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WMA · DPA 288
Hunting on Sodus Wildlife Management Area in 2026-27
Wildlife management area hunting in Lyon County: rules, season dates, parking and nearby public land.
Photo: Tony Webster (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Sodus Wildlife Management Area
The record behind Sodus WMA, summed up
The mapped area of Sodus WMA is 757 acres, in Lyon County. Lyon County has 50 wildlife management areas on our list; this one is the 6th largest. Deer rules come from DPA 288, an either-sex area in 2026.
Marshall is the DNR wildlife area office for Sodus WMA (marshall.wildlife@state.mn.us). DNR records Pittman-Robertson funding for Sodus WMA.
Species named: deer, small game, pheasant, waterfowl, mourning dove.
- White-tailed Deer
- Eastern Cottontail
- Gray Squirrel
- Snowshoe Hare
- Ring-necked Pheasant
- Ducks
- Canada Goose
- Mourning Dove
From the agency record (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources); checked October 28, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Sodus Wildlife Management Area
Sodus WMA regulations in short
Read these before a first trip to Sodus 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 288 dates for Sodus WMA
For 2026, DNR made DPA 288 either-sex; its firearms deer season is the 200-series window. Either-sex in DPA 288 means the regular license covers a buck or a doe.
| 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 288 takes in 630 square miles. DPA 288 stays inside the Lyon County line.
From the DNR 2026 deer season map and the 2026-2027 regulations booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
Hunting seasons at Sodus WMA
34 season windows for 19 species reach Sodus WMA, filtered by its game species list.
| Game | Season | Area | From | To | Open now? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery | DPA 288 | Sep 19, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Deer | Youth deer | DPA 288 | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Deer | Firearms, 200 series | DPA 288 | 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 | |
| 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.
Sodus WMA directions and parking
The DNR route text for each subunit of Sodus WMA, with 0 mapped lots.
| Unit | Size | Closest town | Hunting | Parking spots | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sodus WMA | 757 | Balaton | Open | – | DNR |
- Sodus WMA: From Balaton, go 1 mile E on US 14 then 3 miles N on CO RD 63.
DNR WMA detail pages (Compass feature records); checked October 28, 2026.
Other places to hunt near Sodus WMA
The closest other public land to Sodus WMA is Deer Lane WMA, 1.1 mi to the east; the table lists 8 neighbors with 1,445 acres between them.
| Name | Type | Size (ac) | Deer area | Away | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer Lane WMA | WMA | 117 | 288 | 1.1 mi | east |
| Dayland Marsh WMA | WMA | 21 | 288 | 1.5 mi | south |
| Lyons WMA | WMA | 572 | 288 | 2.2 mi | west |
| Jacobson WMA | WMA | 290 | 288 | 2.6 mi | north |
| Sherman WPA | WPA | 120 | 288 | 3.0 mi | south |
| Happy Hollow WMA | WMA | 19 | 288 | 3.2 mi | southwest |
| Ringneck Ravine WMA | WMA | 69 | 288 | 3.3 mi | northwest |
| Lake Yankton WMA | WMA | 237 | 288, 295 | 3.6 mi | south |
Points: DNR WMA detail page map point (Compass feature_detail). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Towns and offices around Sodus WMA
The town nearest Sodus WMA is Balaton at 4.0 mi. Tracy (2,041 in 2024) is the largest of these towns. DNR names Balaton as the nearest town on its unit page. Marshall Area Wildlife Office (Marshall) is the closest DNR office, 14 mi off.
| Community | County | Residents | Straight line | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balaton | Lyon | 585 | 4.0 mi | southwest |
| Russell | Lyon | 356 | 5.9 mi | northwest |
| Garvin | Lyon | 117 | 6.2 mi | southeast |
| Lynd | Lyon | 435 | 8.3 mi | north |
| Tracy | Lyon | 2,041 | 11 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.
Sodus WMA area deer harvest by year
DPA 288 totals, which include all the land around Sodus WMA: 731 deer in 2025 against 634 in 2024.
| Year | Bucks | Does, fawns | All deer | Per sq mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 459 | 272 | 731 | 1.17 |
| 2024 | 459 | 175 | 634 | 1.02 |
| 2023 | 344 | 212 | 556 | 0.89 |
| 2022 | 383 | 243 | 626 | 1.00 |
| 2021 | 453 | 211 | 664 | 1.06 |
| 2020 | 446 | 264 | 710 | 1.14 |
| 2019 | 403 | 245 | 648 | 1.04 |
| 2018 | 369 | 288 | 657 | 1.05 |
| 2017 | 421 | 253 | 674 | 1.08 |
DNR 2025 deer harvest report; earlier years from the DNR yearly reports. Checked October 28, 2026.
The county setting of Sodus WMA
Lyon County holds 61 public hunting records on this site; Sodus WMA is one of them. Bear: Lyon County is in the no-quota area, with licenses over the counter. For turkey the county is in permit area 504. Wildlife office for Lyon County: Marshall Area Wildlife Office. Unlike Sodus WMA, Glynn Prairie 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.
Sodus WMA: first legal light and last
Calculated for the exact spot of Sodus 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 | 7:05 a.m. | 7:29 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. | 7:59 p.m. | 7:29 p.m. |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Duck opener | 7:14 a.m. | 7:16 p.m. | 6:44 a.m. | 7:46 p.m. | 7:16 p.m. |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Pheasant opener | 7:30 a.m. | 6:50 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. | 7:20 p.m. | 6:50 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Firearms deer opener | 7:07 a.m. | 5:07 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. | 5:37 p.m. | 5:07 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Muzzleloader opener | 7:35 a.m. | 4:48 p.m. | 7:05 a.m. | 5:18 p.m. | 4:48 p.m. |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Archery close | 7:59 a.m. | 4:53 p.m. | 7:29 a.m. | 5:23 p.m. | 4:53 p.m. |
| Apr 14, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:43 a.m. | 8:05 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. | 8:35 p.m. | 8:05 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.
Sodus Wildlife Management Area hunters: nearest gun clubs on file
Before a hunt on Sodus Wildlife Management Area, the closest range on file is Saratoga Archery Club, 11 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.
Sodus WMA and country like it, in photos
Sodus WMA FAQ for 2026-27
Is Sodus WMA a big piece of land?
About 757 acres, per the agency GIS.
When does firearms deer season open on Sodus WMA?
Deer permit area 288; the 2026 designation is either-sex. Firearms dates in that DPA are Nov 7 to Nov 15, 2026.
What game is on Sodus WMA?
The record for Sodus WMA lists deer, small game, pheasant, waterfowl and mourning dove.
What are the directions to Sodus WMA?
From Balaton, go 1 mile E on US 14 then 3 miles N on CO RD 63. 0 mapped lots.
Which office should I call about Sodus WMA?
The Marshall office of Minnesota Department of Natural Resources runs Sodus WMA.
What are the CWD rules on Sodus WMA?
CWD status: DPA 288 is in the 2026 surveillance block (mandatory sampling Nov. 7-8).
Sodus WMA: deer hours on opening day?
About 6:37 a.m. to 5:37 p.m. on opening day of firearms deer.
Any other public ground within a short drive of Sodus WMA?
Closest on the map: Deer Lane WMA (1.1 mi), Dayland Marsh WMA (1.5 mi) and Lyons WMA (2.2 mi).
Are permanent stands allowed on Sodus WMA?
No overnight gear on Sodus WMA: stands and blinds go home each day unless the northwest exception covers the unit.
Can I stay the night on Sodus WMA?
No, except designated sites or by permit.
Sodus 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: Michel Curi (CC BY 2.0); Tony Webster (CC BY-SA 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0).