Home › Minnesota › Public land › Mustinka WMA
WMA · DPA 270
Hunting on Mustinka Wildlife Management Area in 2026-27
Wildlife management area hunting in Grant County: rules, season dates, parking and nearby public land.
Photo: Tony Webster (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Mustinka Wildlife Management Area
The record behind Mustinka WMA, summed up
The mapped area of Mustinka WMA is 748 acres, in Grant County. Grant County has 22 wildlife management areas on our list; this one is the 1st largest. Mustinka WMA comes in 2 parts, South Unit (573 ac) and North Unit (175 ac).
Deer rules come from DPA 270 (it also reaches DPA 272), an antlerless permit lottery area in 2026. Fergus Falls is the DNR wildlife area office for Mustinka WMA (fergusfalls.wildlife@state.mn.us). DNR records Pittman-Robertson funding for Mustinka WMA.
The WMA page says: Wildlife sanctuary subunit(s) (DNR flag): Mustinka WMA: South Unit; check posted sanctuary/no-trespass periods. Waterfowl hunting can be good in the area south of the Sanctuary area. There is some native prairie and restored grassland near the western parking lot of the Mustinka WMA.
Species named: deer, small game, pheasant, waterfowl.
From the agency record (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources); checked October 28, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Mustinka Wildlife Management Area
Mustinka WMA regulations in short
Read these before a first trip to Mustinka 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 |
- Wildlife Sanctuary between Hwy. 55 and Railroad crossing.
Sources: record, agency rules; booklet: 2026-2027 Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations. Checked October 28, 2026.
DPA 270 dates for Mustinka WMA
For 2026, DNR made DPA 270 antlerless permit lottery and offered 150 antlerless permits by lottery; its firearms deer season is the 200-series window. The Sept. 10 lottery hands out the antlerless permits for DPA 270.
| 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 270 takes in 746 square miles. Part of Wilkin, Otter Tail and Grant falls in DPA 270.
Other DPAs: DPA 272 (antlerless permit lottery)
From the DNR 2026 deer season map and the 2026-2027 regulations booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
Hunting seasons at Mustinka WMA
33 season windows for 18 species reach Mustinka WMA, filtered by its game species list.
| Game | Season | Area | From | To | Open now? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery | DPAs 270, 272 | Sep 19, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Deer | Youth deer | DPAs 270, 272 | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Deer | Firearms, 200 series | DPAs 270, 272 | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | |
| Deer | Muzzleloader | Statewide | Nov 28, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| 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 | |
| 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.
Mustinka WMA directions and parking
The DNR route text for each subunit of Mustinka WMA, with 0 mapped lots.
| Unit | Size | Closest town | Hunting | Parking spots | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Unit | 573 | Wendell | Open | – | DNR |
| North Unit | 175 | Wendell | Open | – | DNR |
- South Unit: From Wendell, go 1 mile E on SH 55.
- North Unit: From Wendell, go 1 mile E on SH 55.
DNR WMA detail pages (Compass feature records); checked October 28, 2026.
Other places to hunt near Mustinka WMA
The closest other public land to Mustinka WMA is Setran WPA, 2.9 mi to the northeast; the table lists 8 neighbors with 1,379 acres between them.
| Name | Type | Size (ac) | Deer area | Away | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Setran WPA | WPA | 116 | 270 | 2.9 mi | northeast |
| Foss WPA | WPA | 30 | 270 | 3.2 mi | north |
| Germundson WPA | WPA | 176 | 270 | 3.3 mi | northeast |
| Foss North WPA | WPA | 22 | 270 | 3.6 mi | north |
| Demaree WPA | WPA | 233 | 270 | 3.9 mi | north |
| Strand WPA | WPA | 89 | 272 | 3.9 mi | southwest |
| Mud Lake WPA | WPA | 656 | 270, 272 | 4.4 mi | west |
| Elbow Lake WPA | WPA | 57 | 272 | 4.6 mi | southeast |
Points: DNR WMA boundary layer (polygon centroid of the largest part). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Towns and offices around Mustinka WMA
The town nearest Mustinka WMA is Wendell at 2.5 mi. Elbow Lake (1,276 in 2024) is the largest of these towns. DNR names Wendell as the nearest town on its unit page. Fergus Falls Area Wildlife Office (Fergus Falls) is the closest DNR office, 20 mi off.
| Community | County | Residents | Straight line | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wendell | Grant | 167 | 2.5 mi | northwest |
| Elbow Lake | Grant | 1,276 | 4.3 mi | southeast |
| Barrett | Grant | 377 | 10 mi | southeast |
| Nashua | Wilkin | 64 | 12 mi | west |
| Norcross | Grant | 49 | 12 mi | southwest |
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.
Mustinka WMA area deer harvest by year
DPA 270 totals, which include all the land around Mustinka WMA: 330 deer in 2025 against 304 in 2024.
| Year | Bucks | Does, fawns | All deer | Per sq mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 278 | 52 | 330 | 0.44 |
| 2024 | 274 | 30 | 304 | 0.41 |
| 2023 | 191 | 56 | 247 | 0.33 |
| 2022 | 246 | 63 | 309 | 0.41 |
| 2021 | 275 | 64 | 339 | 0.45 |
| 2020 | 307 | 98 | 405 | 0.54 |
| 2019 | 272 | 65 | 337 | 0.45 |
| 2018 | 254 | 87 | 341 | 0.46 |
| 2017 | 230 | 57 | 287 | 0.38 |
DNR 2025 deer harvest report; earlier years from the DNR yearly reports. Checked October 28, 2026.
The county setting of Mustinka WMA
Grant County holds 79 public hunting records on this site; Mustinka WMA is one of them. No deer feeding or attractants in Grant County (DNR ban). Bear: Grant County is in the no-quota area, with licenses over the counter. For turkey the county is in permit area 506 and 507. Wildlife office for Grant County: Fergus Falls Area Wildlife Office. Unlike Mustinka WMA, Egret Island Scientific and Natural Area is shut to hunters.
County acres from DNR and federal GIS layers (counties.json); zones from the 2026-2027 booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
Mustinka WMA: first legal light and last
Calculated for the exact spot of Mustinka 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 | 7:06 a.m. | 7:30 p.m. | 6:36 a.m. | 8:00 p.m. | 7:30 p.m. |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Duck opener | 7:15 a.m. | 7:16 p.m. | 6:45 a.m. | 7:46 p.m. | 7:16 p.m. |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Pheasant opener | 7:33 a.m. | 6:49 p.m. | 7:03 a.m. | 7:19 p.m. | 6:49 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Firearms deer opener | 7:12 a.m. | 5:04 p.m. | 6:42 a.m. | 5:34 p.m. | 5:04 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Muzzleloader opener | 7:42 a.m. | 4:43 p.m. | 7:12 a.m. | 5:13 p.m. | 4:43 p.m. |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Archery close | 8:06 a.m. | 4:47 p.m. | 7:36 a.m. | 5:17 p.m. | 4:47 p.m. |
| Apr 14, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:42 a.m. | 8:08 p.m. | 6:12 a.m. | 8:38 p.m. | 8:08 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.
Mustinka Wildlife Management Area hunters: nearest gun clubs on file
Before a hunt on Mustinka Wildlife Management Area, the closest range on file is Elk Lake Heritage Preserve, 15 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.
Mustinka WMA and country like it, in photos
Mustinka WMA FAQ for 2026-27
What are the directions to Mustinka WMA?
From Wendell, go 1 mile E on SH 55. 0 mapped lots.
Which office should I call about Mustinka WMA?
The Fergus Falls office of Minnesota Department of Natural Resources runs Mustinka WMA.
What are the CWD rules on Mustinka WMA?
CWD status: DPA 270 is in the 2026 surveillance block (mandatory sampling Nov. 7-8).
Mustinka WMA: deer hours on opening day?
About 6:42 a.m. to 5:34 p.m. on opening day of firearms deer.
Any other public ground within a short drive of Mustinka WMA?
Closest on the map: Setran WPA (2.9 mi), Foss WPA (3.2 mi) and Germundson WPA (3.3 mi).
Are permanent stands allowed on Mustinka WMA?
No overnight gear on Mustinka WMA: stands and blinds go home each day unless the northwest exception covers the unit.
Can I stay the night on Mustinka WMA?
No, except designated sites or by permit.
Mustinka WMA: is hunting allowed there?
Open to hunting in regular seasons, under the general WMA rules and any notes on the unit page.
Is Mustinka WMA a big piece of land?
About 748 acres in 2 subunits, per the agency GIS.
When does firearms deer season open on Mustinka WMA?
Deer permit area 270; the 2026 designation is antlerless permit lottery. Firearms dates in that DPA are Nov 7 to Nov 15, 2026.
What game is on Mustinka WMA?
The record for Mustinka WMA lists deer, small game, pheasant and waterfowl.
Other photos on this page: Tony Webster (CC BY 2.0); Ken Lund (CC BY-SA 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0).