Home › Minnesota › Public land › Beaver Creek WMA (Fillmore County)
WMA in Fillmore County
Hunting Beaver Creek Wildlife Management Area, Minnesota public land
A 2026-27 hunter guide to this wildlife management area in Fillmore County, 781 acres.
Photo: Tony Webster (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Beaver Creek Wildlife Management Area
Beaver Creek WMA (Fillmore County) at a glance for hunters
You get 781 acres at Beaver Creek WMA (Fillmore County), which lies in Fillmore County. By size it ranks 4th of the 14 wildlife management areas we list in Fillmore County. DPA 655 sets the deer limit here: 3-deer limit this year.
The managing office is Rochester (DNR Wildlife), rochester.wildlife@state.mn.us. DNR lists Pittman-Robertson as the federal aid source for Beaver Creek WMA (Fillmore County).
What the DNR page says about it: Management emphasis is to maintain a rich, diverse interspersion of several communities. Timber management, prescribed burning, food plots, and nesting cover development and maintenance practices are utilized. Five parking lots exist on unit.
Listed game: deer, small game, ruffed grouse and woodcock, pheasant, waterfowl, wild turkey, mourning dove.
- White-tailed Deer
- Eastern Cottontail
- Gray Squirrel
- Snowshoe Hare
- Ruffed Grouse
- American Woodcock
- Ring-necked Pheasant
- Ducks
From the agency record (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources); checked October 28, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Beaver Creek Wildlife Management Area
What is allowed on Beaver Creek WMA (Fillmore County)
Short version of the rules that apply on Beaver Creek WMA (Fillmore County), taken from the managing agency.
| What | Rule here |
|---|---|
| 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 |
- A special use permit is required for beaver trapping when allowed.
Sources: record, agency rules; booklet: 2026-2027 Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations. Checked October 28, 2026.
Deer on Beaver Creek WMA (Fillmore County) in 2026-27
Deer on Beaver Creek WMA (Fillmore County) fall under DPA 655: 3-deer limit, 600 series. Fill the DPA 655 limit of 3 with your license plus bonus permits.
| Deer window | From | To | Open now? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| Late CWD hunt | Dec 18, 2026 | Dec 20, 2026 |
DPA 655 falls within the CWD management zone. A late CWD hunt runs Dec. 18-20 in DPA 655. Three bucks are allowed in DPA 655. DNR enforces a carcass disposal rule here. DPA 655 spans 386 square miles. DPA 655 reaches Mower, Fillmore, Olmsted and Dodge counties.
From the DNR 2026 deer season map and the 2026-2027 regulations booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
Beaver Creek WMA (Fillmore County) hunting calendar 2026-27
Beaver Creek WMA (Fillmore County) season dates for 2026-27, picked by its game species list and its deer permit area.
| Species | Season | Applies | Opens | Closes | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery | DPA 655 | Sep 19, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Deer | Youth deer | DPA 655 | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Deer | Firearms, 200 series | DPA 655 | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | |
| Deer | Muzzleloader | Statewide | Nov 28, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Deer | Late CWD hunt | DPA 655 | Dec 18, 2026 | Dec 20, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall | Statewide | Oct 3, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring archery-only | Statewide | Apr 14, 2027 | May 31, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring period A | Statewide | Apr 14, 2027 | Apr 20, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth | Statewide | Apr 14, 2027 | May 31, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring period B | Statewide | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring period C | Statewide | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring period D | Statewide | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring period E | Statewide | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring period F | Statewide | May 19, 2027 | May 31, 2027 | |
| 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 | |
| Woodcock | Regular | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Nov 2, 2026 | |
| Mourning dove | Regular | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| 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 | |
| Canada goose | Early geese | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | |
| Light geese | Early geese | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | |
| Teal | Early teal season | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Sep 9, 2026 | |
| Youth waterfowl | Youth days | Statewide | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 13, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Regular ducks | North Zone | Sep 26, 2026 | Nov 24, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Regular ducks | Central Zone | Sep 26, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 | |
| Geese | Regular geese | North Zone | Sep 26, 2026 | Dec 25, 2026 | |
| Geese | Regular geese | Central Zone | Sep 26, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 | |
| Take-a-Kid | Take-a-Kid | Statewide | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Regular ducks | Central Zone | Oct 10, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Geese | Regular geese | Central Zone | Oct 10, 2026 | Dec 30, 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 | |
| Ducks | Regular ducks | South Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Geese | Regular geese | South Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Jan 6, 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 | |
| Light geese | Spring light goose | Statewide | Feb 18, 2027 | Apr 30, 2027 | |
| Crow | Crow segment | Statewide | Mar 1, 2027 | Mar 31, 2027 |
Furbearer rows list both zones: the line follows I-94 and US 10, so check which side of it you hunt.
From the 2026-2027 Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations booklet (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources); checked October 28, 2026. All Minnesota seasons.
Beaver Creek WMA (Fillmore County): access points
5 parking points and the route text DNR posts for Beaver Creek WMA (Fillmore County).
| Subunit | Acres | Nearest town | Hunting | Parking | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beaver Creek WMA | 781 | Ostrander | Open | 5 | DNR |
- Beaver Creek WMA: From Ostrander, go 1 mile E on CSAH 3 then 5.5 miles S on township rd. Plenty off access points off Township roads with numerous parking lots available.
DNR WMA detail pages (Compass feature records); checked October 28, 2026.
Public land within a drive of Beaver Creek WMA (Fillmore County)
When Beaver Creek WMA (Fillmore County) is crowded, Upper Iowa River WMA sits 1.9 mi away to the southwest.
| Place | Type | Acres | DPA | Miles off | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Iowa River WMA | WMA | 131 | 655 | 1.9 mi | southwest |
| Nosek WMA | WMA | 141 | 647 | 3.3 mi | east |
| Leroy WMA | WMA | 6.0 | 655 | 3.5 mi | west |
| Lake Louise State Park | State park | 1,047 | 655 | 5.8 mi | west |
| Etna Creek AMA | AMA | 63 | 647 | 5.9 mi | northeast |
| Goethite WMA | WMA | 304 | 647 | 7.1 mi | north |
| Cartney WMA | WMA | 480 | 655 | 7.6 mi | northwest |
| Cherry Grove WMA | WMA | 78 | 647 | 8.1 mi | northeast |
Points: DNR WMA detail page map point (Compass feature_detail). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Beaver Creek WMA (Fillmore County) nearest towns and help
Fuel and food: Le Roy lies 5.1 mi from Beaver Creek WMA (Fillmore County). For more services, Spring Valley (2,445) is 11 mi out. DNR's nearest town for this unit: Ostrander. Nearest DNR desk: Rochester Area Wildlife Office, 34 mi.
| Town | County | People (2024) | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Le Roy | Mower | 970 | 5.1 mi | west |
| Ostrander | Fillmore | 226 | 6.1 mi | north |
| Spring Valley | Fillmore | 2,445 | 11 mi | north |
| Taopi | Mower | 68 | 12 mi | west |
| Wykoff | Fillmore | 430 | 14 mi | northeast |
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.
Beaver Creek WMA (Fillmore County): deer taken in DPA 655
451 deer were registered in DPA 655 during 2025, 1.17 per square mile of the unit.
| Year | Adult bucks | Other deer | DPA harvest | Per square mile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 260 | 191 | 451 | 1.17 |
| 2024 | 273 | 186 | 459 | 1.19 |
| 2023 | 235 | 196 | 431 | 1.11 |
| 2022 | 221 | 185 | 406 | 1.05 |
| 2021 | 253 | 234 | 487 | 1.26 |
| 2020 | 255 | 264 | 519 | 1.34 |
| 2019 | 213 | 230 | 443 | 1.14 |
DNR 2025 deer harvest report; earlier years from the DNR yearly reports. Checked October 28, 2026.
Beaver Creek WMA (Fillmore County) and the rest of Fillmore County
Fillmore County has 23 public hunting areas on file, Beaver Creek WMA (Fillmore County) among them. Fillmore County is under the deer feeding and attractant ban. Fillmore County lies in the bear no-quota area. The county sits in turkey permit area 501 and 503. Nearest DNR area wildlife office to the county centre: Rochester Area Wildlife Office, (507) 206-2858. Not every public place in Fillmore County is open: Bear Creek Aquatic Management Area is closed to hunting.
County acres from DNR and federal GIS layers (counties.json); zones from the 2026-2027 booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
When shooting starts and stops at Beaver Creek WMA (Fillmore County)
Sun times computed for Beaver Creek WMA (Fillmore County) itself, since the 2026 booklet prints no tables.
| Date | Why | Sunrise | Sunset | Legal from | Big game to | Waterfowl to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 19, 2026 | Archery and grouse opener | 6:52 a.m. | 7:15 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. | 7:45 p.m. | 7:15 p.m. |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Duck opener | 7:00 a.m. | 7:02 p.m. | 6:30 a.m. | 7:32 p.m. | 7:02 p.m. |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Pheasant opener | 7:16 a.m. | 6:37 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. | 7:07 p.m. | 6:37 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Firearms deer opener | 6:52 a.m. | 4:55 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. | 5:25 p.m. | 4:55 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Muzzleloader opener | 7:19 a.m. | 4:37 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. | 5:07 p.m. | 4:37 p.m. |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Archery close | 7:42 a.m. | 4:42 p.m. | 7:12 a.m. | 5:12 p.m. | 4:42 p.m. |
| Apr 14, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:30 a.m. | 7:50 p.m. | 6:00 a.m. | 8:20 p.m. | 7:50 p.m. |
Pheasant hours start at 9 a.m.
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.
Ranges a Beaver Creek Wildlife Management Area hunter can reach
From Beaver Creek Wildlife Management Area, the nearest listed range is Leroy Rod & Gun Club at 3 miles; public ranges on file are over 60 miles away. Plinking on the property is not allowed.
From the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 28, 2026; target shooting rule from the DNR WMA rules.
Beaver Creek WMA (Fillmore County) region in a few frames
Hunter questions about Beaver Creek WMA (Fillmore County), short answers
What game species does Beaver Creek WMA (Fillmore County) list?
The agency names deer, small game, ruffed grouse and woodcock, pheasant, waterfowl, wild turkey and mourning dove for Beaver Creek WMA (Fillmore County).
What deer permit area is Beaver Creek WMA (Fillmore County) in?
The record puts it in DPA 655: 3-deer limit. Its firearms season: Nov 7 to Nov 15, 2026.
Beaver Creek WMA (Fillmore County): who is the land manager?
Questions about Beaver Creek WMA (Fillmore County) go to Minnesota Department of Natural Resources at its Rochester office.
How do you get to Beaver Creek WMA (Fillmore County)?
From Ostrander, go 1 mile E on CSAH 3 then 5.5 miles S on township rd. 5 parking spots on the DNR map.
On the deer opener, when can you shoot at Beaver Creek WMA (Fillmore County)?
Deer shooting on Nov. 7 opens at 6:22 a.m. and ends at 5:25 p.m. at the Beaver Creek WMA (Fillmore County) point.
Beaver Creek WMA (Fillmore County) and CWD: what applies?
For CWD, DPA 655 is in the CWD management zone.
Can blinds stay up overnight at Beaver Creek WMA (Fillmore County)?
Only for the day: WMA rules make you remove portable stands and blinds daily, outside the northwest Nov. 1-Dec. 31 exception.
Beaver Creek WMA (Fillmore County) neighbors: what public land is nearby?
Short-drive options from the map: Upper Iowa River WMA (1.9 mi), Nosek WMA (3.3 mi) and Leroy WMA (3.5 mi).
Does Beaver Creek WMA (Fillmore County) allow public hunting?
It is open: DNR lists every subunit of Beaver Creek WMA (Fillmore County) with an open or partial hunting status.
Can hunters set up a tent camp on Beaver Creek WMA (Fillmore County)?
Only at designated sites or by permit.
Beaver Creek WMA (Fillmore County) acreage: how much ground is it?
It runs to 781 acres.
Final notes for a Beaver Creek WMA (Fillmore County) hunt
Confirm access, permits and the DPA rules for Beaver Creek WMA (Fillmore County) before the drive.
Sources: source · source · source · source · source; regulations from the 2026-2027 Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations. Checked October 28, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Joe Passe (CC BY-SA 2.0); Joe Passe (CC BY-SA 2.0); fishhawk (CC BY 2.0).