W. R. Taylor Memorial Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
W. R. Taylor Memorial Wildlife Management Area is 218 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Watonwan County, near St. James, inside Deer Permit Area 252. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, pheasants, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds and small game for it. Hunters registered 601 deer in DPA 252 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 areasWalk-In AccessW. R. Taylor Memorial WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 218 acres in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Watonwan County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 252 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, pheasants, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | St. James |
| DNR area office | Windom |
| Nearest towns | Lewisville (4 mi), Madelia (5 mi) and St. James (6 mi) |
What can you hunt on W. R. Taylor Memorial WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, pheasants, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds and small game for W. R. Taylor Memorial WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on W. R. Taylor Memorial WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around W. R. Taylor Memorial WMA?
W. R. Taylor Memorial WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 252. The DNR registered 601 deer in DPA 252 in 2025, against 555 in 2024.
| DPA | W. R. Taylor Memorial WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 252 | 218 | 601 | 555 | 607 |
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 W. R. Taylor Memorial WMA?
From Saint James, go 8 miles E on SH 60. From Saint James, go 7 miles E on SH 60 then 1/2 mile south on 790 Ave to the parking area located in the south east corner.
Parking area in the south east corner.
Nearest towns: Lewisville (4 miles), Madelia (5 miles), St. James (6 miles) and La Salle (8 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MN 60, MN 30 and MN 15.
What other public land is near W. R. Taylor Memorial WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Lewisville WMA: 94 acres, next to it
- Tierney WMA: 55 acres, 1.3 miles away
- Case Lake WMA: 33 acres, 4.4 miles away
- Younger Brothers WMA: 349 acres, 4.7 miles away
- Perch Creek WMA: 1,285 acres, 7.5 miles away
- Evans Slough WMA: 165 acres, 8.1 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of W. R. Taylor Memorial WMA
Counting W. R. Taylor Memorial WMA itself, 366 of the 25,381 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (1.4%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 366 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is W. R. Taylor Memorial WMA?
In Watonwan County, near St. James. The DNR's directions: From Saint James, go 8 miles E on SH 60. From Saint James, go 7 miles E on SH 60 then 1/2 mile south on 790 Ave to the parking area located in the south east corner.
Which deer permit area is W. R. Taylor Memorial WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 252. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around W. R. Taylor Memorial WMA?
366 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, W. R. Taylor Memorial WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 6 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Lewisville WMA (next to it).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, W. R. Taylor Memorial 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.