Roger M. Holmes Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Roger M. Holmes Wildlife Management Area is 1,031 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Douglas County, near Miltona, inside Deer Permit Area 213. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game for it. Hunters registered 6,423 deer in DPA 213 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 areasState parksCounty, city and regional landWalk-In AccessRoger M. Holmes WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 1,031 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Douglas County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 213 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Miltona |
| DNR area office | Fergus Falls |
| Nearest towns | Miltona (5 mi), Carlos (5 mi) and Nelson (7 mi) |
What is Roger M. Holmes WMA like?
This unit, named after the former DNR director, features grasslands, wetlands and timber that provide habitat for pheasants, wild turkeys, waterfowl and many nongame species. A 1.4-mile portion of the WMA borders the Long Prairie River.
For more information on this WMA, contact the Area Wildlife office at 320-634-0342.
In the DNR's words, from its wildlife management area data.
What can you hunt on Roger M. Holmes WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game for Roger M. Holmes WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Roger M. Holmes WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Roger M. Holmes WMA?
Roger M. Holmes WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 213. The DNR registered 6,423 deer in DPA 213 in 2025, against 5,814 in 2024.
| DPA | Roger M. Holmes WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 213 | 1,031 | 6,423 | 5,814 | 5,058 |
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 Roger M. Holmes WMA?
From Miltona, go 3 miles East on CSAH 14, then 4 miles South on CSAH 14, then 2 miles East on CSAH 3.
Nearest towns: Miltona (5 miles), Carlos (5 miles), Nelson (7 miles) and Osakis (8 miles). 1 Walk-In Access site within 3 miles.
What other public land is near Roger M. Holmes WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Big Spruce WMA: 48 acres, 1.6 miles away
- Hollister WMA: 82 acres, 2.8 miles away
- Belle River WMA: 253 acres, 3.5 miles away
- Spruce Creek WMA: 365 acres, 3.8 miles away
- Burleene WMA: 556 acres, 4.1 miles away
- Platt Lake WMA: 159 acres, 6.2 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Roger M. Holmes WMA
Counting Roger M. Holmes WMA itself, 1,168 of the 33,585 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (3.5%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 1,105 |
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 63 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Roger M. Holmes WMA?
In Douglas County, near Miltona. The DNR's directions: From Miltona, go 3 miles East on CSAH 14, then 4 miles South on CSAH 14, then 2 miles East on CSAH 3.
Which deer permit area is Roger M. Holmes WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 213. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Roger M. Holmes WMA?
1,168 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Roger M. Holmes WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 6 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Big Spruce WMA (1.6 miles).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Roger M. Holmes 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.