Willow-Run Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Willow-Run Wildlife Management Area is 3,564 acres of state land managed by the Minnesota DNR in Beltrami and Marshall counties, near Grygla, inside Deer Permit Area 111. The DNR's WMA data lists deer, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds, sharp-tailed grouse, bear and small game for it. Hunters registered 412 deer in DPA 111 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 landWillow-Run WMACounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 3,564 acres in 3 pieces |
|---|---|
| Counties | Beltrami County and Marshall County |
| Deer Permit Area | DPA 111 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds, sharp-tailed grouse, bear and small game |
| Nearest town (DNR) | Grygla |
| DNR area office | Thief River Falls |
| Nearest towns | Grygla (3 mi), Goodridge (11 mi) and Holt (28 mi) |
What is Willow-Run WMA like?
The 3,500 acre Willow-Run WMA, along with several other nearby WMAs, forms a large block of habitat and public recreation opportunities. The area has generally flat topography and poorly drained soils. Historically much of Willow-Run and Wolf Trail WMAs was a large open meadow with scattered brush and aspen groves, and occasional spruce and tamarac trees. Tree cover was more extensive around the edge of the open meadow. These areas are currently encompassed by the WMAs that surround Willow-Run and Wolf Trail (Carmelee, Lee, Hamre, Fireweed, Gundog and Saw-whet WMAs). In an effort to drain the land for farming and other development, an extensive network of ditches were dug in the early part of the 20th century. Drainage was largely unsuccessful in the areas now encompassed by the WMAs and eventually came under State management due to tax forfeiture. Today the land cover on Willow Run and Wolf Trail is a mix of sedge meadows, lowland brush and aspen/oak woodlands. Spruce and tamarac are more rare, possibly due to the drainage ditches that still exist. Game species that utilize this area include deer, bear, sandhill crane, ruffed grouse, sharp-tailed grouse, woodcock and numerous furbearers. A wide variety of non-game species are also present and provide many opportunities for bird-watching and wildlife viewing. Because of the nature of the soils and topography in this area, knee boots or hip waders are highly recommended throughout the year.
Management goals for Willow-Run and Wolf Trail WMAs include maintaining an open mix of grass and brush for sharp-tailed grouse, and young forest for deer, ruffed grouse, and woodcock. These habitats are maintained by a combination of prescribed fire and shearing/mowing. Where soils allow the development of more mature and commercially viable timber, longer rotation timber harvests are anticipated. Wolves are known to occur in the area in and around Willow-Run WMA and there have been reports of elk sightings. A portion of the Fourtown-Grygla ATV trail runs through the WMA. This trail is not open year round, check the DNR website for open/closure postings. A portion of the Fourtown-Grygla snowmobile trail also cuts through the WMA.
In the DNR's words, from its wildlife management area data.
What can you hunt on Willow-Run WMA?
The DNR's WMA data lists deer, ruffed grouse and other forest upland birds, sharp-tailed grouse, bear and small game for Willow-Run WMA. Each follows the statewide season and, for deer, the bag limit of the permit area.
What are the rules on Willow-Run WMA?
Open to hunting and trapping in the regular seasons under the DNR's statewide WMA rules.
How many deer are taken around Willow-Run WMA?
Willow-Run WMA lies in Deer Permit Area 111. The DNR registered 412 deer in DPA 111 in 2025, against 370 in 2024.
| DPA | Willow-Run WMA acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DPA 111 | 3,564 | 412 | 370 | 318 |
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 Willow-Run WMA?
From Grygla, go 5 miles S on 400th Ave NE (CSAH 54) then 3 mile E on 240th St NE/Thorhult Rd to the main parking lot on the north side of the road.
Vehicle access into the WMA is limited. Two gravel roads, Thorhult Rd NW and Hamre Rd NW, bisect or border the WMA. These roads generally do not have shoulders and pull-offs are sparse. A parking area is located on the north side of Thorhult Rd NW. A portion of the Fourtown-Grygla ATV trail cuts through the WMA and is generally open from June 1st to October 31st, but consult the DNR website for open/closure postings. ATVs are also allowed under limited conditions to retrieve known downed deer during the hunting season. Consult the DNR regulations for more information. Snowmobiles are allowed in accordance with State regulations.
Nearest towns: Grygla (3 miles), Goodridge (11 miles), Holt (28 miles) and Thief River Falls (28 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MN 89.
What other public land is near Willow-Run WMA?
DNR WMAs within 10 miles:
- Carmelee WMA: 3,907 acres, next to it
- Wolf Trail WMA: 7,792 acres, next to it
- Espelie WMA: 3,644 acres, next to it
- Sem WMA: 2,838 acres, 0.5 miles away
- Lee WMA: 2,245 acres, 1 mile away
- Benville WMA: 1,194 acres, 2.2 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Willow-Run WMA
Counting Willow-Run WMA itself, 16,977 of the 44,273 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (38.3%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State wildlife management areas | 16,937 |
| State forest and other DNR land | 40 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Willow-Run WMA?
In Beltrami and Marshall counties, near Grygla. The DNR's directions: From Grygla, go 5 miles S on 400th Ave NE (CSAH 54) then 3 mile E on 240th St NE/Thorhult Rd to the main parking lot on the north side of the road.
Which deer permit area is Willow-Run WMA in?
Deer Permit Area 111. Its bag limit and firearms dates apply.
How much public land is around Willow-Run WMA?
16,977 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Willow-Run WMA included, by PAD-US 4.1. 6 other WMAs are within 10 miles, the closest Carmelee WMA (next to it).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Willow-Run 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).
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