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WMA · DPA 275
Hunting on Clair Rollings Wildlife Management Area in 2026-27
Wildlife management area hunting in Swift County: rules, season dates, parking and nearby public land.
Photo: Tony Webster (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Clair Rollings Wildlife Management Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Clair Rollings Wildlife Management Area
- Parking areaParking · 0.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.6 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 Clair Rollings WMA, summed up
The mapped area of Clair Rollings WMA is 535 acres, in Swift County. Swift County has 17 wildlife management areas on our list; this one is the 5th largest. Deer rules come from DPA 275, an either-sex area in 2026.
Appleton is the DNR wildlife area office for Clair Rollings WMA (appleton.wildlife@state.mn.us). DNR records Pittman-Robertson funding for Clair Rollings WMA.
Species named: deer, small game, ruffed grouse and woodcock, pheasant, waterfowl, wild turkey.
- White-tailed Deer
- Eastern Cottontail
- Gray Squirrel
- Snowshoe Hare
- Ruffed Grouse
- American Woodcock
- Ring-necked Pheasant
- Ducks
From the agency record (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources); checked October 28, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Clair Rollings Wildlife Management Area
Clair Rollings WMA regulations in short
Read these before a first trip to Clair Rollings 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 275 dates for Clair Rollings WMA
For 2026, DNR made DPA 275 either-sex; its firearms deer season is the 200-series window. Either-sex in DPA 275 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 275 takes in 977 square miles. Part of Swift, Stevens, Pope, Big Stone and Chippewa falls in DPA 275.
From the DNR 2026 deer season map and the 2026-2027 regulations booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
Hunting seasons at Clair Rollings WMA
43 season windows for 20 species reach Clair Rollings WMA, filtered by its game species list.
| Game | Season | Area | From | To | Open now? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery | DPA 275 | Sep 19, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Deer | Youth deer | DPA 275 | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Deer | Firearms, 200 series | DPA 275 | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | |
| Deer | Muzzleloader | Statewide | Nov 28, 2026 | Dec 13, 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 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.
Clair Rollings WMA directions and parking
The DNR route text for each subunit of Clair Rollings WMA, with 2 mapped lots.
| Unit | Size | Closest town | Hunting | Parking spots | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clair Rollings WMA | 535 | Benson | Open | 2 | DNR |
- Clair Rollings WMA: From Benson, go 1.5 miles S on SH 29 then 1 mile on CO RD 75
DNR WMA detail pages (Compass feature records); checked October 28, 2026.
Other places to hunt near Clair Rollings WMA
The closest other public land to Clair Rollings WMA is Jossart WMA, 2.2 mi to the southeast; the table lists 8 neighbors with 5,254 acres between them.
| Name | Type | Size (ac) | Deer area | Away | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jossart WMA | WMA | 200 | 275 | 2.2 mi | southeast |
| Benson WPA | WPA | 106 | 275 | 2.5 mi | north |
| Danvers WMA | WMA | 3,033 | 275 | 3.9 mi | northwest |
| Lynch Lake WPA | WPA | 767 | 275 | 4.7 mi | north |
| Tjosaas WMA | WMA | 98 | 275 | 6.7 mi | south |
| Henry X WMA | WMA | 194 | 275, 277 | 7.2 mi | northeast |
| Bench WMA | WMA | 614 | 277 | 8.6 mi | northeast |
| Welker WPA | WPA | 241 | 275 | 9.7 mi | northeast |
Points: DNR WMA detail page map point (Compass feature_detail). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Towns and offices around Clair Rollings WMA
The town nearest Clair Rollings WMA is Benson at 3.8 mi. DNR names Benson as the nearest town on its unit page. Appleton Area Wildlife Office (Watson) is the closest DNR office, 19 mi off.
| Community | County | Residents | Straight line | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benson | Swift | 3,414 | 3.8 mi | northeast |
| Danvers | Swift | 100 | 4.5 mi | west |
| Clontarf | Swift | 126 | 7.1 mi | north |
| De Graff | Swift | 108 | 9.5 mi | east |
| Holloway | Swift | 86 | 12 mi | west |
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.
Clair Rollings WMA area deer harvest by year
DPA 275 totals, which include all the land around Clair Rollings WMA: 997 deer in 2025 against 880 in 2024.
| Year | Bucks | Does, fawns | All deer | Per sq mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 778 | 219 | 997 | 1.04 |
| 2024 | 709 | 171 | 880 | 0.92 |
| 2023 | 563 | 212 | 775 | 0.81 |
| 2022 | 624 | 218 | 842 | 0.88 |
| 2021 | 694 | 162 | 856 | 0.89 |
| 2020 | 453 | 143 | 596 | 0.78 |
| 2019 | 416 | 122 | 538 | 0.70 |
| 2018 | 382 | 149 | 531 | 0.70 |
| 2017 | 417 | 140 | 557 | 0.73 |
DNR 2025 deer harvest report; earlier years from the DNR yearly reports. Checked October 28, 2026.
The county setting of Clair Rollings WMA
Swift County holds 52 public hunting records on this site; Clair Rollings WMA is one of them. Bear: Swift County is in the no-quota area, with licenses over the counter. For turkey the county is in permit area 506 and 505. Wildlife office for Swift County: Appleton Area Wildlife Office.
County acres from DNR and federal GIS layers (counties.json); zones from the 2026-2027 booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
Clair Rollings WMA: first legal light and last
Calculated for the exact spot of Clair Rollings 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. | 7:29 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. | 7:59 p.m. | 7:29 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. | 6:49 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. | 7:19 p.m. | 6:49 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Firearms deer opener | 7:09 a.m. | 5:04 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. | 5:34 p.m. | 5:04 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Muzzleloader opener | 7:38 a.m. | 4:44 p.m. | 7:08 a.m. | 5:14 p.m. | 4:44 p.m. |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Archery close | 8:02 a.m. | 4:49 p.m. | 7:32 a.m. | 5:19 p.m. | 4:49 p.m. |
| Apr 14, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:41 a.m. | 8:05 p.m. | 6:11 a.m. | 8:35 p.m. | 8:05 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.
Clair Rollings Wildlife Management Area and nearby events
1 upcoming event on this property or within about 10 miles (NWTF chapter banquet). Checked October 28, 2026.
Upcoming here
| Date | Event | Miles | Where | Sign up | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 27, 2027 | Swift County Gobblers Banquet, an NWTF chapter banquet | 4 | Benson | Buy tickets | Source |
Clair Rollings Wildlife Management Area hunters: nearest gun clubs on file
Before a hunt on Clair Rollings Wildlife Management Area, the closest range on file is Charlies Hunting Club, 4 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.
Clair Rollings WMA and country like it, in photos
Clair Rollings WMA FAQ for 2026-27
What are the CWD rules on Clair Rollings WMA?
CWD status: DPA 275 is in the 2026 surveillance block (mandatory sampling Nov. 7-8).
Clair Rollings WMA: deer hours on opening day?
About 6:39 a.m. to 5:34 p.m. on opening day of firearms deer.
Any other public ground within a short drive of Clair Rollings WMA?
Closest on the map: Jossart WMA (2.2 mi), Benson WPA (Swift County) (2.5 mi) and Danvers WMA (3.9 mi).
Are permanent stands allowed on Clair Rollings WMA?
No overnight gear on Clair Rollings WMA: stands and blinds go home each day unless the northwest exception covers the unit.
Can I stay the night on Clair Rollings WMA?
No, except designated sites or by permit.
Clair Rollings WMA: is hunting allowed there?
Open to hunting in regular seasons, under the general WMA rules and any notes on the unit page.
Is Clair Rollings WMA a big piece of land?
About 535 acres, per the agency GIS.
When does firearms deer season open on Clair Rollings WMA?
Deer permit area 275; the 2026 designation is either-sex. Firearms dates in that DPA are Nov 7 to Nov 15, 2026.
What game is on Clair Rollings WMA?
The record for Clair Rollings WMA lists deer, small game, ruffed grouse and woodcock, pheasant, waterfowl and wild turkey.
What are the directions to Clair Rollings WMA?
From Benson, go 1.5 miles S on SH 29 then 1 mile on CO RD 75 2 mapped lots.
Which office should I call about Clair Rollings WMA?
The Appleton office of Minnesota Department of Natural Resources runs Clair Rollings WMA.
Other photos on this page: Tony Webster (CC BY 2.0); Tony Webster (CC BY-SA 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain).