Thostenson Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Thostenson Wildlife Management Area is 161 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Lincoln County, near Arco, inside Deer Permit Area 286. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game for it. Hunters registered 588 deer in DPA 286 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 areasNational wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areasWalk-In AccessThostenson WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 161 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Lincoln County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 286 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Arco |
| DNR area office | Marshall |
| Nearest towns | Arco (2 mi), Ivanhoe (5 mi) and Tyler (9 mi) |
What can you hunt on Thostenson WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, pheasants, ducks and geese, mourning doves and small game for Thostenson WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Thostenson WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Thostenson WMA?
Thostenson WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 286. The DNR registered 588 deer in DPA 286 in 2025, against 497 in 2024.
| DPA | Thostenson WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 286 | 161 | 588 | 497 | 436 |
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 Thostenson WMA?
From Arco, go 2 mile N on CSAH 7.
Nearest towns: Arco (2 miles), Ivanhoe (5 miles), Tyler (9 miles) and Lake Benton (12 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MN 19 and US 75. 7 Walk-In Access sites within 3 miles.
What other public land is near Thostenson WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Coot WMA: 348 acres, next to it
- Rogge WMA: 105 acres, 1.4 miles away
- Salix WMA: 86 acres, 2.5 miles away
- Muldental WMA: 27 acres, 2.9 miles away
- Spanton WMA: 48 acres, 3 miles away
- Chain-O-Sloughs WMA: 281 acres, 3.5 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Thostenson WMA
Counting Thostenson WMA itself, 746 of the 22,077 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (3.4%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 746 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Thostenson WMA?
In Lincoln County, near Arco. The DNR's directions: From Arco, go 2 mile N on CSAH 7.
Which deer permit area is Thostenson WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 286. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Thostenson WMA?
746 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Thostenson WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 6 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Coot WMA (next to it).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Thostenson 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.