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WMA · DPA 289
Hunting on Daub's Lake Wildlife Management Area in 2026-27
Wildlife management area hunting in Redwood County: rules, season dates, parking and nearby public land.
Photo: Tony Webster (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Daub’s Lake Wildlife Management Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Daub’s Lake Wildlife Management Area
- Parking areaParking · 0.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.3 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 Daub's Lake WMA, summed up
The mapped area of Daub’s Lake WMA is 599 acres, in Redwood County. Redwood County has 27 wildlife management areas on our list; this one is the 6th largest. Daub’s Lake WMA comes in 5 parts, Central West Unit (141 ac), North West Unit (41 ac), South East Unit (188 ac), Central East Unit (109 ac) and Baune Unit (121 ac).
Deer rules come from DPA 289, a 2-deer limit area in 2026. New Ulm is the DNR wildlife area office for Daub’s Lake WMA (newlondon.wildlife@state.mn.us). DNR records NAWCA Upper MN River Valley 1 funding for Daub’s Lake WMA.
Species named: deer, small game, pheasant, waterfowl, wild turkey.
- White-tailed Deer
- Eastern Cottontail
- Gray Squirrel
- Snowshoe Hare
- Ring-necked Pheasant
- Ducks
- Canada Goose
- Wild Turkey
From the agency record (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources); checked October 28, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Daub’s Lake Wildlife Management Area
Daub's Lake WMA regulations in short
Read these before a first trip to Daub's Lake 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 289 dates for Daub's Lake WMA
For 2026, DNR made DPA 289 2-deer limit; its firearms deer season is the 200-series window. Up to 2 deer can come out of DPA 289 this season, using bonus permits for the extra antlerless deer.
| 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 289 takes in 821 square miles. Part of Redwood, Yellow Medicine, Brown and Lyon falls in DPA 289.
From the DNR 2026 deer season map and the 2026-2027 regulations booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
Hunting seasons at Daub's Lake WMA
42 season windows for 19 species reach Daub's Lake WMA, filtered by its game species list.
| Game | Season | Area | From | To | Open now? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery | DPA 289 | Sep 19, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Deer | Youth deer | DPA 289 | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Deer | Firearms, 200 series | DPA 289 | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | |
| Deer | Muzzleloader | Statewide | Nov 28, 2026 | Dec 13, 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 | |
| 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 |
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.
Daub's Lake WMA directions and parking
The DNR route text for each subunit of Daub's Lake WMA, with 2 mapped lots.
| Unit | Size | Closest town | Hunting | Parking spots | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central West Unit | 141 | Wabasso | Open | 1 | DNR |
| North West Unit | 41 | Wabasso | Open | – | DNR |
| South East Unit | 188 | Wabasso | Open | – | DNR |
| Central East Unit | 109 | Wabasso | Open | – | DNR |
| Baune Unit | 121 | Wabasso | Open | 1 | DNR |
- Central West Unit: From Wabasso, go 2 1/2 miles N on CSAH 6, 1 mile W on township rd
- North West Unit: From Wabasso, go 2 1/2 miles N on CSAH 6, 1 mile W on township rd
- South East Unit: From Wabasso, go 2 1/2 miles N on CSAH 6, 1 mile W on township rd
- Central East Unit: From Wabasso, go 2 1/2 miles N on CSAH 6, 1 mile W on township rd
- Baune Unit: From Wabasso, go 2 1/2 miles N on CSAH 6, 1 mile W on township rd
DNR WMA detail pages (Compass feature records); checked October 28, 2026.
Other places to hunt near Daub's Lake WMA
The closest other public land to Daub's Lake WMA is Rohlik's Slough WMA, 4.1 mi to the west; the table lists 8 neighbors with 2,095 acres between them.
| Name | Type | Size (ac) | Deer area | Away | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rohlik's Slough WMA | WMA | 301 | 289 | 4.1 mi | west |
| Sheridan WMA | WMA | 58 | 289 | 4.7 mi | northeast |
| Luescher-Barnum WMA | WMA | 130 | 289 | 5.6 mi | east |
| Johnsonville WMA | WMA | 113 | 289 | 7.3 mi | southwest |
| Faxvog WMA | WMA | 323 | 289 | 7.3 mi | northwest |
| Mammenga WMA | WMA | 121 | 289 | 8.4 mi | south |
| Phyllis Voosen WMA | WMA | 968 | 289 | 8.4 mi | west |
| Waterbury WMA | WMA | 81 | 289 | 8.7 mi | south |
Points: DNR WMA boundary layer (polygon centroid of the largest part). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Towns and offices around Daub's Lake WMA
The town nearest Daub's Lake WMA is Seaforth at 2.4 mi. Wabasso (745 in 2024) is the largest of these towns. DNR names Wabasso as the nearest town on its unit page. Marshall Area Wildlife Office (Marshall) is the closest DNR office, 23 mi off.
| Community | County | Residents | Straight line | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seaforth | Redwood | 82 | 2.4 mi | northwest |
| Wabasso | Redwood | 745 | 4.2 mi | southeast |
| Lucan | Redwood | 205 | 6.6 mi | southwest |
| Vesta | Redwood | 268 | 6.8 mi | northwest |
| Belview | Redwood | 285 | 11 mi | north |
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.
Daub's Lake WMA area deer harvest by year
DPA 289 totals, which include all the land around Daub's Lake WMA: 558 deer in 2025 against 526 in 2024.
| Year | Bucks | Does, fawns | All deer | Per sq mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 306 | 252 | 558 | 0.68 |
| 2024 | 313 | 213 | 526 | 0.65 |
| 2023 | 260 | 252 | 512 | 0.63 |
| 2022 | 272 | 179 | 451 | 0.55 |
| 2021 | 253 | 143 | 396 | 0.49 |
| 2020 | 236 | 149 | 385 | 0.47 |
| 2019 | 250 | 134 | 384 | 0.47 |
| 2018 | 201 | 125 | 326 | 0.40 |
| 2017 | 255 | 160 | 415 | 0.51 |
DNR 2025 deer harvest report; earlier years from the DNR yearly reports. Checked October 28, 2026.
The county setting of Daub's Lake WMA
Redwood County holds 34 public hunting records on this site; Daub's Lake WMA is one of them. Bear: Redwood County is in the no-quota area, with licenses over the counter. For turkey the county is in permit area 504 and 505. Wildlife office for Redwood County: Marshall Area Wildlife Office. Unlike Daub's Lake WMA, Ramsey Creek Aquatic Management Area and Swedes Forest Scientific and Natural Area are shut to hunters.
County acres from DNR and federal GIS layers (counties.json); zones from the 2026-2027 booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
Daub's Lake WMA: first legal light and last
Calculated for the exact spot of Daub's Lake 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 | 7:03 a.m. | 7:27 p.m. | 6:33 a.m. | 7:57 p.m. | 7:27 p.m. |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Duck opener | 7:11 a.m. | 7:14 p.m. | 6:41 a.m. | 7:44 p.m. | 7:14 p.m. |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Pheasant opener | 7:28 a.m. | 6:48 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. | 7:18 p.m. | 6:48 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Firearms deer opener | 7:06 a.m. | 5:04 p.m. | 6:36 a.m. | 5:34 p.m. | 5:04 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Muzzleloader opener | 7:33 a.m. | 4:45 p.m. | 7:03 a.m. | 5:15 p.m. | 4:45 p.m. |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Archery close | 7:57 a.m. | 4:50 p.m. | 7:27 a.m. | 5:20 p.m. | 4:50 p.m. |
| Apr 14, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:41 a.m. | 8:03 p.m. | 6:11 a.m. | 8:33 p.m. | 8:03 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.
Daub's Lake Wildlife Management Area hunters: nearest gun clubs on file
Before a hunt on Daub's Lake Wildlife Management Area, the closest range on file is Redwood Falls Sportsmen's Club, 10 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.
Daub's Lake WMA and country like it, in photos
Daub's Lake WMA FAQ for 2026-27
Daub's Lake WMA: is hunting allowed there?
Open to hunting in regular seasons, under the general WMA rules and any notes on the unit page.
Is Daub's Lake WMA a big piece of land?
About 599 acres in 5 subunits, per the agency GIS.
When does firearms deer season open on Daub's Lake WMA?
Deer permit area 289; the 2026 designation is 2-deer limit. Firearms dates in that DPA are Nov 7 to Nov 15, 2026.
What game is on Daub's Lake WMA?
The record for Daub's Lake WMA lists deer, small game, pheasant, waterfowl and wild turkey.
What are the directions to Daub's Lake WMA?
From Wabasso, go 2 1/2 miles N on CSAH 6, 1 mile W on township rd 2 mapped lots.
Which office should I call about Daub's Lake WMA?
The New Ulm office of Minnesota Department of Natural Resources runs Daub's Lake WMA.
What are the CWD rules on Daub's Lake WMA?
CWD status: DPA 289 is in the 2026 surveillance block (mandatory sampling Nov. 7-8).
Daub's Lake WMA: deer hours on opening day?
About 6:36 a.m. to 5:34 p.m. on opening day of firearms deer.
Any other public ground within a short drive of Daub's Lake WMA?
Closest on the map: Rohlik's Slough WMA (4.1 mi), Sheridan WMA (4.7 mi) and Luescher-Barnum WMA (5.6 mi).
Are permanent stands allowed on Daub's Lake WMA?
No overnight gear on Daub's Lake WMA: stands and blinds go home each day unless the northwest exception covers the unit.
Can I stay the night on Daub's Lake WMA?
No, except designated sites or by permit.
Other photos on this page: Tony Webster (CC BY-SA 2.0); Tony Webster (CC BY-SA 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0).