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WMA · 2026-27
Grey Eagle Wildlife Management Area hunting guide and rules
Everything we could verify about this wildlife management area in Todd County.
Photo: Tony Webster (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Grey Eagle Wildlife Management Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Grey Eagle Wildlife Management Area
- Parking areaParking · 0.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.7 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.
Grey Eagle WMA: acres, owner and deer area
Grey Eagle WMA spreads over 1,407 acres of Todd County. Of 30 wildlife management areas in Todd County, Grey Eagle WMA is number 2 by acreage. Hunters on Grey Eagle WMA follow DPA 215, which DNR made 3-deer limit for 2026.
The DNR Little Falls area wildlife office manages it (littlefalls.wildlife@state.mn.us). The Grey Eagle WMA record names Pittman-Robertson federal aid.
Game species: deer, small game, ruffed grouse and woodcock, pheasant, waterfowl, wild turkey, mourning dove.
- 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 Grey Eagle Wildlife Management Area
Parking lots and routes for Grey Eagle WMA
Grey Eagle WMA has 3 DNR parking points; directions below are the DNR route text.
| Subunit | Acres | Nearest town | Hunting | Parking | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grey Eagle WMA | 1,407 | Grey Eagle | Open | 3 | DNR |
- Grey Eagle WMA: From Grey Eagle, go 3 miles west on county road 98. Disabled access is limited to the township roads and parking lots that are off of 253rd Avenue and the other parking lot off of 130th Street.
DNR WMA detail pages (Compass feature records); checked October 28, 2026.
Map: Grey Eagle WMA and its neighbors
8 public areas lie within 45 miles of Grey Eagle WMA, adding 1,232 acres; Elgin Woods WMA is closest.
| Public land | Type | Acres | DPA | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elgin Woods WMA | WMA | 240 | 215 | 2.0 mi | southwest |
| Little Birch Lake AMA | AMA | 24 | 215 | 3.4 mi | southeast |
| Birch Lakes State Forest | State forest | 519 | 215 | 4.6 mi | southeast |
| Twin Lakes WPA | WPA | 159 | 215 | 4.9 mi | southwest |
| Ostendorff WMA | WMA | 54 | 215 | 5.0 mi | east |
| Big Birch Lake AMA | AMA | 0.9 | 215 | 5.3 mi | southeast |
| Buckhorn Lake WMA | WMA | 157 | 215 | 6.2 mi | east |
| Ireland WMA | WMA | 79 | 215 | 6.8 mi | northeast |
Points: DNR WMA detail page map point (Compass feature_detail). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Grey Eagle WMA: the use rules
These are the use rules the agency lists for Grey Eagle 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 |
- Motorized vehicles are prohibited on the WMA except on designated routes and parking lots. Off-highway vehicles (OHVs), all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), and snowmobiles are prohibited anywhere on the WMA, including on designated parking lots and access roads.
Sources: record, agency rules; booklet: 2026-2027 Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations. Checked October 28, 2026.
When you can hunt Grey Eagle WMA
Every dated hunting window for Grey Eagle WMA: 21 species, 45 rows.
| Game | Segment | Where | Starts | Ends | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery | DPA 215 | Sep 19, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Deer | Early antlerless | DPA 215 | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Deer | Youth deer | DPA 215 | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Deer | Firearms, 200 series | DPA 215 | 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 | |
| Mourning dove | Regular | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 29, 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.
Grey Eagle WMA deer calendar and limits
DPA 215 (200 series) is 3-deer limit in 2026. Hunters may take up to 3 deer in DPA 215 across licenses and bonus permits; only one may be a buck in most DPAs.
| Season | Begins | Through | Today |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | Sep 19, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Youth deer | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Early antlerless | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Firearms, 200 series | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | |
| Muzzleloader | Nov 28, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 |
Opening-weekend sampling is required in this surveillance block DPA. Area of DPA 215: 730 sq mi. Counties in DPA 215: Stearns, Morrison, Todd and Benton.
From the DNR 2026 deer season map and the 2026-2027 regulations booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
How many deer DPA 215 gives up around Grey Eagle WMA
DNR reports harvest by deer permit area, not by WMA or county; DPA 215 registered 5,267 deer in 2025, 7% up on 2024.
| Year | Adult bucks | Other deer | Total | Per sq mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,387 | 2,880 | 5,267 | 7.51 |
| 2024 | 2,390 | 2,523 | 4,913 | 7.01 |
| 2023 | 1,853 | 2,465 | 4,318 | 6.16 |
| 2022 | 1,856 | 2,490 | 4,346 | 6.20 |
| 2021 | 2,067 | 2,528 | 4,595 | 6.55 |
| 2020 | 2,094 | 3,070 | 5,164 | 7.36 |
| 2019 | 1,877 | 2,333 | 4,210 | 6.00 |
| 2018 | 1,728 | 2,333 | 4,061 | 5.79 |
| 2017 | 1,778 | 2,292 | 4,070 | 5.80 |
DNR 2025 deer harvest report; earlier years from the DNR yearly reports. Checked October 28, 2026.
Grey Eagle WMA: towns, DNR office and shops
Grey Eagle WMA is 3.8 mi from Grey Eagle, the nearest community. Sauk Centre is the bigger town nearby at 4,682 people. Directions on the DNR page begin at Grey Eagle. Little Falls has the nearest DNR office to Grey Eagle WMA, 26 mi away.
| Nearest towns | County | Population | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grey Eagle | Todd | 324 | 3.8 mi | east |
| Burtrum | Todd | 122 | 7.4 mi | northeast |
| Sauk Centre | Stearns | 4,682 | 8.5 mi | southwest |
| St. Rosa | Stearns | 58 | 8.7 mi | southeast |
| Melrose | Stearns | 3,911 | 10 mi | south |
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 Grey Eagle WMA
Our Todd County list runs to 40 public areas, including Grey Eagle WMA. Bear licenses here come from quota area 45 (45 (700 permits)). Turkey permit area here: 507. The county's nearest wildlife office is Little Falls Area Wildlife Office in Little Falls. Todd County also has 2 closed places, Jensen 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 Grey Eagle Wildlife Management Area
Beste's Sporting Clays and Pheasant Hunting Preserve sits 11 miles from Grey Eagle 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.
Grey Eagle WMA country, seen through a lens
Grey Eagle WMA: sunrise, sunset and legal hours
These Grey Eagle 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 | 7:01 a.m. | 7:25 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. | 7:55 p.m. | 7:25 p.m. |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Duck opener | 7:10 a.m. | 7:12 p.m. | 6:40 a.m. | 7:42 p.m. | 7:12 p.m. |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Pheasant opener | 7:28 a.m. | 6:45 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. | 7:15 p.m. | 6:45 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Firearms deer opener | 7:07 a.m. | 4:59 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. | 5:29 p.m. | 4:59 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Muzzleloader opener | 7:36 a.m. | 4:39 p.m. | 7:06 a.m. | 5:09 p.m. | 4:39 p.m. |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Archery close | 8:00 a.m. | 4:43 p.m. | 7:30 a.m. | 5:13 p.m. | 4:43 p.m. |
| Apr 14, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:37 a.m. | 8:03 p.m. | 6:07 a.m. | 8:33 p.m. | 8:03 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.
Grey Eagle WMA: what hunters usually ask
Grey Eagle WMA: what are the stand and blind rules?
Take it down each evening. Grey Eagle WMA follows the WMA rule on daily removal of stands, blinds and other gear.
Are there campsites on Grey Eagle WMA?
WMA rules allow camping only in designated areas or with a permit.
Is Grey Eagle WMA public ground you can hunt?
Yes. A Minnesota license for the game you hunt is all you need on Grey Eagle WMA; WMA rules cover vehicles, stands and camping.
What size is the Grey Eagle WMA unit?
Agency maps put it at 1,407 acres.
Grey Eagle WMA: which DPA sets the deer rules?
DPA 215, 3-deer limit for 2026. The rifle and shotgun season goes Nov 7 to Nov 15, 2026.
What is there to hunt on Grey Eagle WMA?
On the Grey Eagle WMA record the game list reads deer, small game, ruffed grouse and woodcock, pheasant, waterfowl, wild turkey and mourning dove.
Where do you park at Grey Eagle WMA?
From Grey Eagle, go 3 miles west on county road 98. DNR maps 3 parking points.
Who should I contact about Grey Eagle WMA?
Grey Eagle WMA belongs to Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; the Little Falls office looks after it.
Is Grey Eagle WMA inside a CWD zone?
Grey Eagle WMA sits in DPA 215, which is in the 2026 surveillance block (mandatory sampling Nov. 7-8).
What time can you shoot deer at Grey Eagle WMA on Nov. 7?
Nov. 7: 6:37 a.m. to 5:29 p.m. for deer, sunrise 7:07 a.m..
What other public tracts sit near Grey Eagle WMA?
Grey Eagle WMA neighbors on our list: Elgin Woods WMA (2.0 mi), Little Birch Lake AMA (3.4 mi) and Birch Lakes State Forest (4.6 mi).
Grey Eagle 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: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); cuatrok77 (CC BY-SA 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain).