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Public hunting · WMA
Old Red Lake Trail Wildlife Management Area hunting, season by season
1,255 acres of public land open to hunters in Clearwater County, with DPA 210 deer dates.
Photo: Tony Webster (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Old Red Lake Trail Wildlife Management Area
Old Red Lake Trail WMA in brief, from the agency file
1,255 acres of Clearwater County belong to Old Red Lake Trail WMA. Size rank in Clearwater County: 1st of 36 wildlife management areas. For deer it falls in DPA 210, set at 2-deer limit for 2026.
Questions go to the Park Rapids DNR wildlife office at parkrapids.wildlife@state.mn.us. Its DNR record carries the federal aid code Pittman-Robertson.
DNR notes on the habitat: The aspen forest (372 acres or 33 percent of WMA) on this unit is managed for ruffed grouse and deer habitat by small patch cut timber sales. Waterfowl breeding and nesting habitat management also takes place on this WMA.
Game listed: deer, black bear, small game, ruffed grouse and woodcock, waterfowl.
- White-tailed Deer
- Black Bear
- Eastern Cottontail
- Gray Squirrel
- Snowshoe Hare
- Ruffed Grouse
- American Woodcock
- Ducks
From the agency record (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources); checked October 28, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Old Red Lake Trail Wildlife Management Area
Subunits and parking at Old Red Lake Trail WMA
Each subunit of Old Red Lake Trail WMA has its own DNR page; the map below pins 1 parking spot.
| Subunit | Acreage | Near | Open? | Parking | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old Red Lake Trail WMA | 1,255 | Leonard | Open | 1 | DNR |
- Old Red Lake Trail WMA: From Leonard, go 2 1/2 miles W on SH 223 then 1 mile S on gravel township road. A portion also accessible from a gravel township road that connects with CR 1 on the west and CR 2 on the east. Two carry in boat access's exist on the north and south shores of Solberg Lake and the small ponds are accessible from trails and dikes.
DNR WMA detail pages (Compass feature records); checked October 28, 2026.
Old Red Lake Trail WMA pinned among nearby tracts
West 4 Legged Lake WMA lies 2.2 mi northeast of Old Red Lake Trail WMA, the nearest of 8 public areas within 45 miles.
| Area | Type | Acres | DPA | Straight line | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West 4 Legged Lake WMA | WMA | 21 | 210 | 2.2 mi | northeast |
| Spike Lake WMA | WMA | 37 | 209 | 8.2 mi | north |
| Little Pine Lake WMA | WMA | 312 | 210 | 9.0 mi | west |
| Minnow Lake WMA | WMA | 7.7 | 210 | 9.2 mi | southwest |
| Daniel Lake WMA | WMA | 24 | 684 | 9.5 mi | south |
| Bagley Lake WMA | WMA | 25 | 209 | 10 mi | northeast |
| Clearwater V & S 9 WMA | WMA | 42 | 209 | 10 mi | northeast |
| Carter WMA | WMA | 106 | 210 | 11 mi | west |
Points: DNR WMA detail page map point (Compass feature_detail). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Rules for hunting Old Red Lake Trail WMA
Site rules for Old Red Lake Trail 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 |
- Gates regulate vehicle use of unit. A separate 159 acre portion of the WMA is only accessible by foot from CSAH 47.
Sources: record, agency rules; booklet: 2026-2027 Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations. Checked October 28, 2026.
Old Red Lake Trail WMA season dates
This table covers Old Red Lake Trail 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 | DPA 210 | Sep 19, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Deer | Youth deer | DPA 210 | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Deer | Firearms, 200 series | DPA 210 | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | |
| Deer | Muzzleloader | Statewide | Nov 28, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Black bear | No-quota area | No Quota Area | Sep 1, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Quota areas | Quota areas 41, 46 | Sep 1, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 Old Red Lake Trail WMA
200-series DPA 210 carries the 2-deer limit designation this year. With bonus permits, a hunter can fill the 2-deer limit in DPA 210.
| Season | Starts | Ends | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Optional CWD testing only in DPA 210. Size of DPA 210: 635 square miles. Polk, Clearwater and Red Lake share DPA 210.
From the DNR 2026 deer season map and the 2026-2027 regulations booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
Deer harvest around Old Red Lake Trail WMA (DPA 210)
The whole of DPA 210 gave up 1,487 deer in 2025; the DNR publishes no figure for Old Red Lake Trail WMA itself.
| Year | Adult male | Rest | Harvest | Density |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,011 | 476 | 1,487 | 2.42 |
| 2024 | 944 | 387 | 1,331 | 2.16 |
| 2023 | 733 | 650 | 1,383 | 2.25 |
| 2022 | 762 | 720 | 1,482 | 2.41 |
| 2021 | 944 | 690 | 1,634 | 2.66 |
| 2020 | 957 | 736 | 1,693 | 2.75 |
| 2019 | 900 | 456 | 1,356 | 2.20 |
| 2018 | 879 | 859 | 1,738 | 2.83 |
| 2017 | 973 | 1,009 | 1,982 | 3.22 |
DNR 2025 deer harvest report; earlier years from the DNR yearly reports. Checked October 28, 2026.
Old Red Lake Trail WMA nearby towns
Leonard is the closest town to Old Red Lake Trail WMA, about 3.2 mi away. The largest nearby is Bagley (1,304 people). The DNR detail page starts its directions from Leonard. For questions, the Bemidji DNR office is 23 mi from Old Red Lake Trail WMA.
| Town | County | Pop. 2024 | Miles off | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leonard | Clearwater | 43 | 3.2 mi | northeast |
| Shevlin | Clearwater | 139 | 6.9 mi | southeast |
| Clearbrook | Clearwater | 468 | 7.2 mi | northwest |
| Bagley | Clearwater | 1,304 | 7.8 mi | southwest |
| Solway | Beltrami | 72 | 11 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.
Old Red Lake Trail WMA: Clearwater County facts
Counting Old Red Lake Trail WMA, Clearwater County has 42 listed public areas. Clearwater County is one of the feeding ban counties. For bear, Clearwater County lies partly in quota area 46 and 41; 2026 permits: 46 (950 permits) and 41 (250 permits). Clearwater County turkey hunters declare area 509 and 507. County questions go to Park Rapids Area Wildlife Office, Park Rapids. 7 places in Clearwater County are closed to hunting, such as Auganaush 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 Old Red Lake Trail Wildlife Management Area
Three ranges near Old Red Lake Trail Wildlife Management Area follow, starting with Clearwater County Extension at 8 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 Old Red Lake Trail WMA
Old Red Lake Trail WMA shooting hours on key dates
Times are worked out for the Old Red Lake Trail 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 | 7:02 a.m. | 7:28 p.m. | 6:32 a.m. | 7:58 p.m. | 7:28 p.m. |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Duck opener | 7:12 a.m. | 7:13 p.m. | 6:42 a.m. | 7:43 p.m. | 7:13 p.m. |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Pheasant opener | 7:31 a.m. | 6:45 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. | 7:15 p.m. | 6:45 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Firearms deer opener | 7:13 a.m. | 4:57 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. | 5:27 p.m. | 4:57 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Muzzleloader opener | 7:44 a.m. | 4:35 p.m. | 7:14 a.m. | 5:05 p.m. | 4:35 p.m. |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Archery close | 8:09 a.m. | 4:38 p.m. | 7:39 a.m. | 5:08 p.m. | 4:38 p.m. |
| Apr 14, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:36 a.m. | 8:07 p.m. | 6:06 a.m. | 8:37 p.m. | 8:07 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 Old Red Lake Trail WMA
Where is the access for Old Red Lake Trail WMA?
From Leonard, go 2 1/2 miles W on SH 223 then 1 mile S on gravel township road. A portion also accessible from a gravel township road that connects with CR 1 on the west and CR 2 on the east. The map above shows 1 parking pin.
Which species does Old Red Lake Trail WMA hold?
Game on the agency list for Old Red Lake Trail WMA: deer, black bear, small game, ruffed grouse and woodcock and waterfowl.
Is CWD sampling required at Old Red Lake Trail WMA?
DNR lists DPA 210 as outside the CWD zones, with optional testing.
Who do I call about Old Red Lake Trail WMA?
Old Red Lake Trail WMA falls under Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (Park Rapids office).
Which public ground lies closest to Old Red Lake Trail WMA?
Next-closest public land: West 4 Legged Lake WMA (2.2 mi), Spike Lake WMA (8.2 mi) and Little Pine Lake WMA (9.0 mi).
How early does shooting start at Old Red Lake Trail WMA on the opener?
Opening day of the firearms season: shooting from 6:43 a.m., done by 5:27 p.m..
Can I camp on Old Red Lake Trail WMA during the season?
Generally no: designated areas or a permit only.
Can I leave a stand on Old Red Lake Trail WMA overnight?
Daily removal applies on Old Red Lake Trail WMA, so plan on a climber or a hang-on you carry out.
Roughly how large is the Old Red Lake Trail WMA unit?
The mapped size is 1,255 acres.
Can you hunt on Old Red Lake Trail WMA this season?
Yes. Hunting and trapping are open on state WMAs during regular seasons unless DNR posts an exception, and Old Red Lake Trail WMA shows open hunting status.
Which deer permit area holds Old Red Lake Trail WMA?
Old Red Lake Trail WMA falls in DPA 210, 2-deer limit. Expect the firearms season from Nov 7 to Nov 15, 2026.
Old Red Lake Trail 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: jjsmustang1979 (CC BY 2.0); christinejwarner (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0).