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WMA · DPA 255
Hunting on Ramsey Mill Pond Wildlife Management Area in 2026-27
Wildlife management area hunting in Mower County: rules, season dates, parking and nearby public land.
Photo: Tony Webster (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Ramsey Mill Pond Wildlife Management Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Ramsey Mill Pond Wildlife Management Area
- Parking areaParking · 0.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Meadow Greens Golf CourseParking · 0.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.2 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 · 2.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.4 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.
The record behind Ramsey Mill Pond WMA, summed up
The mapped area of Ramsey Mill Pond WMA is 395 acres, in Mower County. Mower County has 14 wildlife management areas on our list; this one is the 2nd largest. Deer rules come from DPA 255, a 3-deer limit area in 2026.
Owatonna is the DNR wildlife area office for Ramsey Mill Pond WMA (owatonna.wildlife@state.mn.us). DNR records OHF funding for Ramsey Mill Pond WMA.
The WMA page says: The area is adjacent to the Red Cedar River providing walk in access to over 3 miles of river and portions of Ramsey Mill Pond. There are no developed boat accesses on the WMA. A walking trail leads from the east parking area to the river. Check out the Cedar River State Water Trail for more information about the river and the best locations for canoe and boat access.
Species named: deer, small game, ruffed grouse and woodcock, pheasant, waterfowl, wild turkey, mourning dove.
- White-tailed Deer
- Eastern Cottontail
- Gray Squirrel
- Snowshoe Hare
- Ruffed Grouse
- American Woodcock
- Ring-necked Pheasant
- Ducks
From the agency record (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources); checked October 28, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Ramsey Mill Pond Wildlife Management Area
Ramsey Mill Pond WMA regulations in short
Read these before a first trip to Ramsey Mill Pond 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 |
Sources: record, agency rules; booklet: 2026-2027 Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations. Checked October 28, 2026.
DPA 255 dates for Ramsey Mill Pond WMA
For 2026, DNR made DPA 255 3-deer limit; its firearms deer season is the 200-series window. Up to 3 deer can come out of DPA 255 this season, using bonus permits for the extra antlerless deer.
| 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 |
No mandatory CWD sampling in DPA 255; testing is optional. DPA 255 takes in 388 square miles. Part of Mower and Dodge falls in DPA 255.
From the DNR 2026 deer season map and the 2026-2027 regulations booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
Hunting seasons at Ramsey Mill Pond WMA
44 season windows for 21 species reach Ramsey Mill Pond WMA, filtered by its game species list.
| Game | Season | Area | From | To | Open now? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery | DPA 255 | Sep 19, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Deer | Youth deer | DPA 255 | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Deer | Firearms, 200 series | DPA 255 | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 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 | |
| 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 |
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.
Ramsey Mill Pond WMA directions and parking
The DNR route text for each subunit of Ramsey Mill Pond WMA, with 0 mapped lots.
| Unit | Size | Closest town | Hunting | Parking spots | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ramsey Mill Pond WMA | 395 | Lansing | Open | – | DNR |
- Ramsey Mill Pond WMA: From Lansing, go 1.5 miles east on CSAH 2, then 1.5 miles south on County Highway 61, then 1/2 mile west along a trail to a gravel parking lot to access the main body of the WMA. To access the west side of the WMA from Lansing, go south 1 mile along CSAH 25 to 260th Street, then 1/2 mile east to a field access and parking area. The north side of the WMA is accessed by traveling 1/2 mile south on a township cartway that is 3/4 miles east of Lansing off of CSAH 2. Small parking areas are located at the end of the east access trail and off of 260th Street on the west side of the WMA.
DNR WMA detail pages (Compass feature records); checked October 28, 2026.
Other places to hunt near Ramsey Mill Pond WMA
The closest other public land to Ramsey Mill Pond WMA is Arlen Schamber Legacy WPA, 3.6 mi to the west; the table lists 8 neighbors with 910 acres between them.
| Name | Type | Size (ac) | Deer area | Away | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arlen Schamber Legacy WPA | WPA | 43 | 254 | 3.6 mi | west |
| Lost Lake WPA | WPA | 100 | 254 | 4.2 mi | west |
| Mentel WMA | WMA | 37 | 255 | 4.5 mi | southeast |
| Schrafel WMA | WMA | 33 | 254 | 5.4 mi | southwest |
| Turtle Creek WPA | WPA | 155 | 254 | 5.4 mi | west |
| Cedar River AMA | AMA | 45 | 255 | 5.9 mi | south |
| Carex WMA | WMA | 332 | 254 | 6.6 mi | west |
| Schottler WMA | WMA | 166 | 255 | 9.0 mi | south |
Points: DNR WMA detail page map point (Compass feature_detail). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Towns and offices around Ramsey Mill Pond WMA
The town nearest Ramsey Mill Pond WMA is Lansing at 1.6 mi. Austin (26,690 in 2024) is the largest of these towns. DNR names Lansing as the nearest town on its unit page. Owatonna Area Wildlife Office (Owatonna) is the closest DNR office, 26 mi off.
| Community | County | Residents | Straight line | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lansing | Mower | – | 1.6 mi | north |
| Mapleview | Mower | 148 | 2.7 mi | south |
| Austin | Mower | 26,690 | 3.9 mi | south |
| Brownsdale | Mower | 648 | 4.4 mi | east |
| Waltham | Mower | 167 | 7.6 mi | northeast |
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.
Ramsey Mill Pond WMA area deer harvest by year
DPA 255 totals, which include all the land around Ramsey Mill Pond WMA: 704 deer in 2025 against 677 in 2024.
| Year | Bucks | Does, fawns | All deer | Per sq mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 388 | 316 | 704 | 1.80 |
| 2024 | 353 | 324 | 677 | 1.73 |
| 2023 | 357 | 320 | 677 | 1.73 |
| 2022 | 316 | 296 | 612 | 1.56 |
| 2021 | 327 | 283 | 610 | 1.56 |
| 2020 | 310 | 298 | 608 | 1.55 |
| 2019 | 335 | 266 | 601 | 1.53 |
| 2018 | 559 | 505 | 1,064 | 1.38 |
| 2017 | 573 | 563 | 1,136 | 1.47 |
DNR 2025 deer harvest report; earlier years from the DNR yearly reports. Checked October 28, 2026.
The county setting of Ramsey Mill Pond WMA
Mower County holds 19 public hunting records on this site; Ramsey Mill Pond WMA is one of them. No deer feeding or attractants in Mower County (DNR ban). Bear: Mower County is in the no-quota area, with licenses over the counter. For turkey the county is in permit area 503 and 501. Wildlife office for Mower County: Rochester Area Wildlife Office. Unlike Ramsey Mill Pond WMA, Racine Prairie Scientific and Natural Area and Shooting Star Prairie Scientific and Natural Area are shut to hunters.
County acres from DNR and federal GIS layers (counties.json); zones from the 2026-2027 booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
Ramsey Mill Pond WMA: first legal light and last
Calculated for the exact spot of Ramsey Mill Pond 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 | 6:54 a.m. | 7:17 p.m. | 6:24 a.m. | 7:47 p.m. | 7:17 p.m. |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Duck opener | 7:02 a.m. | 7:04 p.m. | 6:32 a.m. | 7:34 p.m. | 7:04 p.m. |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Pheasant opener | 7:18 a.m. | 6:39 p.m. | 6:48 a.m. | 7:09 p.m. | 6:39 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Firearms deer opener | 6:55 a.m. | 4:57 p.m. | 6:25 a.m. | 5:27 p.m. | 4:57 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Muzzleloader opener | 7:22 a.m. | 4:38 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. | 5:08 p.m. | 4:38 p.m. |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Archery close | 7:45 a.m. | 4:43 p.m. | 7:15 a.m. | 5:13 p.m. | 4:43 p.m. |
| Apr 14, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:32 a.m. | 7:52 p.m. | 6:02 a.m. | 8:22 p.m. | 7:52 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.
Ramsey Mill Pond Wildlife Management Area and nearby events
2 upcoming events on this property or within about 10 miles (NWTF chapter banquet and Whitetails Unlimited deer camp). Checked October 28, 2026.
Upcoming here
| Date | Event | Miles | Where | Sign up | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 9, 2027 | Whitetails Unlimited Southern Minnesota Deer Camp, a Whitetails Unlimited deer camp | 4 | DoubleTree by Hilton (Austin) | Event details | Source |
| Jan 22, 2027 | Cedar River Longbeards Banquet, an NWTF chapter banquet | 4 | Austin | Buy tickets | Source |
Ramsey Mill Pond Wildlife Management Area hunters: nearest gun clubs on file
Before a hunt on Ramsey Mill Pond Wildlife Management Area, the closest range on file is Oak Grove Gun Club, 20 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.
Ramsey Mill Pond WMA and country like it, in photos
Ramsey Mill Pond WMA FAQ for 2026-27
Is Ramsey Mill Pond WMA a big piece of land?
About 395 acres, per the agency GIS.
When does firearms deer season open on Ramsey Mill Pond WMA?
Deer permit area 255; the 2026 designation is 3-deer limit. Firearms dates in that DPA are Nov 7 to Nov 15, 2026.
What game is on Ramsey Mill Pond WMA?
The record for Ramsey Mill Pond WMA lists deer, small game, ruffed grouse and woodcock, pheasant, waterfowl, wild turkey and mourning dove.
What are the directions to Ramsey Mill Pond WMA?
From Lansing, go 1.5 miles east on CSAH 2, then 1.5 miles south on County Highway 61, then 1/2 mile west along a trail to a gravel parking lot to access the main body of the WMA. To access the west side of the WMA from Lansing, go south 1 mile along CSAH 25 to 260th Street, then 1/2 mile east to a field access and parking area. The north side of the WMA is accessed by traveling 1/2 mile south on a township cartway that is 3/4 miles east of Lansing off of CSAH 2. 0 mapped lots.
Which office should I call about Ramsey Mill Pond WMA?
The Owatonna office of Minnesota Department of Natural Resources runs Ramsey Mill Pond WMA.
What are the CWD rules on Ramsey Mill Pond WMA?
CWD status: DPA 255 is outside the CWD zones, with optional testing.
Ramsey Mill Pond WMA: deer hours on opening day?
About 6:25 a.m. to 5:27 p.m. on opening day of firearms deer.
Any other public ground within a short drive of Ramsey Mill Pond WMA?
Closest on the map: Arlen Schamber Legacy WPA (3.6 mi), Lost Lake WPA (4.2 mi) and Mentel WMA (4.5 mi).
Are permanent stands allowed on Ramsey Mill Pond WMA?
No overnight gear on Ramsey Mill Pond WMA: stands and blinds go home each day unless the northwest exception covers the unit.
Can I stay the night on Ramsey Mill Pond WMA?
No, except designated sites or by permit.
Ramsey Mill Pond WMA: is hunting allowed there?
Open to hunting in regular seasons, under the general WMA rules and any notes on the unit page.
Other photos on this page: Chad Davis. (CC BY 2.0); Joshua Mayer (CC BY-SA 2.0); James St. John (CC BY 2.0).