Schueler Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Schueler Wildlife Management Area is 896 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Fillmore and Winona counties, near Rushford, MN, inside Deer Permit Area 645. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, wild turkey, pheasants, mourning doves and small game for it. Hunters registered 1,722 deer in DPA 645 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 landSchueler WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 896 acres in 3 pieces |
|---|---|
| Counties | Fillmore County and Winona County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 645 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, wild turkey, pheasants, mourning doves and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Rushford, MN |
| DNR area office | Rochester |
| Nearest towns | Rushford (next to it), Rushford Village (2 mi) and Peterson (4 mi) |
What can you hunt on Schueler WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, wild turkey, pheasants, mourning doves and small game for Schueler WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Schueler WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Schueler WMA?
Schueler WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 645. The DNR registered 1,722 deer in DPA 645 in 2025, against 1,627 in 2024.
| DPA | Schueler WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 645 | 896 | 1,722 | 1,627 | 1,499 |
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 Schueler WMA?
Located 1 mile north of Rushford, MN west of Highway 43. 1 Mile north of Rushford, MN and west of Highway 43.
Parking lots are located off of County Road 25 and 27.
Nearest towns: Rushford (next to it), Rushford Village (2 miles), Peterson (4 miles) and Lewiston (9 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MN 43, MN 16 and MN 30.
What other public land is near Schueler WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Rush Creek Woods WMA: 367 acres, next to it
- Ferndale Ridge WMA: 658 acres, 4.8 miles away
- Chisholm Valley WMA: 80 acres, 6.4 miles away
- Yucatan WMA: 967 acres, 8.7 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Schueler WMA
Counting Schueler WMA itself, 2,268 of the 32,298 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (7%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 1,481 |
| State forest and other DNR land | 787 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Schueler WMA?
In Fillmore and Winona counties, near Rushford, MN. The DNR's directions: Located 1 mile north of Rushford, MN west of Highway 43. 1 Mile north of Rushford, MN and west of Highway 43.
Which deer permit area is Schueler WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 645. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Schueler WMA?
2,268 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Schueler WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 4 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Rush Creek Woods WMA (next to it).
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, Schueler 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.