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WMA · DPA 250
Hunting on Sioux Valley Wildlife Management Area in 2026-27
Wildlife management area hunting in Jackson County: rules, season dates, parking and nearby public land.
Photo: Tony Webster (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Sioux Valley Wildlife Management Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Sioux Valley Wildlife Management Area
- Parking areaParking · 0.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.8 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 Sioux Valley WMA, summed up
The mapped area of Sioux Valley WMA is 608 acres, in Jackson County. Jackson County has 32 wildlife management areas on our list; this one is the 3rd largest. Deer rules come from DPA 250, an either-sex area in 2026.
Windom is the DNR wildlife area office for Sioux Valley WMA (windom.wildlife@state.mn.us). DNR records Pittman-Robertson funding for Sioux Valley WMA.
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 Sioux Valley Wildlife Management Area
Sioux Valley WMA regulations in short
Read these before a first trip to Sioux Valley 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 250 dates for Sioux Valley WMA
For 2026, DNR made DPA 250 either-sex; its firearms deer season is the 200-series window. Either-sex in DPA 250 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 250 takes in 730 square miles. Part of Jackson, Cottonwood and Nobles falls in DPA 250.
From the DNR 2026 deer season map and the 2026-2027 regulations booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
Hunting seasons at Sioux Valley WMA
33 season windows for 18 species reach Sioux Valley WMA, filtered by its game species list.
| Game | Season | Area | From | To | Open now? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery | DPA 250 | Sep 19, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Deer | Youth deer | DPA 250 | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Deer | Firearms, 200 series | DPA 250 | 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.
Sioux Valley WMA directions and parking
The DNR route text for each subunit of Sioux Valley WMA, with 1 mapped lot.
| Unit | Size | Closest town | Hunting | Parking spots | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux Valley WMA | 608 | Sioux Valley | Open | 1 | DNR |
- Sioux Valley WMA: From Sioux Valley, go 1 mile S on Co Rd 9 then 1 mile E on Twp Rd
DNR WMA detail pages (Compass feature records); checked October 28, 2026.
Other places to hunt near Sioux Valley WMA
The closest other public land to Sioux Valley WMA is Skunk Creek WPA, 0.6 mi to the west; the table lists 8 neighbors with 2,188 acres between them.
| Name | Type | Size (ac) | Deer area | Away | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skunk Creek WPA | WPA | 235 | 250 | 0.6 mi | west |
| Skunk Lake WPA | WPA | 28 | 250 | 0.7 mi | northeast |
| West Fork WPA | WPA | 83 | 250 | 1.0 mi | west |
| Skunk Lake WMA | WMA | 238 | 250 | 1.5 mi | east |
| Sioux Valley WPA | WPA | 103 | 250 | 1.6 mi | west |
| Minnesota WPA | WPA | 316 | 250 | 1.8 mi | southwest |
| Little Sioux WPA | WPA | 183 | 250 | 4.5 mi | east |
| Sioux Forks WPA | WPA | 1,002 | 250 | 4.5 mi | east |
Points: DNR WMA detail page map point (Compass feature_detail). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Towns and offices around Sioux Valley WMA
The town nearest Sioux Valley WMA is Round Lake at 9.2 mi. Jackson (3,252 in 2024) is the largest of these towns. DNR names Sioux Valley as the nearest town on its unit page. Windom Area Wildlife Office (Windom) is the closest DNR office, 25 mi off.
| Community | County | Residents | Straight line | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round Lake | Nobles | 367 | 9.2 mi | west |
| Lakefield | Jackson | 1,710 | 12 mi | northeast |
| Brewster | Nobles | 500 | 15 mi | northwest |
| Okabena | Jackson | 201 | 15 mi | north |
| Jackson | Jackson | 3,252 | 17 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.
Sioux Valley WMA area deer harvest by year
DPA 250 totals, which include all the land around Sioux Valley WMA: 505 deer in 2025 against 479 in 2024.
| Year | Bucks | Does, fawns | All deer | Per sq mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 401 | 104 | 505 | 0.71 |
| 2024 | 334 | 145 | 479 | 0.67 |
| 2023 | 345 | 152 | 497 | 0.70 |
| 2022 | 411 | 150 | 561 | 0.79 |
| 2021 | 396 | 136 | 532 | 0.75 |
| 2020 | 413 | 124 | 537 | 0.75 |
| 2019 | 394 | 141 | 535 | 0.75 |
| 2018 | 384 | 137 | 521 | 0.73 |
| 2017 | 363 | 162 | 525 | 0.74 |
DNR 2025 deer harvest report; earlier years from the DNR yearly reports. Checked October 28, 2026.
The county setting of Sioux Valley WMA
Jackson County holds 63 public hunting records on this site; Sioux Valley WMA is one of them. Rifles are legal statewide since 2025, but Jackson County has a shotgun-only ordinance (shotgun-only ordinance). Bear: Jackson County is in the no-quota area, with licenses over the counter. For turkey the county is in permit area 504. Wildlife office for Jackson County: Windom Area Wildlife Office. Unlike Sioux Valley WMA, Des Moines River Scientific and Natural Area and Holthe Prairie 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.
Sioux Valley WMA: first legal light and last
Calculated for the exact spot of Sioux Valley 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 | 7:04 a.m. | 7:26 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. | 7:56 p.m. | 7:26 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 | 7:04 a.m. | 5:06 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. | 5:36 p.m. | 5:06 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Muzzleloader opener | 7:30 a.m. | 4:48 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. | 5:18 p.m. | 4:48 p.m. |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Archery close | 7:54 a.m. | 4:53 p.m. | 7:24 a.m. | 5:23 p.m. | 4:53 p.m. |
| Apr 14, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:42 a.m. | 8:01 p.m. | 6:12 a.m. | 8:31 p.m. | 8:01 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.
Sioux Valley Wildlife Management Area hunters: nearest gun clubs on file
Before a hunt on Sioux Valley Wildlife Management Area, the closest range on file is Horse Barn & Hunt Club, 16 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.
Sioux Valley WMA and country like it, in photos
Sioux Valley WMA FAQ for 2026-27
Sioux Valley WMA: is hunting allowed there?
Open to hunting in regular seasons, under the general WMA rules and any notes on the unit page.
Is Sioux Valley WMA a big piece of land?
About 608 acres, per the agency GIS.
When does firearms deer season open on Sioux Valley WMA?
Deer permit area 250; the 2026 designation is either-sex. Firearms dates in that DPA are Nov 7 to Nov 15, 2026.
What game is on Sioux Valley WMA?
The record for Sioux Valley WMA lists deer, small game, pheasant and waterfowl.
What are the directions to Sioux Valley WMA?
From Sioux Valley, go 1 mile S on Co Rd 9 then 1 mile E on Twp Rd 1 mapped lot.
Which office should I call about Sioux Valley WMA?
The Windom office of Minnesota Department of Natural Resources runs Sioux Valley WMA.
What are the CWD rules on Sioux Valley WMA?
CWD status: DPA 250 is in the 2026 surveillance block (mandatory sampling Nov. 7-8).
Sioux Valley WMA: deer hours on opening day?
About 6:34 a.m. to 5:36 p.m. on opening day of firearms deer.
Any other public ground within a short drive of Sioux Valley WMA?
Closest on the map: Skunk Creek WPA (0.6 mi), Skunk Lake WPA (0.7 mi) and West Fork WPA (1.0 mi).
Are permanent stands allowed on Sioux Valley WMA?
No overnight gear on Sioux Valley WMA: stands and blinds go home each day unless the northwest exception covers the unit.
Can I stay the night on Sioux Valley 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); NPS Photo (Public domain).