Sonnenberg Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Sonnenberg Wildlife Management Area is 239 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Otter Tail County, near Vergas, inside Deer Permit Area 239. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, wild turkey, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds and small game for it. Hunters registered 3,595 deer in DPA 239 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 landSonnenberg WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 239 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Otter Tail County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 239 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, wild turkey, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Vergas |
| DNR area office | Fergus Falls |
| Nearest towns | Vergas (2 mi), Frazee (5 mi) and Dent (9 mi) |
What can you hunt on Sonnenberg WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, wild turkey, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds and small game for Sonnenberg WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Sonnenberg WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Sonnenberg WMA?
Sonnenberg WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 239. The DNR registered 3,595 deer in DPA 239 in 2025, against 3,341 in 2024.
| DPA | Sonnenberg WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 239 | 239 | 3,595 | 3,341 | 3,185 |
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 Sonnenberg WMA?
From Vergas, go 1 1/2 miles NE on CSAH4 then 1/2 mile W on TRAIL.
Access and parking is on SE corner of the unit off of 490th St.
Nearest towns: Vergas (2 miles), Frazee (5 miles), Dent (9 miles) and Detroit Lakes (9 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 10 and MN 228.
What other public land is near Sonnenberg WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Bruce J. Schwartz WMA: 89 acres, 5.3 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Sonnenberg WMA
Counting Sonnenberg WMA itself, 693 of the 23,096 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (3%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State forest and other DNR land | 395 |
| State wildlife management areas | 298 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Sonnenberg WMA?
In Otter Tail County, near Vergas. The DNR's directions: From Vergas, go 1 1/2 miles NE on CSAH4 then 1/2 mile W on TRAIL.
Which deer permit area is Sonnenberg WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 239. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Sonnenberg WMA?
693 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Sonnenberg WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. One other WMA is within 10 miles, the closest Bruce J. Schwartz WMA (5.3 miles).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Sonnenberg 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.