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Hunting Ney Wildlife Management Area, Minnesota public land
A 2026-27 hunter guide to this wildlife management area in Le Sueur County and 1 neighbor, 653 acres.
Photo: Tony Webster (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Ney Wildlife Management Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Ney Wildlife Management Area
- Parking areaParking · 1.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.6 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.
Ney WMA at a glance for hunters
You get 653 acres at Ney WMA, which lies in Le Sueur and Scott counties. By size it ranks 4th of the 20 wildlife management areas we list in Le Sueur County. DPA 338 sets the deer limit here: 3-deer limit this year.
The managing office is South Metro (DNR Wildlife), vermillionriver.wildlife@state.mn.us. DNR lists Pittman-Robertson/OHF as the federal aid source for Ney WMA.
What the DNR page says about it: This WMA preserves a large area of oak forest along the steep banks of the Minnesota river and is ideal habitat for turkey and deer.
Listed game: deer, small game, ruffed grouse and woodcock, pheasant, wild turkey.
- White-tailed Deer
- Eastern Cottontail
- Gray Squirrel
- Snowshoe Hare
- Ruffed Grouse
- American Woodcock
- Ring-necked Pheasant
- Wild Turkey
From the agency record (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources); checked October 28, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Ney Wildlife Management Area
What is allowed on Ney WMA
Short version of the rules that apply on Ney WMA, taken from the managing agency.
| What | Rule here |
|---|---|
| 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.
Deer on Ney WMA in 2026-27
Deer on Ney WMA fall under DPA 338: 3-deer limit, 300 series. Fill the DPA 338 limit of 3 with your license plus bonus permits.
| Deer window | From | To | Open 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 | |
| Late southeast firearms | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Muzzleloader | Nov 28, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 |
CWD testing in DPA 338: optional. DPA 338 spans 330 square miles. DPA 338 reaches Carver, Scott, Sibley, Hennepin and Le Sueur counties.
From the DNR 2026 deer season map and the 2026-2027 regulations booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
Ney WMA hunting calendar 2026-27
Ney WMA season dates for 2026-27, picked by its game species list and its deer permit area.
| Species | Season | Applies | Opens | Closes | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery | DPA 338 | Sep 19, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Deer | Youth deer | DPA 338 | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Deer | Firearms, 200 series | DPA 338 | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | |
| Deer | Late southeast | DPA 338 | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 29, 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 | |
| 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 | |
| Take-a-Kid | Take-a-Kid | Statewide | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 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 | |
| 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 | |
| Crow | Crow segment | Statewide | Mar 1, 2027 | Mar 31, 2027 |
Furbearer rows list both zones: the line follows I-94 and US 10, so check which side of it you hunt.
From the 2026-2027 Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations booklet (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources); checked October 28, 2026. All Minnesota seasons.
Ney WMA: access points
1 parking point and the route text DNR posts for Ney WMA.
| Subunit | Acres | Nearest town | Hunting | Parking | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ney WMA | 653 | Henderson | Open | 1 | DNR |
- Ney WMA: From Henderson, go 2 miles E on Hwy 19 the WMA is on the N (left side) of the road.
DNR WMA detail pages (Compass feature records); checked October 28, 2026.
Public land within a drive of Ney WMA
When Ney WMA is crowded, PF – Module #1 WMA sits 2.7 mi away to the east.
| Place | Type | Acres | DPA | Miles off | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PF – Module #1 WMA | WMA | 11 | 338 | 2.7 mi | east |
| Vale WMA | WMA | 299 | 291 | 2.7 mi | west |
| Clark Lake WMA | WMA | 33 | 338 | 2.9 mi | northeast |
| Mahoney's Marsh WMA | WMA | 323 | 338 | 5.7 mi | east |
| Dehning WPA | WPA | 155 | 291 | 6.1 mi | northwest |
| Raven WMA | WMA | 72 | 338 | 6.8 mi | east |
| St. Thomas Lake WMA | WMA | 320 | 291 | 7.2 mi | southeast |
| Spannaus WMA | WMA | 30 | 291 | 7.7 mi | west |
Points: DNR WMA detail page map point (Compass feature_detail). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Ney WMA nearest towns and help
Fuel and food: Henderson lies 2.8 mi from Ney WMA. For more services, Belle Plaine (7,444) is 7.2 mi out. DNR's nearest town for this unit: Henderson. Nearest DNR desk: Nicollet Area Wildlife Office, 25 mi.
| Town | County | People (2024) | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henderson | Sibley | 988 | 2.8 mi | southwest |
| Le Sueur | Le Sueur | 4,230 | 6.1 mi | south |
| Belle Plaine | Scott | 7,444 | 7.2 mi | northeast |
| Arlington | Sibley | 2,314 | 10 mi | west |
| Green Isle | Sibley | 694 | 11 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.
Ney WMA: deer taken in DPA 338
704 deer were registered in DPA 338 during 2025, 2.23 per square mile of the unit.
| Year | Adult bucks | Other deer | DPA harvest | Per square mile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 393 | 311 | 704 | 2.23 |
| 2024 | 373 | 221 | 594 | 1.88 |
| 2023 | 325 | 283 | 608 | 1.92 |
| 2022 | 351 | 250 | 601 | 1.90 |
| 2021 | 286 | 229 | 515 | 1.63 |
| 2020 | 337 | 301 | 638 | 2.02 |
| 2019 | 339 | 391 | 730 | 1.61 |
| 2018 | 317 | 292 | 609 | 1.34 |
| 2017 | 311 | 319 | 630 | 1.39 |
DNR 2025 deer harvest report; earlier years from the DNR yearly reports. Checked October 28, 2026.
Ney WMA and the rest of Le Sueur County
Le Sueur County has 32 public hunting areas on file, Ney WMA among them. Le Sueur County is under the deer feeding and attractant ban. Le Sueur County lies in the bear no-quota area. The county sits in turkey permit area 503 and 505. Nearest DNR area wildlife office to the county centre: Nicollet Area Wildlife Office, (507) 386-3920. Not every public place in Le Sueur County is open: Bur Oak Wildlife Management Area is closed to hunting.
County acres from DNR and federal GIS layers (counties.json); zones from the 2026-2027 booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
When shooting starts and stops at Ney WMA
Sun times computed for Ney WMA itself, since the 2026 booklet prints no tables.
| Date | Why | Sunrise | Sunset | Legal from | Big game to | Waterfowl to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 19, 2026 | Archery and grouse opener | 6:58 a.m. | 7:21 p.m. | 6:28 a.m. | 7:51 p.m. | 7:21 p.m. |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Duck opener | 7:06 a.m. | 7:08 p.m. | 6:36 a.m. | 7:38 p.m. | 7:08 p.m. |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Pheasant opener | 7:23 a.m. | 6:42 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. | 7:12 p.m. | 6:42 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Firearms deer opener | 7:00 a.m. | 4:59 p.m. | 6:30 a.m. | 5:29 p.m. | 4:59 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Muzzleloader opener | 7:28 a.m. | 4:39 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. | 5:09 p.m. | 4:39 p.m. |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Archery close | 7:52 a.m. | 4:44 p.m. | 7:22 a.m. | 5:14 p.m. | 4:44 p.m. |
| Apr 14, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:35 a.m. | 7:57 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. | 8:27 p.m. | 7:57 p.m. |
Pheasant hours start at 9 a.m.
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.
Where Ney Wildlife Management Area hunters zero a rifle
Drive about 28 miles from Ney Wildlife Management Area to reach Eden Prairie (City of), the nearest public lanes. Clubs within 30 miles take the remaining cards. Plinking on the property is not allowed.
From the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 28, 2026; target shooting rule from the DNR WMA rules.
Ney WMA region in a few frames
Hunter questions about Ney WMA, short answers
Can blinds stay up overnight at Ney WMA?
Only for the day: WMA rules make you remove portable stands and blinds daily, outside the northwest Nov. 1-Dec. 31 exception.
Ney WMA neighbors: what public land is nearby?
Short-drive options from the map: PF – Module #1 WMA (2.7 mi), Vale WMA (2.7 mi) and Clark Lake WMA (2.9 mi).
Does Ney WMA allow public hunting?
It is open: DNR lists every subunit of Ney WMA with an open or partial hunting status.
Can hunters set up a tent camp on Ney WMA?
Only at designated sites or by permit.
What deer permit area is Ney WMA in?
The record puts it in DPA 338: 3-deer limit. Its firearms season: Nov 7 to Nov 15, 2026.
Ney WMA acreage: how much ground is it?
It runs to 653 acres.
How do you get to Ney WMA?
From Henderson, go 2 miles E on Hwy 19 the WMA is on the N (left side) of the road. 1 parking spot on the DNR map.
What game species does Ney WMA list?
The agency names deer, small game, ruffed grouse and woodcock, pheasant and wild turkey for Ney WMA.
Ney WMA and CWD: what applies?
For CWD, DPA 338 is outside the CWD zones, with optional testing.
Ney WMA: who is the land manager?
Questions about Ney WMA go to Minnesota Department of Natural Resources at its South Metro office.
On the deer opener, when can you shoot at Ney WMA?
Deer shooting on Nov. 7 opens at 6:30 a.m. and ends at 5:29 p.m. at the Ney WMA point.
Other photos on this page: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); James St. John (CC BY 2.0).