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WMA · DPA 171
Hunting on Birchdale Wildlife Management Area in 2026-27
Wildlife management area hunting in Crow Wing County: rules, season dates, parking and nearby public land.
Photo: Sharon Mollerus (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Birchdale Wildlife Management Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Birchdale Wildlife Management Area
- Parking areaParking · 0.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.5 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 Birchdale WMA, summed up
The mapped area of Birchdale WMA is 1,426 acres, in Crow Wing County. Crow Wing County has 19 wildlife management areas on our list; this one is the 1st largest. Deer rules come from DPA 171, an antlerless permit lottery area in 2026.
Brainerd is the DNR wildlife area office for Birchdale WMA (brainerd.wildlife@state.mn.us). DNR records Pittman-Robertson funding for Birchdale WMA.
The WMA page says: An old water control structure at the Birchdale Lake outlet was removed in 2003 through a coop project with Ducks Unlimited. The goal was to restore natural water level regimes at this outlet to improve wild rice production and waterfowl use of the lake. Water access to Birchdale Lake is a carry-in/canoe type only and is very difficult (1/4 mile along narrow stream and over bog).
Species named: 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 Birchdale Wildlife Management Area
Birchdale WMA regulations in short
Read these before a first trip to Birchdale 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 171 dates for Birchdale WMA
For 2026, DNR made DPA 171 antlerless permit lottery and offered 500 antlerless permits by lottery; its firearms deer season is the 100-series window. The Sept. 10 lottery hands out the antlerless permits for DPA 171.
| Deer season | Opens | Closes | 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 |
No mandatory CWD sampling in DPA 171; testing is optional. DPA 171 takes in 769 square miles. Part of Aitkin, Cass and Crow Wing falls in DPA 171.
From the DNR 2026 deer season map and the 2026-2027 regulations booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
Hunting seasons at Birchdale WMA
43 season windows for 20 species reach Birchdale WMA, filtered by its game species list.
| Game | Season | Area | From | To | Open now? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery | DPA 171 | Sep 19, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Deer | Youth deer | DPA 171 | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Deer | Firearms, 100 series | DPA 171 | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 22, 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 |
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.
Birchdale WMA directions and parking
The DNR route text for each subunit of Birchdale WMA, with 2 mapped lots.
| Unit | Size | Closest town | Hunting | Parking spots | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birchdale WMA | 1,426 | Emily | Open | 2 | DNR |
- Birchdale WMA: From the junction of St. Hwy. 6 and Co. Rd. 1 in Emily, east on County Road. 1 5.8 miles, south on County Road 106 1.7 miles to the Birchdale wildlife management area access trail entrance in the southwest corner of the County Road. None
DNR WMA detail pages (Compass feature records); checked October 28, 2026.
Other places to hunt near Birchdale WMA
The closest other public land to Birchdale WMA is Duck Lake WMA, 2.4 mi to the northwest; the table lists 8 neighbors with 3,838 acres between them.
| Name | Type | Size (ac) | Deer area | Away | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duck Lake WMA | WMA | 1,041 | 171 | 2.4 mi | northwest |
| Emily State Forest | State forest | 640 | 604 | 3.1 mi | west |
| Rogers Lake AMA | AMA | 54 | 604 | 4.7 mi | southwest |
| Ruth Lake AMA | AMA | 20 | 171 | 5.5 mi | northwest |
| Upper Dean WMA | WMA | 40 | 604 | 5.8 mi | south |
| Little Willow River WMA | WMA | 1,860 | 171 | 7.2 mi | east |
| Roosevelt Lake AMA | AMA | 110 | 172 | 8.1 mi | northwest |
| Allen Lake AMA | AMA | 73 | 172 | 8.3 mi | northwest |
Points: DNR WMA detail page map point (Compass feature_detail). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Towns and offices around Birchdale WMA
The town nearest Birchdale WMA is Emily at 6.9 mi. Crosslake (2,412 in 2024) is the largest of these towns. DNR names Emily as the nearest town on its unit page. Aitkin Area Wildlife Office (Aitkin) is the closest DNR office, 16 mi off.
| Community | County | Residents | Straight line | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emily | Crow Wing | 863 | 6.9 mi | northwest |
| Crosslake | Crow Wing | 2,412 | 12 mi | west |
| Fifty Lakes | Crow Wing | 449 | 13 mi | west |
| Manhattan Beach | Crow Wing | 63 | 14 mi | west |
| Aitkin | Aitkin | 2,174 | 15 mi | southeast |
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.
Birchdale WMA area deer harvest by year
DPA 171 totals, which include all the land around Birchdale WMA: 1,165 deer in 2025 against 1,068 in 2024.
| Year | Bucks | Does, fawns | All deer | Per sq mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 959 | 206 | 1,165 | 1.57 |
| 2024 | 880 | 188 | 1,068 | 1.44 |
| 2023 | 664 | 155 | 819 | 1.11 |
| 2022 | 632 | 348 | 980 | 1.32 |
| 2021 | 746 | 386 | 1,132 | 1.53 |
| 2020 | 460 | 604 | 1,064 | 1.70 |
| 2019 | 626 | 651 | 1,277 | 2.04 |
| 2018 | 916 | 853 | 1,769 | 2.52 |
| 2017 | 1,161 | 1,544 | 2,705 | 3.86 |
DNR 2025 deer harvest report; earlier years from the DNR yearly reports. Checked October 28, 2026.
The county setting of Birchdale WMA
Crow Wing County holds 49 public hunting records on this site; Birchdale WMA is one of them. No deer feeding or attractants in Crow Wing County (DNR ban). Bear permit area 45, 51 and 46 covers part of Crow Wing County (45 (700 permits), 51 (1500 permits) and 46 (950 permits)). For turkey the county is in permit area 508 and 507. Wildlife office for Crow Wing County: Brainerd Area Wildlife Office. Unlike Birchdale WMA, Borden Creek Aquatic Management Area and Hubert Lake Aquatic Management 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.
Birchdale WMA: first legal light and last
Calculated for the exact spot of Birchdale 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 | 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 | 7:05 a.m. | 4:53 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. | 5:23 p.m. | 4:53 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Muzzleloader opener | 7:35 a.m. | 4:32 p.m. | 7:05 a.m. | 5:02 p.m. | 4:32 p.m. |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Archery close | 8:00 a.m. | 4:36 p.m. | 7:30 a.m. | 5:06 p.m. | 4:36 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. |
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.
Birchdale Wildlife Management Area hunters: nearest gun clubs on file
Before a hunt on Birchdale Wildlife Management Area, the closest range on file is Moose-Willow Sportsmen Club, 15 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.
Birchdale WMA and country like it, in photos
Birchdale WMA FAQ for 2026-27
When does firearms deer season open on Birchdale WMA?
Deer permit area 171; the 2026 designation is antlerless permit lottery. Firearms dates in that DPA are Nov 7 to Nov 22, 2026.
What game is on Birchdale WMA?
The record for Birchdale WMA lists deer, black bear, small game, ruffed grouse and woodcock, waterfowl and wild turkey.
What are the directions to Birchdale WMA?
From the junction of St. Hwy. 6 and Co. Rd. 1 in Emily, east on County Road. 1 5.8 miles, south on County Road 106 1.7 miles to the Birchdale wildlife management area access trail entrance in the southwest corner of the County Road. 2 mapped lots.
Which office should I call about Birchdale WMA?
The Brainerd office of Minnesota Department of Natural Resources runs Birchdale WMA.
What are the CWD rules on Birchdale WMA?
CWD status: DPA 171 is outside the CWD zones, with optional testing.
Birchdale WMA: deer hours on opening day?
About 6:35 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. on opening day of firearms deer.
Any other public ground within a short drive of Birchdale WMA?
Closest on the map: Duck Lake WMA (2.4 mi), Emily State Forest (3.1 mi) and Rogers Lake AMA (4.7 mi).
Are permanent stands allowed on Birchdale WMA?
No overnight gear on Birchdale WMA: stands and blinds go home each day unless the northwest exception covers the unit.
Can I stay the night on Birchdale WMA?
No, except designated sites or by permit.
Birchdale WMA: is hunting allowed there?
Open to hunting in regular seasons, under the general WMA rules and any notes on the unit page.
Is Birchdale WMA a big piece of land?
About 1,426 acres, per the agency GIS.
Other photos on this page: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain).