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WMA · 2026-27
Round-Rice Bed Wildlife Management Area hunting guide and rules
Everything we could verify about this wildlife management area in Crow Wing County.
Photo: Sharon Mollerus (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Round-Rice Bed Wildlife Management Area
Round-Rice Bed WMA: acres, owner and deer area
Round-Rice Bed WMA spreads over 978 acres of Crow Wing County. Of 19 wildlife management areas in Crow Wing County, Round-Rice Bed WMA is number 3 by acreage. Hunters on Round-Rice Bed WMA follow DPA 155 (it also reaches DPA 249), which DNR made antlerless permit lottery for 2026.
The DNR Brainerd area wildlife office manages it (brainerd.wildlife@state.mn.us). The Round-Rice Bed WMA record names Pittman-Robertson federal aid.
From the DNR unit description: WMA primarily consists of a wild rice lake (80 acre) in the middle of the unit surrounded by lowland and upland forest.
Game species: deer, black bear, small game, ruffed grouse and woodcock, waterfowl, wild turkey.
- White-tailed Deer
- Black Bear
- Eastern Cottontail
- Gray Squirrel
- Snowshoe Hare
- Ruffed Grouse
- American Woodcock
- Ducks
From the agency record (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources); checked October 28, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Round-Rice Bed Wildlife Management Area
Parking lots and routes for Round-Rice Bed WMA
Round-Rice Bed WMA has 1 DNR parking point; directions below are the DNR route text.
| Subunit | Acres | Nearest town | Hunting | Parking | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round-Rice Bed WMA | 978 | Garrison | Open | 1 | DNR |
- Round-Rice Bed WMA: One land and one water access points. Land – From the junction of St. Hwys 169 and 18 in Garrison, E. on St. Hwy. 18 2.75 miles to parking lot on E. side. Water – From the jct of St. Hwys 169 and 18 in Garrison, E. on St. Hwy. 18 1.6 miles to creek. From the parking area, there is access to the 1.6 mile long Maple Ridge hunter walking trail.
DNR WMA detail pages (Compass feature records); checked October 28, 2026.
Map: Round-Rice Bed WMA and its neighbors
8 public areas lie within 45 miles of Round-Rice Bed WMA, adding 6,317 acres; Garrison AMA is closest.
| Public land | Type | Acres | DPA | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garrison AMA | AMA | 24 | 155 | 1.9 mi | southeast |
| Hesitation WMA | WMA | 370 | 249 | 2.9 mi | west |
| Mille Lacs Moraine Scientific and Natural Area | SNA | 319 | 249 | 3.4 mi | south |
| Bay Lake AMA | AMA | 46 | 155 | 4.3 mi | north |
| Mud River AMA | AMA | 113 | 604 | 5.5 mi | north |
| Farm Island Lake WMA | WMA | 34 | 604 | 6.0 mi | north |
| Wealthwood State Forest | State forest | 5,098 | 155 | 7.0 mi | northeast |
| Harold & Marie Deutsch WMA | WMA | 313 | 249 | 7.8 mi | south |
Points: DNR WMA detail page map point (Compass feature_detail). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Round-Rice Bed WMA: the use rules
These are the use rules the agency lists for Round-Rice Bed WMA; posted signs on site still govern.
| Rule | What applies |
|---|---|
| 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 |
- The 80 acres wild rice bed in the middle of this WMA is a State Waterfowl Refuge.
Sources: record, agency rules; booklet: 2026-2027 Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations. Checked October 28, 2026.
When you can hunt Round-Rice Bed WMA
Every dated hunting window for Round-Rice Bed WMA: 20 species, 44 rows.
| Game | Segment | Where | Starts | Ends | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery | DPAs 155, 249 | Sep 19, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Deer | Youth deer | DPAs 155, 249 | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Deer | Firearms, 100 series | DPA 155 | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | |
| Deer | Firearms, 200 series | DPA 249 | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | |
| Deer | Muzzleloader | Statewide | Nov 28, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Quota areas | Quota areas 45, 46, 51 | Sep 1, 2026 | Oct 18, 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 |
Pheasant shooting starts at 9 a.m.; ducks, geese and small game stop at sunset.
From the 2026-2027 Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations booklet (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources); checked October 28, 2026. All Minnesota seasons.
Round-Rice Bed WMA deer calendar and limits
DPA 155 (100 series) is antlerless permit lottery in 2026; the antlerless lottery quota is 750. Without a lottery permit, firearm hunters in DPA 155 are limited to a buck.
| Season | Begins | Through | Today |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | Sep 19, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Youth deer | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Firearms, 100 series | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | |
| Muzzleloader | Nov 28, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 |
Testing for CWD is optional in DPA 155. Area of DPA 155: 528 sq mi. Counties in DPA 155: Aitkin, Crow Wing and Mille Lacs.
Further DPAs: DPA 249 (2-deer limit)
From the DNR 2026 deer season map and the 2026-2027 regulations booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
How many deer DPA 155 gives up around Round-Rice Bed WMA
DNR reports harvest by deer permit area, not by WMA or county; DPA 155 registered 1,134 deer in 2025, 21% up on 2024.
| Year | Adult bucks | Other deer | Total | Per sq mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 908 | 226 | 1,134 | 2.27 |
| 2024 | 745 | 192 | 937 | 1.88 |
| 2023 | 624 | 157 | 781 | 1.57 |
| 2022 | 737 | 555 | 1,292 | 2.59 |
| 2021 | 741 | 634 | 1,375 | 2.76 |
| 2020 | 768 | 1,026 | 1,794 | 3.60 |
| 2019 | 782 | 1,024 | 1,806 | 3.62 |
| 2018 | 1,194 | 1,689 | 2,883 | 4.86 |
| 2017 | 1,504 | 1,729 | 3,233 | 5.45 |
DNR 2025 deer harvest report; earlier years from the DNR yearly reports. Checked October 28, 2026.
Round-Rice Bed WMA: towns, DNR office and shops
Round-Rice Bed WMA is 2.2 mi from Garrison, the nearest community. Crosby is the bigger town nearby at 2,328 people. Directions on the DNR page begin at Garrison. Aitkin has the nearest DNR office to Round-Rice Bed WMA, 14 mi away.
| Nearest towns | County | Population | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garrison | Crow Wing | 201 | 2.2 mi | south |
| Deerwood | Crow Wing | 570 | 10.0 mi | north |
| Vineland | Mille Lacs | – | 11 mi | south |
| Crosby | Crow Wing | 2,328 | 12 mi | northwest |
| Cuyuna | Crow Wing | 327 | 13 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.
County rules that reach Round-Rice Bed WMA
Our Crow Wing County list runs to 49 public areas, including Round-Rice Bed WMA. Deer feeding and attractants are banned in Crow Wing County. Bear licenses here come from quota area 45, 51 and 46 (45 (700 permits), 51 (1500 permits) and 46 (950 permits)). Turkey permit area here: 508 and 507. The county's nearest wildlife office is Brainerd Area Wildlife Office in Brainerd. Crow Wing County also has 6 closed places, Borden Creek Aquatic Management Area among them.
County acres from DNR and federal GIS layers (counties.json); zones from the 2026-2027 booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
Shooting lines in reach of Round-Rice Bed Wildlife Management Area
Wealth Wood Rod and Gun Club sits 5 miles from Round-Rice Bed Wildlife Management Area, closer than any public range on file. Target shooting is off limits here.
From the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 28, 2026; target shooting rule from the DNR WMA rules.
Round-Rice Bed WMA country, seen through a lens
Round-Rice Bed WMA: sunrise, sunset and legal hours
These Round-Rice Bed WMA hours use the NOAA solar formula for the unit's coordinates.
| When | Event | Rise | Set | Opens | Deer, bear end | Birds end |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 19, 2026 | Archery and grouse opener | 6:57 a.m. | 7:22 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. | 7:52 p.m. | 7:22 p.m. |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Duck opener | 7:06 a.m. | 7:08 p.m. | 6:36 a.m. | 7:38 p.m. | 7:08 p.m. |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Pheasant opener | 7:24 a.m. | 6:40 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. | 7:10 p.m. | 6:40 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Firearms deer opener | 7:04 a.m. | 4:54 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. | 5:24 p.m. | 4:54 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Muzzleloader opener | 7:34 a.m. | 4:33 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. | 5:03 p.m. | 4:33 p.m. |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Archery close | 7:58 a.m. | 4:37 p.m. | 7:28 a.m. | 5:07 p.m. | 4:37 p.m. |
| Apr 14, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:32 a.m. | 8:00 p.m. | 6:02 a.m. | 8:30 p.m. | 8:00 p.m. |
Clock times include Daylight Saving Time until Nov. 1.
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.
Round-Rice Bed WMA: what hunters usually ask
What size is the Round-Rice Bed WMA unit?
Agency maps put it at 978 acres.
Round-Rice Bed WMA: which DPA sets the deer rules?
DPA 155, antlerless permit lottery for 2026. The rifle and shotgun season goes Nov 7 to Nov 22, 2026.
What is there to hunt on Round-Rice Bed WMA?
On the Round-Rice Bed WMA record the game list reads deer, black bear, small game, ruffed grouse and woodcock, waterfowl and wild turkey.
Where do you park at Round-Rice Bed WMA?
One land and one water access points. Land – From the junction of St. Hwys 169 and 18 in Garrison, E. on St. Hwy. 18 2.75 miles to parking lot on E. side. Water – From the jct of St. Hwys 169 and 18 in Garrison, E. on St. Hwy. 18 1.6 miles to creek. DNR maps 1 parking point.
Who should I contact about Round-Rice Bed WMA?
Round-Rice Bed WMA belongs to Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; the Brainerd office looks after it.
Is Round-Rice Bed WMA inside a CWD zone?
Round-Rice Bed WMA sits in DPA 155, which is outside the CWD zones, with optional testing.
What time can you shoot deer at Round-Rice Bed WMA on Nov. 7?
Nov. 7: 6:34 a.m. to 5:24 p.m. for deer, sunrise 7:04 a.m..
What other public tracts sit near Round-Rice Bed WMA?
Round-Rice Bed WMA neighbors on our list: Garrison AMA (1.9 mi), Hesitation WMA (2.9 mi) and Mille Lacs Moraine Scientific and Natural Area (3.4 mi).
Round-Rice Bed WMA: what are the stand and blind rules?
Take it down each evening. Round-Rice Bed WMA follows the WMA rule on daily removal of stands, blinds and other gear.
Are there campsites on Round-Rice Bed WMA?
WMA rules allow camping only in designated areas or with a permit.
Is Round-Rice Bed WMA public ground you can hunt?
Yes. A Minnesota license for the game you hunt is all you need on Round-Rice Bed WMA; WMA rules cover vehicles, stands and camping.
Round-Rice Bed WMA trip checklist from this page
No paper tags in Minnesota: validate the electronic license where the animal falls, then register it on time.
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: YellowstoneNPS (Public domain); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); Pictures by Ann (CC BY 2.0).