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State park · 2026-27
Sakatah Lake State Park hunting guide and rules
Everything we could verify about this state park in Rice County and 1 neighbor.
Photo: Tony Webster (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Sakatah Lake State Park
Parking, trailheads and gates near Sakatah Lake State Park
- Parking areaParking · 0.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 0.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Trail ParkingParking · 1.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.1 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.
Sakatah Lake State Park: acres, owner and deer area
Sakatah Lake State Park spreads over 732 acres of Rice and Le Sueur counties. Of 2 state parks in Rice County, Sakatah Lake State Park is number 2 by acreage. Hunters on Sakatah Lake State Park follow DPA 292, which DNR made 3-deer limit for 2026.
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources runs this land. Hunting is limited to the DNR special hunt dates and hunt-map areas; the rest of the year the park is closed to hunting.
Game species: deer.
From the agency record (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources); checked October 28, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Sakatah Lake State Park
Map: Sakatah Lake State Park and its neighbors
8 public areas lie within 45 miles of Sakatah Lake State Park, adding 1,246 acres; Sakatah Lake AMA is closest.
| Public land | Type | Acres | DPA | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sakatah Lake AMA | AMA | 64 | 292 | 2.5 mi | northeast |
| Horseshoe Lake AMA | AMA | 165 | 292 | 2.9 mi | north |
| Sakatah WMA | WMA | 212 | 232, 292 | 3.3 mi | east |
| Cannon River AMA | AMA | 212 | 292 | 5.0 mi | east |
| Tetonka Lake AMA | AMA | 26 | 292 | 5.1 mi | west |
| Cannon River WMA | WMA | 270 | 292 | 5.3 mi | east |
| Murphy WMA | WMA | 211 | 292 | 5.6 mi | northwest |
| Caron Lake AMA | AMA | 86 | 292 | 5.9 mi | north |
Points: DNR state parks management units layer (polygon centroid). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Sakatah Lake State Park: the use rules
These are the use rules the agency lists for Sakatah Lake State Park; posted signs on site still govern.
| Rule | What applies |
|---|---|
| Hunting | Hunt dates only |
| Hunt areas | Hunt map only |
| Ammunition | Lead-free required |
| CLOSED hunts | Permit hunters only |
Sources: record; booklet: 2026-2027 Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations. Checked October 28, 2026.
Sakatah Lake State Park hunt calendar
The 2026-27 hunt list for Sakatah Lake State Park, with permits and bag limits as published.
| Number | Hunt | Permits | Dates | Bag | Antlers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 894 | Adult muzzleloader, permit required | 15 | Dec 5-6, 2026 | 3 | Earn-a-buck |
| Season | Opens | Closes | Park status | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muzzleloader | Dec 5, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | CLOSED | Map |
DNR special deer hunts and DNR state park hunts; checked October 28, 2026. Special hunts and lotteries.
Sakatah Lake State Park deer calendar and limits
DPA 292 (200 series) is 3-deer limit in 2026. Hunters may take up to 3 deer in DPA 292 across licenses and bonus permits; only one may be a buck in most DPAs.
| Season | Begins | Through | 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 |
Testing for CWD is optional in DPA 292. Area of DPA 292: 393 sq mi. Counties in DPA 292: Le Sueur, Rice and Blue Earth.
From the DNR 2026 deer season map and the 2026-2027 regulations booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
How many deer DPA 292 gives up around Sakatah Lake State Park
DNR reports harvest by deer permit area, not by WMA or county; DPA 292 registered 1,197 deer in 2025, 4% up on 2024.
| Year | Adult bucks | Other deer | Total | Per sq mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 633 | 564 | 1,197 | 3.31 |
| 2024 | 640 | 509 | 1,149 | 3.17 |
| 2023 | 572 | 516 | 1,088 | 3.01 |
| 2022 | 521 | 501 | 1,022 | 2.82 |
| 2021 | 530 | 425 | 955 | 2.64 |
| 2020 | 496 | 613 | 1,109 | 3.06 |
| 2019 | 761 | 677 | 1,438 | 3.00 |
| 2018 | 602 | 642 | 1,244 | 2.60 |
| 2017 | 679 | 695 | 1,374 | 2.87 |
DNR 2025 deer harvest report; earlier years from the DNR yearly reports. Checked October 28, 2026.
Sakatah Lake State Park: towns, DNR office and shops
Sakatah Lake State Park is 2.3 mi from Waterville, the nearest community. Owatonna has the nearest DNR office to Sakatah Lake State Park, 25 mi away.
| Nearest towns | County | Population | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterville | Le Sueur | 1,763 | 2.3 mi | west |
| Morristown | Rice | 1,016 | 4.0 mi | east |
| Kilkenny | Le Sueur | 151 | 6.9 mi | north |
| Elysian | Le Sueur | 759 | 7.8 mi | west |
| Warsaw | Rice | – | 7.9 mi | east |
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.
County rules that reach Sakatah Lake State Park
Our Rice County list runs to 30 public areas, including Sakatah Lake State Park. Deer feeding and attractants are banned in Rice County. No bear lottery in Rice County: it is no-quota ground. Turkey permit area here: 503 and 505. The county's nearest wildlife office is Owatonna Area Wildlife Office in Owatonna. Rice County also has 6 closed places, Cannon River Trout Lily Scientific and Natural Area among them.
County acres from DNR and federal GIS layers (counties.json); zones from the 2026-2027 booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
Public lanes and clubs for Sakatah Lake State Park hunters
From Sakatah Lake State Park, Archer Park – Archery Range is the nearest city, county or park district range (40 miles). Nearby sportsmen’s clubs fill the other cards.
From the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 28, 2026.
Sakatah Lake State Park country, seen through a lens
Sakatah Lake State Park: sunrise, sunset and legal hours
These Sakatah Lake State Park hours use the NOAA solar formula for the unit's coordinates.
| When | Event | Rise | Set | Opens | Deer, bear end | Birds end |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 19, 2026 | Archery and grouse opener | 6:56 a.m. | 7:20 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. | 7:50 p.m. | 7:20 p.m. |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Duck opener | 7:04 a.m. | 7:06 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. | 7:36 p.m. | 7:06 p.m. |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Pheasant opener | 7:21 a.m. | 6:41 p.m. | 6:51 a.m. | 7:11 p.m. | 6:41 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Firearms deer opener | 6:58 a.m. | 4:58 p.m. | 6:28 a.m. | 5:28 p.m. | 4:58 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Muzzleloader opener | 7:26 a.m. | 4:39 p.m. | 6:56 a.m. | 5:09 p.m. | 4:39 p.m. |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Archery close | 7:49 a.m. | 4:44 p.m. | 7:19 a.m. | 5:14 p.m. | 4:44 p.m. |
| Apr 14, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:34 a.m. | 7:55 p.m. | 6:04 a.m. | 8:25 p.m. | 7:55 p.m. |
Clock times include Daylight Saving Time until Nov. 1.
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.
Sakatah Lake State Park: what hunters usually ask
Is Sakatah Lake State Park public ground you can hunt?
Not in general. Sakatah Lake State Park opens to hunting for its listed hunts and hunt-map areas only.
What size is the Sakatah Lake State Park unit?
Agency maps put it at 732 acres.
Sakatah Lake State Park: which DPA sets the deer rules?
DPA 292, 3-deer limit for 2026. The rifle and shotgun season goes Nov 7 to Nov 15, 2026.
What is there to hunt on Sakatah Lake State Park?
On the Sakatah Lake State Park record the game list reads deer.
Where do you park at Sakatah Lake State Park?
Waterville is 2.3 mi away; the map shows the point.
Who should I contact about Sakatah Lake State Park?
Sakatah Lake State Park belongs to Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
Is Sakatah Lake State Park inside a CWD zone?
Sakatah Lake State Park sits in DPA 292, which is outside the CWD zones, with optional testing.
What time can you shoot deer at Sakatah Lake State Park on Nov. 7?
Nov. 7: 6:28 a.m. to 5:28 p.m. for deer, sunrise 6:58 a.m..
What other public tracts sit near Sakatah Lake State Park?
Sakatah Lake State Park neighbors on our list: Sakatah Lake AMA (2.5 mi), Horseshoe Lake AMA (Le Sueur County) (2.9 mi) and Sakatah WMA (3.3 mi).
Sakatah Lake State Park trip checklist from this page
No paper tags in Minnesota: validate the electronic license where the animal falls, then register it on time.
Sources: source · source · source · source; regulations from the 2026-2027 Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations. Checked October 28, 2026.
Other photos on this page: USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0); NPS Photo (Public domain); ShenandoahNPS (Public domain).