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WMA · DPA 286
Hunting on Hopeful Wildlife Management Area in 2026-27
Wildlife management area hunting in Lincoln County and 1 neighbor: rules, season dates, parking and nearby public land.
Photo: kjell (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Hopeful Wildlife Management Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Hopeful Wildlife Management Area
- Parking areaParking · 2.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.8 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 Hopeful WMA, summed up
The mapped area of Hopeful WMA is 590 acres, in Lincoln and Lyon counties. Lincoln County has 62 wildlife management areas on our list; this one is the 6th largest. Deer rules come from DPA 286, an either-sex area in 2026.
Marshall is the DNR wildlife area office for Hopeful WMA (marshall.wildlife@state.mn.us).
Species named: deer, small game, pheasant, waterfowl, wild turkey, mourning dove.
- White-tailed Deer
- Eastern Cottontail
- Gray Squirrel
- Snowshoe Hare
- Ring-necked Pheasant
- Ducks
- Canada Goose
- Wild Turkey
From the agency record (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources); checked October 28, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Hopeful Wildlife Management Area
Hopeful WMA regulations in short
Read these before a first trip to Hopeful 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 286 dates for Hopeful WMA
For 2026, DNR made DPA 286 either-sex; its firearms deer season is the 200-series window. Either-sex in DPA 286 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 286 takes in 459 square miles. DPA 286 stays inside the Lincoln County line.
From the DNR 2026 deer season map and the 2026-2027 regulations booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
Hunting seasons at Hopeful WMA
43 season windows for 20 species reach Hopeful WMA, filtered by its game species list.
| Game | Season | Area | From | To | Open now? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery | DPA 286 | Sep 19, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Deer | Youth deer | DPA 286 | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Deer | Firearms, 200 series | DPA 286 | 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 | |
| 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 |
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.
Hopeful WMA directions and parking
The DNR route text for each subunit of Hopeful WMA, with 0 mapped lots.
| Unit | Size | Closest town | Hunting | Parking spots | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hopeful WMA | 590 | Tyler | Open | – | DNR |
- Hopeful WMA: From Tyler, go 2.2 mile east on US Hwy 14.
DNR WMA detail pages (Compass feature records); checked October 28, 2026.
Other places to hunt near Hopeful WMA
The closest other public land to Hopeful WMA is Hope WMA, 1.7 mi to the southeast; the table lists 8 neighbors with 2,143 acres between them.
| Name | Type | Size (ac) | Deer area | Away | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hope WMA | WMA | 214 | 294 | 1.7 mi | southeast |
| Jessen WPA | WPA | 81 | 294 | 2.3 mi | southwest |
| Norgaard WMA | WMA | 21 | 286 | 2.7 mi | north |
| Tyler WMA | WMA | 463 | 286, 294 | 3.1 mi | west |
| Nyroca Flats WMA | WMA | 42 | 294 | 3.8 mi | southeast |
| Discors WMA | WMA | 141 | 286 | 3.8 mi | west |
| Marshfield WMA | WMA | 78 | 286 | 5.3 mi | northwest |
| Coon Creek WMA | WMA | 1,103 | 286, 288 | 5.8 mi | north |
Points: DNR WMA detail page map point (Compass feature_detail). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Towns and offices around Hopeful WMA
The town nearest Hopeful WMA is Florence at 2.5 mi. Tyler (1,102 in 2024) is the largest of these towns. DNR names Tyler as the nearest town on its unit page. Marshall Area Wildlife Office (Marshall) is the closest DNR office, 22 mi off.
| Community | County | Residents | Straight line | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florence | Lyon | 21 | 2.5 mi | southeast |
| Tyler | Lincoln | 1,102 | 2.6 mi | northwest |
| Ruthton | Pipestone | 217 | 5.9 mi | south |
| Russell | Lyon | 356 | 8.2 mi | northeast |
| Arco | Lincoln | 85 | 9.7 mi | northwest |
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.
Hopeful WMA area deer harvest by year
DPA 286 totals, which include all the land around Hopeful WMA: 588 deer in 2025 against 497 in 2024.
| Year | Bucks | Does, fawns | All deer | Per sq mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 365 | 223 | 588 | 1.32 |
| 2024 | 349 | 148 | 497 | 1.11 |
| 2023 | 272 | 164 | 436 | 0.98 |
| 2022 | 317 | 172 | 489 | 1.10 |
| 2021 | 339 | 182 | 521 | 1.17 |
| 2020 | 323 | 209 | 532 | 1.19 |
| 2019 | 318 | 183 | 501 | 1.12 |
| 2018 | 248 | 162 | 410 | 0.92 |
| 2017 | 299 | 133 | 432 | 0.97 |
DNR 2025 deer harvest report; earlier years from the DNR yearly reports. Checked October 28, 2026.
The county setting of Hopeful WMA
Lincoln County holds 83 public hunting records on this site; Hopeful WMA is one of them. Bear: Lincoln County is in the no-quota area, with licenses over the counter. For turkey the county is in permit area 504. Wildlife office for Lincoln County: Marshall Area Wildlife Office.
County acres from DNR and federal GIS layers (counties.json); zones from the 2026-2027 booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
Hopeful WMA: first legal light and last
Calculated for the exact spot of Hopeful 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 | 7:07 a.m. | 7:30 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. | 8:00 p.m. | 7:30 p.m. |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Duck opener | 7:15 a.m. | 7:17 p.m. | 6:45 a.m. | 7:47 p.m. | 7:17 p.m. |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Pheasant opener | 7:31 a.m. | 6:51 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. | 7:21 p.m. | 6:51 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Firearms deer opener | 7:08 a.m. | 5:08 p.m. | 6:38 a.m. | 5:38 p.m. | 5:08 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Muzzleloader opener | 7:36 a.m. | 4:49 p.m. | 7:06 a.m. | 5:19 p.m. | 4:49 p.m. |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Archery close | 8:00 a.m. | 4:54 p.m. | 7:30 a.m. | 5:24 p.m. | 4:54 p.m. |
| Apr 14, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:44 a.m. | 8:06 p.m. | 6:14 a.m. | 8:36 p.m. | 8:06 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.
Hopeful Wildlife Management Area hunters: nearest gun clubs on file
Before a hunt on Hopeful Wildlife Management Area, the closest range on file is Pipestone Sportsmen's 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.
Hopeful WMA and country like it, in photos
Hopeful WMA FAQ for 2026-27
Hopeful WMA: deer hours on opening day?
About 6:38 a.m. to 5:38 p.m. on opening day of firearms deer.
Any other public ground within a short drive of Hopeful WMA?
Closest on the map: Hope WMA (1.7 mi), Jessen WPA (2.3 mi) and Norgaard WMA (2.7 mi).
Are permanent stands allowed on Hopeful WMA?
No overnight gear on Hopeful WMA: stands and blinds go home each day unless the northwest exception covers the unit.
Can I stay the night on Hopeful WMA?
No, except designated sites or by permit.
Hopeful WMA: is hunting allowed there?
Open to hunting in regular seasons, under the general WMA rules and any notes on the unit page.
Is Hopeful WMA a big piece of land?
About 590 acres, per the agency GIS.
When does firearms deer season open on Hopeful WMA?
Deer permit area 286; the 2026 designation is either-sex. Firearms dates in that DPA are Nov 7 to Nov 15, 2026.
What game is on Hopeful WMA?
The record for Hopeful WMA lists deer, small game, pheasant, waterfowl, wild turkey and mourning dove.
What are the directions to Hopeful WMA?
From Tyler, go 2.2 mile east on US Hwy 14. 0 mapped lots.
Which office should I call about Hopeful WMA?
The Marshall office of Minnesota Department of Natural Resources runs Hopeful WMA.
What are the CWD rules on Hopeful WMA?
CWD status: DPA 286 is in the 2026 surveillance block (mandatory sampling Nov. 7-8).
Other photos on this page: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); USFWS/Southeast (Public domain); USFWS Headquarters (CC BY 2.0).