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WMA · Northwest region
Liberty Wildlife Management Area hunting, 2026-27
Seasons, access rules and the nearest towns for this wildlife management area in Polk County.
Photo: Matt Lavin (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Liberty Wildlife Management Area
What the file says about Liberty WMA
Liberty WMA adds 1,369 acres of public ground to Polk County. Line up the 45 wildlife management areas in Polk County by acres and Liberty WMA comes 6th. Its deer permit area is 265; the 2026 designation there is 3-deer limit.
DNR runs Liberty WMA from its Thief River Falls area office; email thiefriver.wildlife@state.mn.us. Federal aid noted by DNR for Liberty WMA: Pittman-Robertson.
In DNR's words: Most of this unit is in native prairie. It is a good area to observe prairie chickens and purple coneflowers. Rare species found here include Nelson's sharp-tailed sparrow, sandhill crane, marbled godwit, yellow rail, and upland sandpiper.
Species on the record: deer, waterfowl.
From the agency record (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources); checked October 28, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Liberty Wildlife Management Area
Liberty WMA route text and lots
Use these DNR directions to find Liberty WMA; the map pins its 2 parking points.
| Section | Acres | Town | Hunting | Lots | DNR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty WMA | 1,369 | Fertile | Open | 2 | DNR |
- Liberty WMA: From Fertile, go 5 miles W on CSAH 1. Access is good with county roads on the north and south sides. Definitely bring hip boots or knee boots to explore the area.
DNR WMA detail pages (Compass feature records); checked October 28, 2026.
Liberty WMA access rules
The rows below restate the access rules on the agency record for Liberty WMA.
| Activity | Status |
|---|---|
| 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.
Liberty WMA and deer permit area 265
The 2026 designation for DPA 265 is 3-deer limit; firearms dates follow the 200-series window. DPA 265 allows 3 deer, so bonus permits come into play after the first deer.
| Hunt | First day | Last day | Now |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
CWD sampling in DPA 265 is voluntary. The DPA covers 495 square miles. DPA 265 counties: Norman and Polk.
From the DNR 2026 deer season map and the 2026-2027 regulations booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
Seasons open on Liberty WMA
Dated seasons that apply on Liberty WMA (17 rows), with today's status in the last column.
| Quarry | Season | Where | Opening | Closing | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery | DPA 265 | Sep 19, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Deer | Youth deer | DPA 265 | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Deer | Firearms, 200 series | DPA 265 | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | |
| Deer | Muzzleloader | Statewide | Nov 28, 2026 | Dec 13, 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 | |
| Ducks | Regular ducks | Central Zone | Oct 10, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Geese | Regular geese | Central Zone | Oct 10, 2026 | Dec 30, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Regular ducks | South Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Geese | Regular geese | South Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Jan 6, 2027 | |
| Light geese | Spring light goose | Statewide | Feb 18, 2027 | Apr 30, 2027 |
Waterfowl rows show the North, Central and South zones because DNR draws those lines on highways (MN 210/23/39, US 212/I-494/I-94), not by unit; check the DNR map.
From the 2026-2027 Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations booklet (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources); checked October 28, 2026. All Minnesota seasons.
DPA 265 harvest, the area around Liberty WMA
Harvest numbers below are DPA 265 totals (1,177 in 2025), the closest DNR figure for Liberty WMA.
| Season | Bucks (adult) | Others | Registered | Per sq mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 599 | 578 | 1,177 | 2.38 |
| 2024 | 631 | 436 | 1,067 | 2.16 |
| 2023 | 479 | 451 | 930 | 1.88 |
| 2022 | 520 | 658 | 1,178 | 2.38 |
| 2021 | 616 | 729 | 1,345 | 2.72 |
| 2020 | 648 | 763 | 1,411 | 2.86 |
| 2019 | 607 | 698 | 1,305 | 2.64 |
| 2018 | 559 | 827 | 1,386 | 2.81 |
| 2017 | 575 | 674 | 1,249 | 2.53 |
DNR 2025 deer harvest report; earlier years from the DNR yearly reports. Checked October 28, 2026.
Liberty WMA on the map with nearby land
Big pins mark Liberty WMA and its parking; Chicog WMA is the nearest neighbor at 3.8 mi.
| Neighbor | Category | Acreage | DPA | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicog WMA | WMA | 2,434 | 265 | 3.8 mi | north |
| Onstad WMA | WMA | 280 | 256, 265 | 4.3 mi | northeast |
| Melvin Slough WPA | WPA | 1,212 | 256, 265 | 5.3 mi | north |
| Burnham WMA | WMA | 990 | 256 | 6.1 mi | northeast |
| Agassiz-Olson WMA | WMA | 1,776 | 265 | 6.3 mi | south |
| Godfrey WMA | WMA | 145 | 256 | 6.7 mi | northeast |
| Trail WMA | WMA | 609 | 256 | 6.7 mi | northeast |
| Prairie Smoke Dunes SNA | SNA | 1,248 | 265 | 7.4 mi | southeast |
Points: DNR WMA detail page map point (Compass feature_detail). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
What Polk County adds to a Liberty WMA trip
Liberty WMA is one of 89 public places we list in Polk County. Feeding ban: Polk County is inside it. Bear licenses in Polk County are no-quota, sold over the counter. Turkey: permit area 509. Area wildlife office: Thief River Falls Area Wildlife Office ((218) 219-8587). Do not mistake Liberty WMA for closed Polk County ground such as Agassiz Dunes Scientific and Natural Area and Malmberg Prairie Scientific and Natural Area.
County acres from DNR and federal GIS layers (counties.json); zones from the 2026-2027 booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
Supplies and help close to Liberty WMA
From Liberty WMA the nearest town is Fertile (5.6 mi). Ada, with 1,696 residents, is the biggest town on the list. On the DNR record, the reference town is Fertile. DNR staff closest to Liberty WMA work out of Thief River Falls (40 mi).
| Place | County | Population | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fertile | Polk | 780 | 5.6 mi | east |
| Beltrami | Polk | 90 | 6.1 mi | west |
| Gary | Norman | 223 | 14 mi | southeast |
| Mentor | Polk | 103 | 16 mi | northeast |
| Ada | Norman | 1,696 | 18 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.
Closest Minnesota ranges to Liberty Wildlife Management Area
Fertile Conservation Club, 5 miles away, is the nearest range to Liberty Wildlife Management Area; check its access rule before going. The property rules exclude target shooting.
From the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 28, 2026; target shooting rule from the DNR WMA rules.
Liberty WMA legal light on key dates
Legal light at Liberty WMA: half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset for deer and bear, and to sunset for turkey, waterfowl and small game.
| Day | Season point | Sun up | Sun down | Shooting opens | Deer close | Bird close |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 19, 2026 | Archery and grouse opener | 7:07 a.m. | 7:32 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. | 8:02 p.m. | 7:32 p.m. |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Duck opener | 7:16 a.m. | 7:18 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. | 7:48 p.m. | 7:18 p.m. |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Pheasant opener | 7:35 a.m. | 6:50 p.m. | 7:05 a.m. | 7:20 p.m. | 6:50 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Firearms deer opener | 7:17 a.m. | 5:01 p.m. | 6:47 a.m. | 5:31 p.m. | 5:01 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Muzzleloader opener | 7:48 a.m. | 4:39 p.m. | 7:18 a.m. | 5:09 p.m. | 4:39 p.m. |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Archery close | 8:13 a.m. | 4:43 p.m. | 7:43 a.m. | 5:13 p.m. | 4:43 p.m. |
| Apr 14, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:41 a.m. | 8:12 p.m. | 6:11 a.m. | 8:42 p.m. | 8:12 p.m. |
Raccoon and fox may be hunted at night under DNR rules.
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.
Photos to set the scene for Liberty WMA
Liberty WMA questions answered from its record
Are tree stands allowed on Liberty WMA, and for how long?
No. Portable stands and blinds come off Liberty WMA every day (northwest Minnesota has an overnight exception Nov. 1-Dec. 31), and no equipment stays overnight.
Liberty WMA: is overnight camping allowed?
Not unless DNR designates a site or issues a permit; WMA rules bar other camping.
Is hunting legal on Liberty WMA in 2026-27?
Yes, in the regular seasons. Read the special restrictions on the DNR page and watch for posted refuge areas.
How many acres of hunting does Liberty WMA offer?
1,369 acres.
What DPA is Liberty WMA, and what is its designation?
DPA 265 (200 series, 3-deer limit). Firearms deer runs Nov 7 to Nov 15, 2026 there.
What animals can be hunted at Liberty WMA?
Deer and waterfowl, according to the agency page for Liberty WMA.
How do hunters reach Liberty WMA?
From Fertile, go 5 miles W on CSAH 1. Lots mapped: 2.
Who holds title to Liberty WMA?
Land manager for Liberty WMA: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Thief River Falls office.
Does chronic wasting disease testing apply on Liberty WMA?
DPA 265 is outside the CWD zones, with optional testing.
What are the legal shooting hours at Liberty WMA?
On the Nov. 7 firearms opener, legal deer hours at Liberty WMA run 6:47 a.m. to 5:31 p.m..
If Liberty WMA is full, where is the next public land?
Public ground nearest by straight line: Chicog WMA (3.8 mi), Onstad WMA (4.3 mi) and Melvin Slough WPA (5.3 mi).
Other photos on this page: Matt Lavin (CC BY-SA 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain).