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WMA · DPA 295
Hunting on H.C. Southwick Wildlife Management Area in 2026-27
Wildlife management area hunting in Murray County: rules, season dates, parking and nearby public land.
Photo: Michel Curi (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to H.C. Southwick Wildlife Management Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near H.C. Southwick Wildlife Management Area
- Parking areaParking · 0.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.0 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 H.C. Southwick WMA, summed up
The mapped area of H.C. Southwick WMA is 570 acres, in Murray County. Murray County has 64 wildlife management areas on our list; this one is the 7th largest. H.C. Southwick WMA comes in 2 parts, South Unit (25 ac) and North Unit (545 ac).
Deer rules come from DPA 295, an either-sex area in 2026. Slayton-Talcot Lake is the DNR wildlife area office for H.C. Southwick WMA (talcotlake.wildlife@state.mn.us).
Species named: deer, small game, pheasant, waterfowl.
From the agency record (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources); checked October 28, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around H.C. Southwick Wildlife Management Area
H.C. Southwick WMA regulations in short
Read these before a first trip to H.C. Southwick 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 295 dates for H.C. Southwick WMA
For 2026, DNR made DPA 295 either-sex; its firearms deer season is the 200-series window. Either-sex in DPA 295 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 295 takes in 977 square miles. Part of Murray, Cottonwood, Redwood and Lyon falls in DPA 295.
From the DNR 2026 deer season map and the 2026-2027 regulations booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
Hunting seasons at H.C. Southwick WMA
33 season windows for 18 species reach H.C. Southwick WMA, filtered by its game species list.
| Game | Season | Area | From | To | Open now? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery | DPA 295 | Sep 19, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Deer | Youth deer | DPA 295 | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Deer | Firearms, 200 series | DPA 295 | 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 | |
| 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.
H.C. Southwick WMA directions and parking
The DNR route text for each subunit of H.C. Southwick WMA, with 4 mapped lots.
- South Unit: From Slayton, go 2 miles south on co rd 33, then .6 miles east on township rd.
- North Unit: From Slayton, go 2 miles southeast on U.S. Highway 59.
DNR WMA detail pages (Compass feature records); checked October 28, 2026.
Other places to hunt near H.C. Southwick WMA
The closest other public land to H.C. Southwick WMA is Big Slough WPA (Murray County), 0.7 mi to the southeast; the table lists 8 neighbors with 1,929 acres between them.
| Name | Type | Size (ac) | Deer area | Away | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Slough WPA | WPA | 812 | 295 | 0.7 mi | southeast |
| Wajer WMA | WMA | 81 | 295 | 1.7 mi | south |
| Badger Lake WMA | WMA | 618 | 295 | 3.0 mi | south |
| Christensen WMA | WMA | 131 | 295 | 3.0 mi | southwest |
| Avoca WMA | WMA | 60 | 295 | 4.3 mi | east |
| Wirock WMA | WMA | 122 | 295 | 4.6 mi | south |
| Shirley's Slough WMA | WMA | 51 | 295 | 4.9 mi | southwest |
| Engebretson WMA | WMA | 55 | 295 | 5.6 mi | northwest |
Points: DNR WMA boundary layer (polygon centroid of the largest part). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Towns and offices around H.C. Southwick WMA
The town nearest H.C. Southwick WMA is Slayton at 2.4 mi. DNR names Slayton as the nearest town on its unit page. Slayton-Talcot Lake Area Wildlife Office (Dundee) is the closest DNR office, 15 mi off.
| Community | County | Residents | Straight line | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slayton | Murray | 1,967 | 2.4 mi | northwest |
| Avoca | Murray | 108 | 4.1 mi | east |
| Iona | Murray | 164 | 4.3 mi | southwest |
| Hadley | Murray | 55 | 6.9 mi | northwest |
| Currie | Murray | 214 | 8.0 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.
H.C. Southwick WMA area deer harvest by year
DPA 295 totals, which include all the land around H.C. Southwick WMA: 904 deer in 2025 against 835 in 2024.
| Year | Bucks | Does, fawns | All deer | Per sq mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 650 | 254 | 904 | 0.94 |
| 2024 | 594 | 241 | 835 | 0.87 |
| 2023 | 569 | 258 | 827 | 0.86 |
| 2022 | 595 | 261 | 856 | 0.89 |
| 2021 | 605 | 252 | 857 | 0.89 |
| 2020 | 621 | 253 | 874 | 1.04 |
| 2019 | 591 | 214 | 805 | 0.96 |
| 2018 | 516 | 244 | 760 | 0.91 |
| 2017 | 518 | 233 | 751 | 0.90 |
DNR 2025 deer harvest report; earlier years from the DNR yearly reports. Checked October 28, 2026.
The county setting of H.C. Southwick WMA
Murray County holds 81 public hunting records on this site; H.C. Southwick WMA is one of them. Bear: Murray County is in the no-quota area, with licenses over the counter. For turkey the county is in permit area 504. Wildlife office for Murray County: Slayton-Talcot Lake Area Wildlife Office. Unlike H.C. Southwick WMA, Lundblad Prairie Scientific and Natural Area and Shetek Lake FMA are shut to hunters.
County acres from DNR and federal GIS layers (counties.json); zones from the 2026-2027 booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
H.C. Southwick WMA: first legal light and last
Calculated for the exact spot of H.C. Southwick 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 | 7:05 a.m. | 7:28 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. | 7:58 p.m. | 7:28 p.m. |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Duck opener | 7:13 a.m. | 7:15 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. | 7:45 p.m. | 7:15 p.m. |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Pheasant opener | 7:30 a.m. | 6:50 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. | 7:20 p.m. | 6:50 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Firearms deer opener | 7:06 a.m. | 5:07 p.m. | 6:36 a.m. | 5:37 p.m. | 5:07 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Muzzleloader opener | 7:34 a.m. | 4:49 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. | 5:19 p.m. | 4:49 p.m. |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Archery close | 7:57 a.m. | 4:54 p.m. | 7:27 a.m. | 5:24 p.m. | 4:54 p.m. |
| Apr 14, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:43 a.m. | 8:04 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. | 8:34 p.m. | 8:04 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.
H.C. Southwick Wildlife Management Area and nearby events
1 upcoming event on this property or within about 10 miles (state park youth deer hunt). Checked October 28, 2026.
Upcoming here
| Date | Event | Miles | Where | Sign up | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 21–22, 2026 | Lake Shetek State Park Special Youth Deer Hunt 2026, a state park youth deer hunt | 10 | Event details | Source |
H.C. Southwick Wildlife Management Area hunters: nearest gun clubs on file
Before a hunt on H.C. Southwick Wildlife Management Area, the closest range on file is Beaver Creek Archers, 3 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.
H.C. Southwick WMA and country like it, in photos
H.C. Southwick WMA FAQ for 2026-27
Are permanent stands allowed on H.C. Southwick WMA?
No overnight gear on H.C. Southwick WMA: stands and blinds go home each day unless the northwest exception covers the unit.
Can I stay the night on H.C. Southwick WMA?
No, except designated sites or by permit.
H.C. Southwick WMA: is hunting allowed there?
Open to hunting in regular seasons, under the general WMA rules and any notes on the unit page.
Is H.C. Southwick WMA a big piece of land?
About 570 acres in 2 subunits, per the agency GIS.
When does firearms deer season open on H.C. Southwick WMA?
Deer permit area 295; the 2026 designation is either-sex. Firearms dates in that DPA are Nov 7 to Nov 15, 2026.
What game is on H.C. Southwick WMA?
The record for H.C. Southwick WMA lists deer, small game, pheasant and waterfowl.
What are the directions to H.C. Southwick WMA?
From Slayton, go 2 miles south on co rd 33, then .6 miles east on township rd. 4 mapped lots.
Which office should I call about H.C. Southwick WMA?
The Slayton-Talcot Lake office of Minnesota Department of Natural Resources runs H.C. Southwick WMA.
What are the CWD rules on H.C. Southwick WMA?
CWD status: DPA 295 is in the 2026 surveillance block (mandatory sampling Nov. 7-8).
H.C. Southwick WMA: deer hours on opening day?
About 6:36 a.m. to 5:37 p.m. on opening day of firearms deer.
Any other public ground within a short drive of H.C. Southwick WMA?
Closest on the map: Big Slough WPA (Murray County) (0.7 mi), Wajer WMA (1.7 mi) and Badger Lake WMA (3.0 mi).
Other photos on this page: beggs (CC BY 2.0); Tony Webster (CC BY-SA 2.0); USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain).