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WMA · DPA 290
Hunting on Fritsche Creek Wildlife Management Area in 2026-27
Wildlife management area hunting in Nicollet County: rules, season dates, parking and nearby public land.
Photo: Tony Webster (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Fritsche Creek Wildlife Management Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Fritsche Creek Wildlife Management Area
- Parking areaParking · 0.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.0 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 Fritsche Creek WMA, summed up
The mapped area of Fritsche Creek WMA is 385 acres, in Nicollet County. Nicollet County has 5 wildlife management areas on our list; this one is the 2nd largest. Deer rules come from DPA 290, a 3-deer limit area in 2026.
Nicollet is the DNR wildlife area office for Fritsche Creek WMA (nicollet.wildlife@state.mn.us). DNR records NAWCA Mn Rvr #1 funding for Fritsche Creek WMA.
The WMA page says: From the intersection of State Hwy 15 and US Hwy 14, proceed 1.9 miles northwest on CSAH 21. A parking area is located on the West side of CSAH 21.
Species named: 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 Fritsche Creek Wildlife Management Area
Fritsche Creek WMA regulations in short
Read these before a first trip to Fritsche Creek 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 290 dates for Fritsche Creek WMA
For 2026, DNR made DPA 290 3-deer limit; its firearms deer season is the 200-series window. Up to 3 deer can come out of DPA 290 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 290 takes in 665 square miles. Part of Brown, Renville, Nicollet, Sibley and Redwood falls in DPA 290.
From the DNR 2026 deer season map and the 2026-2027 regulations booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
Hunting seasons at Fritsche Creek WMA
44 season windows for 21 species reach Fritsche Creek WMA, filtered by its game species list.
| Game | Season | Area | From | To | Open now? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery | DPA 290 | Sep 19, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Deer | Youth deer | DPA 290 | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Deer | Firearms, 200 series | DPA 290 | 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 | |
| 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 |
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.
Fritsche Creek WMA directions and parking
The DNR route text for each subunit of Fritsche Creek WMA, with 1 mapped lot.
| Unit | Size | Closest town | Hunting | Parking spots | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fritsche Creek WMA | 385 | Klossner | Open | 1 | DNR |
- Fritsche Creek WMA: From Klossner, go 3 1/2 miles S on SH 15 then 1 1/2 miles W on Co Rd 21 Wheelchair access is limited to gravel parking lot.
DNR WMA detail pages (Compass feature records); checked October 28, 2026.
Other places to hunt near Fritsche Creek WMA
The closest other public land to Fritsche Creek WMA is River Valley WMA, 3.5 mi to the northwest; the table lists 8 neighbors with 1,374 acres between them.
| Name | Type | Size (ac) | Deer area | Away | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| River Valley WMA | WMA | 272 | 290 | 3.5 mi | northwest |
| Boesch WMA | WMA | 225 | 290 | 5.0 mi | west |
| Rosenau-Lambrecht WMA | WMA | 569 | 290 | 5.6 mi | west |
| Joseph A. Tauer Prairie SNA | SNA | 80 | 290 | 10 mi | south |
| Romberg WMA | WMA | 19 | 290 | 11 mi | west |
| Middle Minnesota River WPA | WPA | 110 | 290 | 11 mi | south |
| Cambria WMA | WMA | 82 | 291 | 11 mi | southeast |
| Cottonwood River AMA | AMA | 17 | 290 | 11 mi | west |
Points: DNR WMA detail page map point (Compass feature_detail). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Towns and offices around Fritsche Creek WMA
The town nearest Fritsche Creek WMA is New Ulm at 2.0 mi. DNR names Klossner as the nearest town on its unit page. New Ulm Area Wildlife Office (New Ulm) is the closest DNR office, 5.0 mi off.
| Community | County | Residents | Straight line | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Ulm | Brown | 13,970 | 2.0 mi | south |
| Essig | Brown | – | 6.9 mi | west |
| Courtland | Nicollet | 724 | 7.5 mi | southeast |
| Searles | Brown | – | 7.7 mi | south |
| Lafayette | Nicollet | 469 | 8.2 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.
Fritsche Creek WMA area deer harvest by year
DPA 290 totals, which include all the land around Fritsche Creek WMA: 1,202 deer in 2025 against 1,206 in 2024.
| Year | Bucks | Does, fawns | All deer | Per sq mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 596 | 606 | 1,202 | 1.82 |
| 2024 | 646 | 560 | 1,206 | 1.82 |
| 2023 | 536 | 482 | 1,018 | 1.54 |
| 2022 | 629 | 546 | 1,175 | 1.78 |
| 2021 | 603 | 547 | 1,150 | 1.74 |
| 2020 | 581 | 697 | 1,278 | 1.93 |
| 2019 | 575 | 424 | 999 | 1.51 |
| 2018 | 485 | 566 | 1,051 | 1.59 |
| 2017 | 551 | 484 | 1,035 | 1.56 |
DNR 2025 deer harvest report; earlier years from the DNR yearly reports. Checked October 28, 2026.
The county setting of Fritsche Creek WMA
Nicollet County holds 5 public hunting records on this site; Fritsche Creek WMA is one of them. Bear: Nicollet County is in the no-quota area, with licenses over the counter. For turkey the county is in permit area 505 and 506. Wildlife office for Nicollet County: Nicollet Area Wildlife Office.
County acres from DNR and federal GIS layers (counties.json); zones from the 2026-2027 booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
Fritsche Creek WMA: first legal light and last
Calculated for the exact spot of Fritsche Creek 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 | 7:00 a.m. | 7:23 p.m. | 6:30 a.m. | 7:53 p.m. | 7:23 p.m. |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Duck opener | 7:08 a.m. | 7:10 p.m. | 6:38 a.m. | 7:40 p.m. | 7:10 p.m. |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Pheasant opener | 7:25 a.m. | 6:44 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. | 7:14 p.m. | 6:44 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Firearms deer opener | 7:02 a.m. | 5:01 p.m. | 6:32 a.m. | 5:31 p.m. | 5:01 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Muzzleloader opener | 7:30 a.m. | 4:42 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. | 5:12 p.m. | 4:42 p.m. |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Archery close | 7:53 a.m. | 4:47 p.m. | 7:23 a.m. | 5:17 p.m. | 4:47 p.m. |
| Apr 14, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:37 a.m. | 7:59 p.m. | 6:07 a.m. | 8:29 p.m. | 7:59 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.
Fritsche Creek Wildlife Management Area and nearby events
1 upcoming event on this property or within about 10 miles (NWTF chapter banquet). Checked October 28, 2026.
Upcoming here
| Date | Event | Miles | Where | Sign up | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 30, 2027 | Der Deutsche Longbeards Banquet, an NWTF chapter banquet | 8 | Courtland | Buy tickets | Source |
Fritsche Creek Wildlife Management Area hunters: nearest gun clubs on file
Before a hunt on Fritsche Creek Wildlife Management Area, the closest range on file is Sioux Valley Gun Club, 1 mile 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.
Fritsche Creek WMA and country like it, in photos
Fritsche Creek WMA FAQ for 2026-27
What are the CWD rules on Fritsche Creek WMA?
CWD status: DPA 290 is in the 2026 surveillance block (mandatory sampling Nov. 7-8).
Fritsche Creek WMA: deer hours on opening day?
About 6:32 a.m. to 5:31 p.m. on opening day of firearms deer.
Any other public ground within a short drive of Fritsche Creek WMA?
Closest on the map: River Valley WMA (3.5 mi), Boesch WMA (5.0 mi) and Rosenau-Lambrecht WMA (5.6 mi).
Are permanent stands allowed on Fritsche Creek WMA?
No overnight gear on Fritsche Creek WMA: stands and blinds go home each day unless the northwest exception covers the unit.
Can I stay the night on Fritsche Creek WMA?
No, except designated sites or by permit.
Fritsche Creek WMA: is hunting allowed there?
Open to hunting in regular seasons, under the general WMA rules and any notes on the unit page.
Is Fritsche Creek WMA a big piece of land?
About 385 acres, per the agency GIS.
When does firearms deer season open on Fritsche Creek WMA?
Deer permit area 290; the 2026 designation is 3-deer limit. Firearms dates in that DPA are Nov 7 to Nov 15, 2026.
What game is on Fritsche Creek WMA?
The record for Fritsche Creek WMA lists deer, small game, ruffed grouse and woodcock, pheasant, waterfowl, wild turkey and mourning dove.
What are the directions to Fritsche Creek WMA?
From Klossner, go 3 1/2 miles S on SH 15 then 1 1/2 miles W on Co Rd 21 1 mapped lot.
Which office should I call about Fritsche Creek WMA?
The Nicollet office of Minnesota Department of Natural Resources runs Fritsche Creek WMA.
Other photos on this page: Tony Webster (CC BY 2.0); Tony Webster (CC BY 2.0); Pictures by Ann (CC BY 2.0).