Sanborn Lake Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Sanborn Lake Wildlife Management Area is 549 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Le Sueur County, near Montgomery, inside Deer Permit Area 605. The DNR's WMA data lists wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds, mourning doves and small game for it. Hunters registered 3,115 deer in DPA 605 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 areasCounty, city and regional landSanborn Lake WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 549 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Le Sueur County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 605 |
| DNR lists for hunting | wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds, mourning doves and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Montgomery |
| DNR area office | Nicollet |
| Special restrictions | Yes, see the rules below |
| Nearest towns | Montgomery (next to it), Heidelberg (3 mi) and New Prague (5 mi) |
What is Sanborn Lake WMA like?
The Sanborn Lake WMA is a restored oak savanna / wetland complex with upland / lowland forest types and a large shallow lake component.
In the DNR's words, from its wildlife management area data.
What can you hunt on Sanborn Lake WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds, mourning doves and small game for Sanborn Lake WMA. Each follows the statewide season.
What are the rules on Sanborn Lake WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
Special restriction the DNR lists for Sanborn Lake WMA: Sanborn Lake is a Designated Wildlife Lake and a Migratory Feeding and Resting Area. Please see the Minnesota Waterfowl Hunting Regulations for all current details and regulations.
How many deer are taken around Sanborn Lake WMA?
Sanborn Lake WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 605. The DNR registered 3,115 deer in DPA 605 in 2025, against 2,826 in 2024.
| DPA | Sanborn Lake WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 605 | 549 | 3,115 | 2,826 | 2,821 |
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 Sanborn Lake WMA?
From the City of Montgomery, proceed 0.5 miles North on State Highway 13, then turn right or East on 340th St. Then Proceed 1.1 miles to 151st Ave. Turn left or North and proceed 0.3 miles, the WMA will be on the East side of the road.
The two drive ways that are West of LeSueur CSAH 3 (151st Ave.) on the Sanborn Lake WMA, are private and not for public access use. Please use marked parking areas for access.
Nearest towns: Montgomery (next to it), Heidelberg (3 miles), New Prague (5 miles) and Lonsdale (6 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MN 21, MN 13 and MN 19.
What other public land is near Sanborn Lake WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Phelps Lake WMA: 171 acres, 1 mile away
- Robert J. Lick WMA: 194 acres, 4.1 miles away
- Bardel's Marsh WMA: 78 acres, 4.9 miles away
- Gray Fox WMA: 76 acres, 6.1 miles away
- Big Woods Heritage Forest WMA: 127 acres, 6.3 miles away
- Boyd Sartell WMA: 1,367 acres, 6.8 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Sanborn Lake WMA
Counting Sanborn Lake WMA itself, 793 of the 28,272 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (2.8%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 719 |
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 53 |
| County, city and regional land | 21 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Sanborn Lake WMA?
In Le Sueur County, near Montgomery. The DNR's directions: From the City of Montgomery, proceed 0.5 miles North on State Highway 13, then turn right or East on 340th St. Then Proceed 1.1 miles to 151st Ave. Turn left or North and proceed 0.3 miles, the WMA will be on the East side of the road.
Which deer permit area is Sanborn Lake WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 605. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Sanborn Lake WMA?
793 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Sanborn Lake WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 6 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Phelps Lake WMA (1 mile).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Sanborn Lake 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.