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State forest in Aitkin County
Hunting on Waukenabo State Forest in 2026-27
State forest hunting in Aitkin County: rules, season dates, parking and nearby public land.
Photo: Lorie Shaull (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Waukenabo State Forest
Parking, trailheads and gates near Waukenabo State Forest
- Parking areaParking · 1.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 6.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 6.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 7.0 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 Waukenabo State Forest, summed up
The mapped area of Waukenabo State Forest is 15,624 acres, in Aitkin County. Aitkin County has 5 state forests on our list; this one is the 4th largest. Deer rules come from DPA 155 (it also reaches DPA 171 and DPA 604), an antlerless permit lottery area in 2026.
The land manager is Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Inside the statutory line (15,689 acres) DNR manages 15,624 acres; the rest is county, federal or private. It has been a state forest since 2000.
From the agency record (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources); checked October 28, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Waukenabo State Forest
Waukenabo State Forest regulations in short
Read these before a first trip to Waukenabo State Forest; they come from the agency page.
| Item | Allowed? |
|---|---|
| Hunting, trapping | Open in season |
| Game refuges inside | Closed unless listed |
| Near campgrounds, lots | Cased within 200 ft |
| Stands | Portable preferred |
| Shooting lanes | No cutting |
| Private inholdings | Permission needed |
| Target shooting | Unless posted closed |
| Forest roads | OHVs unless posted |
Sources: record; booklet: 2026-2027 Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations. Checked October 28, 2026.
DPA 155 dates for Waukenabo State Forest
For 2026, DNR made DPA 155 antlerless permit lottery and offered 750 antlerless permits by lottery; its firearms deer season is the 100-series window. The Sept. 10 lottery hands out the antlerless permits for DPA 155.
| Deer season | Opens | Closes | Today |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | Sep 19, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Youth deer | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Firearms, 100 series | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | |
| Muzzleloader | Nov 28, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 |
No mandatory CWD sampling in DPA 155; testing is optional. DPA 155 takes in 528 square miles. Part of Aitkin, Crow Wing and Mille Lacs falls in DPA 155.
Other DPAs: DPA 171 (antlerless permit lottery), DPA 604 (3-deer limit)
From the DNR 2026 deer season map and the 2026-2027 regulations booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
Hunting seasons at Waukenabo State Forest
48 season windows for 24 species reach Waukenabo State Forest, filtered by the open seasons for its county.
| Game | Season | Area | From | To | Open now? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery | DPAs 155, 171, 604 | Sep 19, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Deer | Youth deer | DPAs 155, 171, 604 | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Deer | Firearms, 100 series | DPAs 155, 171, 604 | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 22, 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 area 51 | Sep 1, 2026 | Oct 18, 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 | |
| Rails | Regular | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Snipe | Regular | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Dec 16, 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.
Other places to hunt near Waukenabo State Forest
The closest other public land to Waukenabo State Forest is Little Willow River WMA, 2.1 mi to the northwest; the table lists 8 neighbors with 9,586 acres between them.
| Name | Type | Size (ac) | Deer area | Away | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Willow River WMA | WMA | 1,860 | 171 | 2.1 mi | northwest |
| Deer Run WMA | WMA | 699 | 171 | 5.4 mi | south |
| French Lake WMA | WMA | 535 | 171 | 6.8 mi | southeast |
| Gun Lake WMA | WMA | 829 | 171 | 7.2 mi | east |
| Aitkin WMA | WMA | 3,412 | 155 | 7.8 mi | southeast |
| Birchdale WMA | WMA | 1,426 | 171 | 8.9 mi | west |
| Upper Dean WMA | WMA | 40 | 604 | 10 mi | west |
| Roberts-Wickstrom WMA | WMA | 786 | 171 | 11 mi | northeast |
Points: DNR State Forest Management Units layer (DNR-administered land) (polygon centroid of the largest part). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Towns and offices around Waukenabo State Forest
The town nearest Waukenabo State Forest is Palisade at 8.9 mi. Aitkin (2,174 in 2024) is the largest of these towns. Aitkin Area Wildlife Office (Aitkin) is the closest DNR office, 11 mi off.
| Community | County | Residents | Straight line | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palisade | Aitkin | 169 | 8.9 mi | east |
| Aitkin | Aitkin | 2,174 | 11 mi | south |
| Emily | Crow Wing | 863 | 16 mi | west |
| Cuyuna | Crow Wing | 327 | 17 mi | southwest |
| Deerwood | Crow Wing | 570 | 18 mi | southwest |
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.
Waukenabo State Forest area deer harvest by year
DPA 155 totals, which include all the land around Waukenabo State Forest: 1,134 deer in 2025 against 937 in 2024.
| Year | Bucks | Does, fawns | All deer | Per sq mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 908 | 226 | 1,134 | 2.27 |
| 2024 | 745 | 192 | 937 | 1.88 |
| 2023 | 624 | 157 | 781 | 1.57 |
| 2022 | 737 | 555 | 1,292 | 2.59 |
| 2021 | 741 | 634 | 1,375 | 2.76 |
| 2020 | 768 | 1,026 | 1,794 | 3.60 |
| 2019 | 782 | 1,024 | 1,806 | 3.62 |
| 2018 | 1,194 | 1,689 | 2,883 | 4.86 |
| 2017 | 1,504 | 1,729 | 3,233 | 5.45 |
DNR 2025 deer harvest report; earlier years from the DNR yearly reports. Checked October 28, 2026.
The county setting of Waukenabo State Forest
Aitkin County holds 43 public hunting records on this site; Waukenabo State Forest is one of them. No deer feeding or attractants in Aitkin County (DNR ban). Bear permit area 51 covers part of Aitkin County (51 (1500 permits)). For turkey the county is in permit area 508. Wildlife office for Aitkin County: Aitkin Area Wildlife Office. Unlike Waukenabo State Forest, Cedar Lake Aquatic Management Area and Glacier Lake Aquatic Management 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.
Waukenabo State Forest: first legal light and last
Calculated for the exact spot of Waukenabo State Forest, 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 | 6:56 a.m. | 7:21 p.m. | 6:26 a.m. | 7:51 p.m. | 7:21 p.m. |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Duck opener | 7:05 a.m. | 7:07 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. | 7:37 p.m. | 7:07 p.m. |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Pheasant opener | 7:24 a.m. | 6:39 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. | 7:09 p.m. | 6:39 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Firearms deer opener | 7:04 a.m. | 4:53 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. | 5:23 p.m. | 4:53 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Muzzleloader opener | 7:34 a.m. | 4:32 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. | 5:02 p.m. | 4:32 p.m. |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Archery close | 7:59 a.m. | 4:35 p.m. | 7:29 a.m. | 5:05 p.m. | 4:35 p.m. |
| Apr 14, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:31 a.m. | 7:59 p.m. | 6:01 a.m. | 8:29 p.m. | 7:59 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.
Waukenabo State Forest hunters: nearest gun clubs on file
Before a hunt on Waukenabo State Forest, the closest range on file is Moose-Willow Sportsmen Club, 15 miles off.
From the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 28, 2026.
Waukenabo State Forest and country like it, in photos
Waukenabo State Forest FAQ for 2026-27
What are the directions to Waukenabo State Forest?
Drive from Palisade (8.9 mi); the agency publishes no directions.
Which office should I call about Waukenabo State Forest?
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources runs Waukenabo State Forest.
What are the CWD rules on Waukenabo State Forest?
CWD status: DPA 155 is outside the CWD zones, with optional testing.
Waukenabo State Forest: deer hours on opening day?
About 6:34 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. on opening day of firearms deer.
Any other public ground within a short drive of Waukenabo State Forest?
Closest on the map: Little Willow River WMA (2.1 mi), Deer Run WMA (5.4 mi) and French Lake WMA (6.8 mi).
Are permanent stands allowed on Waukenabo State Forest?
On Waukenabo State Forest, a stand left overnight can be used by any hunter, and shooting lanes cannot be cleared.
Waukenabo State Forest: is hunting allowed there?
Yes. Check the rules table on this page for Waukenabo State Forest first.
Is Waukenabo State Forest a big piece of land?
About 15,624 acres, per the agency GIS.
When does firearms deer season open on Waukenabo State Forest?
Deer permit area 155; the 2026 designation is antlerless permit lottery. Firearms dates in that DPA are Nov 7 to Nov 22, 2026.
What game is on Waukenabo State Forest?
No per-site species list exists for Waukenabo State Forest; legal game in season can be hunted.
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); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0).