Home › Minnesota › Public land › Mound Prairie WMA
Public hunting · WMA
Mound Prairie Wildlife Management Area hunting, season by season
437 acres of public land open to hunters in Houston County, with DPA 646 deer dates.
Photo: Sank63 (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Mound Prairie Wildlife Management Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Mound Prairie Wildlife Management Area
- Parking areaParking · 0.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.3 mi from the centreDirections
- gateGate · 1.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.6 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.
Mound Prairie WMA in brief, from the agency file
437 acres of Houston County belong to Mound Prairie WMA. Size rank in Houston County: 4th of 7 wildlife management areas. For deer it falls in DPA 646 (it also reaches DPA 649), set at 5-deer limit for 2026.
Questions go to the Rochester DNR wildlife office at rochester.wildlife@state.mn.us. Its DNR record carries the federal aid code NAWCA Great Rivers Cooridor.
DNR notes on the habitat: Management emphasis to maintain a rich, diverse interspersion of several communities. Timber management, prescribed burning, nesting cover development and maintenance are utilized. One parking lot exists on unit.
Game listed: 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 Mound Prairie Wildlife Management Area
Subunits and parking at Mound Prairie WMA
Each subunit of Mound Prairie WMA has its own DNR page; the map below pins 1 parking spot.
| Subunit | Acreage | Near | Open? | Parking | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mound Prairie WMA | 437 | Hokah | Open | 1 | DNR |
- Mound Prairie WMA: From Hokah, go 1.5 mile north on TH 16, then 5 miles west on County Road 21. Access from County Road 21 on north or Root River channel from south.
DNR WMA detail pages (Compass feature records); checked October 28, 2026.
Mound Prairie WMA pinned among nearby tracts
Mound Prairie SNA lies 1.9 mi south of Mound Prairie WMA, the nearest of 8 public areas within 45 miles.
| Area | Type | Acres | DPA | Straight line | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mound Prairie SNA | SNA | 262 | 649 | 1.9 mi | south |
| Root River WMA | WMA | 948 | 646, 649 | 3.9 mi | east |
| Brownsville Bluff SNA | SNA | 285 | 649 | 11 mi | southeast |
| Great River Bluffs State Park, 2,130 ac | State park | 2,130 | 646 | 11 mi | north |
| King's and Queen's Bluffs SNA | SNA | 212 | 646 | 12 mi | north |
| Beaver Creek Valley State Park, 754 ac | State park | 754 | 649 | 12 mi | southwest |
| Chisholm Valley WMA | WMA | 80 | 649 | 13 mi | west |
| Ferndale Ridge WMA | WMA | 658 | 649 | 14 mi | west |
Points: DNR WMA detail page map point (Compass feature_detail). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Rules for hunting Mound Prairie WMA
Site rules for Mound Prairie WMA, condensed from the record.
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| 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.
Mound Prairie WMA season dates
This table covers Mound Prairie WMA only: deer rows follow its DPA, the rest come from its game species list.
| Species | Type | Zone or DPA | Begins | Through | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery | DPAs 646, 649 | Sep 19, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Deer | Early antlerless | DPAs 646, 649 | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Deer | Youth deer | DPAs 646, 649 | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Deer | Firearms, 200 series | DPAs 646, 649 | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | |
| Deer | Late southeast | DPAs 646, 649 | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Deer | Muzzleloader | Statewide | Nov 28, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Deer | Late CWD hunt | DPAs 646, 649 | Dec 18, 2026 | Dec 20, 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 |
Wear blaze orange or pink in the firearms deer season; waterfowl hunters on water are exempt under DNR rules.
From the 2026-2027 Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations booklet (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources); checked October 28, 2026. All Minnesota seasons.
Deer seasons on Mound Prairie WMA
600-series DPA 646 carries the 5-deer limit designation this year. With bonus permits, a hunter can fill the 5-deer limit in DPA 646.
| Season | Starts | Ends | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| Late southeast firearms | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Muzzleloader | Nov 28, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Late CWD hunt | Dec 18, 2026 | Dec 20, 2026 |
CWD management zone: DPA 646 is inside it. DNR adds a Dec. 18-20 CWD hunt here. DPA 646 raises the buck limit to three. Dispose of carcasses under the DNR rule. Size of DPA 646: 327 square miles. Winona, Houston and Fillmore share DPA 646.
Other deer permit areas on this land: DPA 649 (5-deer limit)
From the DNR 2026 deer season map and the 2026-2027 regulations booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
Deer harvest around Mound Prairie WMA (DPA 646)
The whole of DPA 646 gave up 2,832 deer in 2025; the DNR publishes no figure for Mound Prairie WMA itself.
| Year | Adult male | Rest | Harvest | Density |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,266 | 1,566 | 2,832 | 8.88 |
| 2024 | 1,205 | 1,299 | 2,504 | 7.85 |
| 2023 | 1,098 | 1,181 | 2,279 | 7.14 |
| 2022 | 1,122 | 1,296 | 2,418 | 7.58 |
| 2021 | 1,150 | 1,308 | 2,458 | 7.71 |
| 2020 | 1,339 | 1,576 | 2,915 | 9.14 |
| 2019 | 1,398 | 1,642 | 3,040 | 9.53 |
DNR 2025 deer harvest report; earlier years from the DNR yearly reports. Checked October 28, 2026.
Mound Prairie WMA nearby towns
Hokah is the closest town to Mound Prairie WMA, about 4.3 mi away. The largest nearby is La Crescent (5,257 people). The DNR detail page starts its directions from Hokah. For questions, the Altura DNR office is 37 mi from Mound Prairie WMA.
| Town | County | Pop. 2024 | Miles off | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hokah | Houston | 535 | 4.3 mi | southeast |
| La Crescent | Houston | 5,257 | 6.9 mi | northeast |
| Houston | Houston | 970 | 7.5 mi | west |
| Dresbach | Winona | – | 8.1 mi | northeast |
| Brownsville | Houston | 545 | 9.1 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.
Mound Prairie WMA: Houston County facts
Counting Mound Prairie WMA, Houston County has 12 listed public areas. Houston County is one of the feeding ban counties. Check the Houston County shotgun ordinance (shotgun-only ordinance) before bringing a rifle. The no-quota bear area covers Houston County. Houston County turkey hunters declare area 501. County questions go to Whitewater WMA Area Wildlife Office, Altura. 13 places in Houston County are closed to hunting, such as Badger Creek Aquatic Management Area.
County acres from DNR and federal GIS layers (counties.json); zones from the 2026-2027 booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
Range time on the drive to Mound Prairie Wildlife Management Area
Three ranges near Mound Prairie Wildlife Management Area follow, starting with Gopher State Sportsmen's Club at 6 miles. No target practice on the property, per its rules.
From the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 28, 2026; target shooting rule from the DNR WMA rules.
A look at the landscape around Mound Prairie WMA
Mound Prairie WMA shooting hours on key dates
Times are worked out for the Mound Prairie WMA map point on Central Time; big game ends half an hour after sunset, birds at sunset.
| Date | Moment | Sunrise | Sunset | Open | Big game close | Birds close |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 19, 2026 | Archery and grouse opener | 6:48 a.m. | 7:11 p.m. | 6:18 a.m. | 7:41 p.m. | 7:11 p.m. |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Duck opener | 6:56 a.m. | 6:58 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. | 7:28 p.m. | 6:58 p.m. |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Pheasant opener | 7:12 a.m. | 6:33 p.m. | 6:42 a.m. | 7:03 p.m. | 6:33 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Firearms deer opener | 6:49 a.m. | 4:50 p.m. | 6:19 a.m. | 5:20 p.m. | 4:50 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Muzzleloader opener | 7:16 a.m. | 4:32 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. | 5:02 p.m. | 4:32 p.m. |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Archery close | 7:39 a.m. | 4:37 p.m. | 7:09 a.m. | 5:07 p.m. | 4:37 p.m. |
| Apr 14, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:26 a.m. | 7:46 p.m. | 5:56 a.m. | 8:16 p.m. | 7:46 p.m. |
Times are rounded to the minute.
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.
Straight answers on hunting Mound Prairie WMA
Can I camp on Mound Prairie WMA during the season?
Generally no: designated areas or a permit only.
Can I leave a stand on Mound Prairie WMA overnight?
Daily removal applies on Mound Prairie WMA, so plan on a climber or a hang-on you carry out.
Roughly how large is the Mound Prairie WMA unit?
The mapped size is 437 acres.
Can you hunt on Mound Prairie WMA this season?
Yes. Hunting and trapping are open on state WMAs during regular seasons unless DNR posts an exception, and Mound Prairie WMA shows open hunting status.
Which species does Mound Prairie WMA hold?
Game on the agency list for Mound Prairie WMA: deer, small game, pheasant, waterfowl, wild turkey and mourning dove.
Which deer permit area holds Mound Prairie WMA?
Mound Prairie WMA falls in DPA 646, 5-deer limit. Expect the firearms season from Nov 7 to Nov 15, 2026.
Who do I call about Mound Prairie WMA?
Mound Prairie WMA falls under Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (Rochester office).
Where is the access for Mound Prairie WMA?
From Hokah, go 1.5 mile north on TH 16, then 5 miles west on County Road 21. The map above shows 1 parking pin.
How early does shooting start at Mound Prairie WMA on the opener?
Opening day of the firearms season: shooting from 6:19 a.m., done by 5:20 p.m..
Is CWD sampling required at Mound Prairie WMA?
DNR lists DPA 646 as in the CWD management zone.
Which public ground lies closest to Mound Prairie WMA?
Next-closest public land: Mound Prairie SNA (1.9 mi), Root River WMA (3.9 mi) and Brownsville Bluff SNA (11 mi).
Mound Prairie WMA: three things to confirm first
Carry your license, validate a deer or turkey at the kill site and register it (48 hours for deer and bear, 24 for turkey).
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: cuatrok77 (CC BY-SA 2.0); greenebriar (Public domain); ImagePerson (CC BY 4.0).