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Minnesota › Seasons › Minnesota State Game Refuges

Refuges

Minnesota State Game Refuges

47 refuges and the hunting and trapping each one allows.

Waterfowl zonesPublic land
47Refuges
24Small game
23Firearms deer

Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0)

How state game refuges work

A state game refuge is closed to hunting and trapping unless listed. Small game includes turkey, excludes waterfowl. Refuges may include private land. Cells checked against the rendered booklet pages. The booklet lists 47 refuges with their exceptions: 24 allow some small game hunting, 23 some firearms deer or bear hunting, and 2 allow ducks. Refuges open to goose hunting are listed on the waterfowl zones page.

47Refuges listed
24Some small game
23Some firearms deer
13Goose refuges

booklet state game refuge table, checked October 28, 2026.

All 47 state game refuges

CountyRefugeSmall gameTrappingDucksDeer/bear firearmsDeer/bear archery
BemidjiClosed Nov. 7-24Open for beaver, mink, muskrat and otterClosedMuzzleloader deer season onlyOpen
Hagali-RiceOpen Nov. 1Open Nov. 1ClosedOpenOpen
East Minnesota RiverArchery turkey onlyClosedClosedClosedOpen
Clay CountyOpenClosedClosedOpenOpen
Cross LakeArchery turkey onlyOpenClosedClosedOpen
BellwoodClosedOpenClosedClosedOpen
Dakota ·
CarletonClosedClosedClosedClosedSpecial archery deer hunt
ClaremontOpenOpenClosedMuzzleloader deer season onlyOpen
EvansvilleClosedOpenClosedOpenClosed
Lake WinonaClosedOpenClosedClosedClosed
MoscowOpenOpenClosedOpenOpen
Albert LeaOpenOpenClosedOpenOpen
Paul BunyanClosed Nov. 7-17OpenClosedMuzzleloader deer season onlyOpen
Park RapidsClosedOpenClosedClosedOpen
SchoolcraftClosed Nov. 7-24OpenClosedClosedOpen
Elizabeth LakeOpenOpenClosedOpenOpen
German LakeOpenOpenClosedOpenOpen
Lower Pigeon LakeClosedClosedClosedOpenOpen
Pigeon River FlowageClosedClosedClosedOpenOpen
Fish Lake-Ann RiverOpenOpenOpen for ducks and geeseOpenOpen
Fox LakeOpenOpenClosedOpenOpen
Glencoe Izaak Walton LeagueClosedOpenClosedClosedClosed
Gopher CampfireClosedOpenClosedClosedClosed
Lake RipleyOpen after duck seasonOpen after duck seasonClosedClosedClosed
Camp RipleyClosedClosedClosedClosedOpen for deer only by permit
Ocheda LakeOpen before duck season and after Dec. 1OpenClosedDeer before duck season and after Dec. 1Open for archery deer
RochesterOpenOpenClosedOpenOpen
Erhard's GroveOpenClosedClosedOpenOpen
Little Pine LakeClosedOpenClosedClosedClosed
Pine County Unit 2OpenOpenOpen for ducks and geeseClosedOpen
HiawathaOpen (shotgun only)OpenClosedClosedOpen
Oak LakeClosedOpenClosedClosedClosed
Polk ·
Polk-ClearwaterClosedOpenClosedClosedOpen
Nerstrand (written landowner permission required)OpenOpenClosedOpenOpen
Marvin LakeOpenOpenClosedOpenOpen
WarroadClosedOpenClosedClosedDeer only
ButterballClosedOpen Nov. 25ClosedClosedClosed
Little RiceClosedOpen Nov. 25ClosedClosedClosed
Clear LakeOpenClosedClosedDeer onlyDeer only
St. CloudClosedClosedClosedClosedSt. Cloud city permit may be required
Cedar LakeClosedClosedClosedDeer onlyDeer only
Collegeville (St. Johns)ClosedClosedClosedWritten permission requiredDeer only, written permission required
St. JamesClosedOpenClosedClosedClosed
Sunnyside Twp.ClosedOpenClosedClosedClosed
WhitewaterOpenOpen by permitClosedDeer only by permit; open during youth deer seasonClosed
Howard LakeClosedOpenClosedClosedClosed
Hanley FallsClosedClosedClosedClosedWritten permission required

booklet p. 114 (cells checked against the rendered booklet pages), checked October 28, 2026.

Other refuge notes

RefugeRule
Lac qui ParleDeer open; waterfowl at stations from Oct. 19 (p. 113); small game except Oct. 12-Nov. 30
RochesterUnprotected animals any time by any legal method
Ogechie Lake (Mille Lacs Co.)Closed to public hunting
Waterfowl zones and goose refugesPublic land hub

booklet refuge notes, checked October 28, 2026.

Keep reading: season guides

Waterfowl zones

Furbearer zones

CWD rules

Turkey permit areas

License costsLegal shooting hoursPublic land
Autumn trees around a lily-pad pond in Minnesota

Autumn trees around a lily-pad pond in Minnesota

Spruce, tamarack and aspen lining a calm northern Minnesota lake

Spruce, tamarack and aspen lining a calm northern Minnesota lake

Sunset reflected in the Minnesota River under scattered clouds

Sunset reflected in the Minnesota River under scattered clouds

Minnesota State Game Refuges, answered

Which refuges allow firearms deer hunting?

23 of the 47 refuges list some firearms deer or bear hunting; the table shows each one.

Where are goose hunting refuges listed?

On the waterfowl zones page, with the dates each refuge opens to geese.

Are Minnesota state game refuges open to hunting?

Only where the booklet lists an exception; otherwise a state game refuge is closed to hunting and trapping.

Does small game include turkey in the refuge table?

Yes. In the refuge table small game includes turkey and excludes waterfowl.

Can refuges include private land?

Yes. Refuge boundaries can include private land, which follows the refuge rules.

What does the refuge table allow at Camp Ripley?

Camp Ripley refuge: small game closed, archery open for deer only by permit.

Other photos on this page: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0).