Rogelstad Swanson WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 269 | 632 | 464 | 418 | 395 |
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 Rogelstad Swanson WMA?
From Rothsay go 10.1 mi W on CSAH 26, then 3 mi N on MN 9, then 0.7 mi E onto T-24. The unit will be on the left.
Nearest towns: Rothsay (8 miles), Barnesville (9 miles), Kent (12 miles) and Wolverton (13 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MN 9. 2 Walk-In Access sites within 3 miles.
What other public land is near Rogelstad Swanson WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Atherton WMA: 523 acres, 1 mile away
- Manston Marsh WMA: 2,731 acres, 1.8 miles away
- Rothsay WMA: 4,085 acres, 2.9 miles away
- Akron WMA: 81 acres, 9 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Rogelstad Swanson WMA
Counting Rogelstad Swanson WMA itself, 2,457 of the 26,469 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (9.3%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 2,139 |
| State forest and other DNR land | 318 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Rogelstad Swanson WMA?
In Wilkin County, near Rothsay. The DNR's directions: From Rothsay go 10.1 mi W on CSAH 26, then 3 mi N on MN 9, then 0.7 mi E onto T-24. The unit will be on the left.
Which deer permit area is Rogelstad Swanson WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 269. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Rogelstad Swanson WMA?
2,457 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Rogelstad Swanson WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 4 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Atherton WMA (1 mile).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Rogelstad Swanson 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.