Sturgeon Lake Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Sturgeon Lake Wildlife Management Area is 160 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Pine County, near Sturgeon Lake, inside Deer Permit Area 156. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds, bear and small game for it. Hunters registered 1,900 deer in DPA 156 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 landSturgeon Lake WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 160 acres in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Pine County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 156 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds, bear and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Sturgeon Lake |
| DNR area office | Cloquet |
| Nearest towns | Sturgeon Lake (2 mi), Denham (4 mi) and Willow River (4 mi) |
What can you hunt on Sturgeon Lake WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds, bear and small game for Sturgeon Lake WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Sturgeon Lake WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Sturgeon Lake WMA?
Sturgeon Lake WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 156. The DNR registered 1,900 deer in DPA 156 in 2025, against 1,594 in 2024.
| DPA | Sturgeon Lake WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 156 | 160 | 1,900 | 1,594 | 1,299 |
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 Sturgeon Lake WMA?
From Sturgeon Lake, go 2 miles W on Co Rd 46.
Nearest towns: Sturgeon Lake (2 miles), Denham (4 miles), Willow River (4 miles) and Moose Lake (6 miles). Highways within 5 miles: I-35, MN 27 and MN 73.
What other public land is near Sturgeon Lake WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Moose Lake WMA: 47 acres, 2.3 miles away
- Mark Lake WMA: 82 acres, 5 miles away
- Rutledge WMA: 795 acres, 7.8 miles away
- Bremen WMA: 447 acres, 7.9 miles away
- Firebird WMA: 728 acres, 8.9 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Sturgeon Lake WMA
Counting Sturgeon Lake WMA itself, 2,053 of the 22,818 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (9%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State forest and other DNR land | 1,841 |
| State wildlife management areas | 212 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Sturgeon Lake WMA?
In Pine County, near Sturgeon Lake. The DNR's directions: From Sturgeon Lake, go 2 miles W on Co Rd 46.
Which deer permit area is Sturgeon Lake WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 156. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Sturgeon Lake WMA?
2,053 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Sturgeon Lake WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 5 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Moose Lake WMA (2.3 miles).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Sturgeon 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.