Spartan Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Spartan Wildlife Management Area is 227 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Chippewa County, near Wegdahl, inside Deer Permit Area 281. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game for it. Hunters registered 1,343 deer in DPA 281 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 areasCounty, city and regional landWalk-In AccessSpartan WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 227 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Chippewa County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 281 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Wegdahl |
| DNR area office | New London |
| Nearest towns | Granite Falls (4 mi), Maynard (7 mi) and Montevideo (8 mi) |
What is Spartan WMA like?
This unit lies in a bend of the Minnesota River on its north side and contains 230+ acres of woods, marsh and lowland (floodplain) grass. Silver maple, ash, cottonwood, oak, dominate the canopy. Shore fishing on the MN River is an option on this WMA.
Pay attention to access directions as this unit is accessed by traveling across a private field on an access easement. Do not run down crops and stay out when wet to prevent damage to the road. Damaging the road means that license dollars need to be spent to repair it. This unit contains a large wintering deer herd. The unit is a good option for deer hunting in SW MN. Turkey hunting opportunities also exist as long as the MN River is not flooded during the season. There are shorefishing opportunities on the MN River close to the parking lot area of the WMA. This cannot be accessed during periods when the MN River is at flood stage.
In the DNR's words, from its wildlife management area data.
What can you hunt on Spartan WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game for Spartan WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Spartan WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Spartan WMA?
Spartan WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 281. The DNR registered 1,343 deer in DPA 281 in 2025, against 1,227 in 2024.
| DPA | Spartan WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 281 | 227 | 1,343 | 1,227 | 1,156 |
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 Spartan WMA?
From Wegdahl, travel south and east on Chippewa CR #15 approx. 2.6 miles, then turn south on 5th Ave. SW and travel a distance of 1.75 miles to an approach where you go south (right) across the RR track and follow field rd. to parking lot east end of the unit.
Access is via an access easement that crosses the railroad tracks and leads south over private land. Stay on the trail.
Nearest towns: Granite Falls (4 miles), Maynard (7 miles), Montevideo (8 miles) and Hazel Run (9 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 212, MN 67 and MN 23. 2 Walk-In Access sites within 3 miles.
What other public land is near Spartan WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Roy Lenzen WMA: 100 acres, next to it
- Sween WMA: 276 acres, 1.5 miles away
- Clawson WMA: 79 acres, 4.5 miles away
- Christopherson WMA: 143 acres, 6.9 miles away
- Lisbon WMA: 100 acres, 7.3 miles away
- Siyo Waste WMA: 158 acres, 8.6 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Spartan WMA
Counting Spartan WMA itself, 584 of the 23,120 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (2.5%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 584 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Spartan WMA?
In Chippewa County, near Wegdahl. The DNR's directions: From Wegdahl, travel south and east on Chippewa CR #15 approx. 2.6 miles, then turn south on 5th Ave. SW and travel a distance of 1.75 miles to an approach where you go south (right) across the RR track and follow field rd. to parking lot east end of the unit.
Which deer permit area is Spartan WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 281. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Spartan WMA?
584 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Spartan WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 6 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Roy Lenzen WMA (next to it).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Spartan 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.