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WMA · DPA 294
Hunting on Altona Wildlife Management Area in 2026-27
Wildlife management area hunting in Pipestone County and 1 neighbor: rules, season dates, parking and nearby public land.
Photo: kjell (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Altona Wildlife Management Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Altona Wildlife Management Area
- Parking areaParking · 0.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.4 mi from the centreDirections
Parking, trailhead and gate locations come from OpenStreetMap contributors. Roads into public land can be gated or seasonal; check with the managing agency before you go.
The record behind Altona WMA, summed up
The mapped area of Altona WMA is 637 acres, in Pipestone and Lincoln counties. Pipestone County has 15 wildlife management areas on our list; this one is the 2nd largest. Deer rules come from DPA 294, an either-sex area in 2026.
Slayton-Talcot Lake is the DNR wildlife area office for Altona WMA (talcotlake.wildlife@state.mn.us). DNR records Pittman-Robertson funding for Altona WMA.
The WMA page says: The management goals for this unit are to maintain and improve the quality of the prairie areas and maintain food and winter cover plots for wintering deer and pheasants.
Species named: deer, small game, pheasant.
From the agency record (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources); checked October 28, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Altona Wildlife Management Area
Altona WMA regulations in short
Read these before a first trip to Altona WMA; they come from the agency page.
| Item | Allowed? |
|---|---|
| Hunting, trapping | Regular seasons |
| Vehicles | Designated roads, lots |
| Target shooting | Not allowed |
| Guns in transit | Cased, unloaded |
| Camping | Designated or permit |
| Portable stands, blinds | Remove daily |
| Overnight stands, northwest | Nov 1-Dec 31 |
| Dogs | Leash Apr 16-Jul 14 |
| Drones | Not allowed |
| Gear left overnight | Not allowed |
Sources: record, agency rules; booklet: 2026-2027 Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations. Checked October 28, 2026.
DPA 294 dates for Altona WMA
For 2026, DNR made DPA 294 either-sex; its firearms deer season is the 200-series window. Either-sex in DPA 294 means the regular license covers a buck or a doe.
| Deer season | Opens | Closes | Today |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | Sep 19, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Youth deer | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Firearms, 200 series | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | |
| Muzzleloader | Nov 28, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 |
DNR placed it in the 2026 surveillance block (sampling Nov. 7-8). DPA 294 takes in 690 square miles. Part of Pipestone, Murray, Lincoln and Lyon falls in DPA 294.
From the DNR 2026 deer season map and the 2026-2027 regulations booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
Hunting seasons at Altona WMA
20 season windows for 12 species reach Altona WMA, filtered by its game species list.
| Game | Season | Area | From | To | Open now? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery | DPA 294 | Sep 19, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Deer | Youth deer | DPA 294 | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Deer | Firearms, 200 series | DPA 294 | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | |
| Deer | Muzzleloader | Statewide | Nov 28, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | Regular | Statewide | Oct 10, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Ruffed, spruce grouse | Regular | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Hungarian partridge | Regular | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Rabbits, hares | Regular | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Jackrabbit | Regular | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Squirrels | Regular | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Crow | Crow segment | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Oct 31, 2026 | |
| Take-a-Kid | Take-a-Kid | Statewide | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Raccoon, foxes | Hunting (north) | North furbearer zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Mar 15, 2027 | |
| Badger, opossum, weasels | Hunting (north) | North furbearer zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Mar 15, 2027 | |
| Raccoon, foxes | Hunting (south) | South furbearer zone | Oct 24, 2026 | Mar 15, 2027 | |
| Badger, opossum, weasels | Hunting (south) | South furbearer zone | Oct 24, 2026 | Mar 15, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Hunt and trap (north) | North furbearer zone | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 17, 2027 | |
| Crow | Crow segment | Statewide | Dec 15, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Hunt and trap (south) | South furbearer zone | Jan 2, 2027 | Jan 17, 2027 | |
| Crow | Crow segment | Statewide | Mar 1, 2027 | Mar 31, 2027 |
Blaze orange or pink is required during the firearms deer seasons, including for most small game hunters.
From the 2026-2027 Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations booklet (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources); checked October 28, 2026. All Minnesota seasons.
Altona WMA directions and parking
The DNR route text for each subunit of Altona WMA, with 3 mapped lots.
| Unit | Size | Closest town | Hunting | Parking spots | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altona WMA | 637 | Lake Benton | Open | 3 | DNR |
- Altona WMA: From Lake Benton, go 4 miles south on Hwy 75 and 1/2 mile west on county gravel road.
DNR WMA detail pages (Compass feature records); checked October 28, 2026.
Other places to hunt near Altona WMA
The closest other public land to Altona WMA is Hole-In-Mountain WMA, 2.3 mi to the north; the table lists 8 neighbors with 2,426 acres between them.
| Name | Type | Size (ac) | Deer area | Away | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hole-In-Mountain WMA | WMA | 639 | 294 | 2.3 mi | north |
| Schindel WMA | WMA | 156 | 294 | 3.4 mi | northwest |
| Coteau Pit WMA | WMA | 81 | 294 | 4.0 mi | east |
| Winter WMA | WMA | 976 | 294 | 4.5 mi | southwest |
| Troy WMA | WMA | 55 | 294 | 6.1 mi | south |
| Benton Lake AMA | AMA | 22 | 286 | 6.3 mi | northeast |
| Sioux Lookout WMA | WMA | 83 | 286 | 6.5 mi | north |
| Chen Bay WMA | WMA | 414 | 286 | 9.1 mi | northeast |
Points: DNR WMA detail page map point (Compass feature_detail). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Towns and offices around Altona WMA
The town nearest Altona WMA is Lake Benton at 4.9 mi. Pipestone (4,034 in 2024) is the largest of these towns. DNR names Lake Benton as the nearest town on its unit page. Marshall Area Wildlife Office (Marshall) is the closest DNR office, 34 mi off.
| Community | County | Residents | Straight line | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Benton | Lincoln | 678 | 4.9 mi | north |
| Holland | Pipestone | 173 | 9.4 mi | southeast |
| Tyler | Lincoln | 1,102 | 11 mi | northeast |
| Ruthton | Pipestone | 217 | 11 mi | east |
| Pipestone | Pipestone | 4,034 | 14 mi | south |
Towns from the 2024 Census gazetteer and population estimates; offices and businesses from services.json (DNR and business listings, chain stores and license agents left out); straight-line miles. Checked October 28, 2026.
Altona WMA area deer harvest by year
DPA 294 totals, which include all the land around Altona WMA: 472 deer in 2025 against 462 in 2024.
| Year | Bucks | Does, fawns | All deer | Per sq mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 323 | 149 | 472 | 0.69 |
| 2024 | 312 | 150 | 462 | 0.67 |
| 2023 | 272 | 189 | 461 | 0.67 |
| 2022 | 355 | 191 | 546 | 0.80 |
| 2021 | 379 | 221 | 600 | 0.88 |
| 2020 | 354 | 214 | 568 | 0.83 |
| 2019 | 398 | 166 | 564 | 0.82 |
| 2018 | 327 | 243 | 570 | 0.83 |
| 2017 | 343 | 242 | 585 | 0.85 |
DNR 2025 deer harvest report; earlier years from the DNR yearly reports. Checked October 28, 2026.
The county setting of Altona WMA
Pipestone County holds 18 public hunting records on this site; Altona WMA is one of them. Bear: Pipestone County is in the no-quota area, with licenses over the counter. For turkey the county is in permit area 504. Wildlife office for Pipestone County: Marshall Area Wildlife Office. Unlike Altona WMA, Pipestone National Monument is shut to hunters.
County acres from DNR and federal GIS layers (counties.json); zones from the 2026-2027 booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
Altona WMA: first legal light and last
Calculated for the exact spot of Altona WMA, so the minutes differ a little from the county tables.
| Day | Hunt | First sun | Last sun | Start | Big game stop | Bird stop |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 19, 2026 | Archery and grouse opener | 7:07 a.m. | 7:31 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. | 8:01 p.m. | 7:31 p.m. |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Duck opener | 7:15 a.m. | 7:18 p.m. | 6:45 a.m. | 7:48 p.m. | 7:18 p.m. |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Pheasant opener | 7:32 a.m. | 6:52 p.m. | 7:02 a.m. | 7:22 p.m. | 6:52 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Firearms deer opener | 7:09 a.m. | 5:09 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. | 5:39 p.m. | 5:09 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Muzzleloader opener | 7:37 a.m. | 4:50 p.m. | 7:07 a.m. | 5:20 p.m. | 4:50 p.m. |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Archery close | 8:00 a.m. | 4:55 p.m. | 7:30 a.m. | 5:25 p.m. | 4:55 p.m. |
| Apr 14, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:45 a.m. | 8:06 p.m. | 6:15 a.m. | 8:36 p.m. | 8:06 p.m. |
Spring turkey uses the bird column.
Hours rule from the DNR booklet shooting hours page; sun times calculated for the unit point (NOAA method, Central Time); checked October 28, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Altona Wildlife Management Area hunters: nearest gun clubs on file
Before a hunt on Altona Wildlife Management Area, the closest range on file is Pipestone Sportsmen's Club, 13 miles off. Sight in elsewhere: the area rules bar target shooting.
From the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 28, 2026; target shooting rule from the DNR WMA rules.
Altona WMA and country like it, in photos
Altona WMA FAQ for 2026-27
What are the CWD rules on Altona WMA?
CWD status: DPA 294 is in the 2026 surveillance block (mandatory sampling Nov. 7-8).
Altona WMA: deer hours on opening day?
About 6:39 a.m. to 5:39 p.m. on opening day of firearms deer.
Any other public ground within a short drive of Altona WMA?
Closest on the map: Hole-In-Mountain WMA (2.3 mi), Schindel WMA (3.4 mi) and Coteau Pit WMA (4.0 mi).
Are permanent stands allowed on Altona WMA?
No overnight gear on Altona WMA: stands and blinds go home each day unless the northwest exception covers the unit.
Can I stay the night on Altona WMA?
No, except designated sites or by permit.
Altona WMA: is hunting allowed there?
Open to hunting in regular seasons, under the general WMA rules and any notes on the unit page.
Is Altona WMA a big piece of land?
About 637 acres, per the agency GIS.
When does firearms deer season open on Altona WMA?
Deer permit area 294; the 2026 designation is either-sex. Firearms dates in that DPA are Nov 7 to Nov 15, 2026.
What game is on Altona WMA?
The record for Altona WMA lists deer, small game and pheasant.
What are the directions to Altona WMA?
From Lake Benton, go 4 miles south on Hwy 75 and 1/2 mile west on county gravel road. 3 mapped lots.
Which office should I call about Altona WMA?
The Slayton-Talcot Lake office of Minnesota Department of Natural Resources runs Altona WMA.
Other photos on this page: beggs (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0).