Swan Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Swan Wildlife Management Area is 238 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Steele County, near Owatonna, inside Deer Permit Area 232. The DNR's WMA data lists wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese and small game for it. Hunters registered 745 deer in DPA 232 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 landCounty, city and regional landSwan WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 238 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Steele County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 232 |
| DNR lists for hunting | wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Owatonna |
| DNR area office | Owatonna |
| Nearest towns | Medford (5 mi), Owatonna (5 mi) and Waseca (8 mi) |
What is Swan WMA like?
This wildlife area is centered on Swan Lake, a 130-acre meandered partially drained shallow lake. Uplands on the wildlife area include oak-hickory woodland and forest and small grasslands/upland brush.
As with many southern Minnesota Lakes, Swan Lake was impacted by numerous drainage projects in the 20th century. It was acquired by the State to protect the marsh from complete drainage. In the 1960s a Public Law 566 flood control project, known as the Crane Creek Project was implemented. The project caused the lake to be lowered further, but a dam was constructed at the lake's outlet to preserve the remaining marsh from additional drainage attempts. Level ditches were dug in the lake basin to mitigate for the deep marsh water habitats that were lost to this drainage project.
In the DNR's words, from its wildlife management area data.
What can you hunt on Swan WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese and small game for Swan WMA. Each follows the statewide season.
What are the rules on Swan WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Swan WMA?
Swan WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 232. The DNR registered 745 deer in DPA 232 in 2025, against 773 in 2024.
| DPA | Swan WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 232 | 238 | 745 | 773 | 805 |
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 Swan WMA?
From Owatonna, go 3 miles W. on US Hwy 14 then 1 mile N. on CSAH 17 then 2 miles W and 1 mile N. on Twp Rd.
Nearest towns: Medford (5 miles), Owatonna (5 miles), Waseca (8 miles) and Morristown (9 miles). Highways within 5 miles: I-35 and US 14.
What other public land is near Swan WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Prairie Rose WMA: 118 acres, 1 mile away
- Pawek WMA: 79 acres, 3.3 miles away
- Little Fawn WMA: 20 acres, 3.4 miles away
- Moonan WMA: 995 acres, 3.4 miles away
- Waseca WMA: 303 acres, 4.8 miles away
- Findley WMA: 287 acres, 4.8 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Swan WMA
Counting Swan WMA itself, 357 of the 23,785 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (1.5%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 357 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Swan WMA?
In Steele County, near Owatonna. The DNR's directions: From Owatonna, go 3 miles W. on US Hwy 14 then 1 mile N. on CSAH 17 then 2 miles W and 1 mile N. on Twp Rd.
Which deer permit area is Swan WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 232. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Swan WMA?
357 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Swan WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 6 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Prairie Rose WMA (1 mile).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Swan 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.