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WMA · Northeast region
Zim Wildlife Management Area hunting, 2026-27
Seasons, access rules and the nearest towns for this wildlife management area in St. Louis County.
Photo: Abnormally Weird (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Zim Wildlife Management Area
What the file says about Zim WMA
Zim WMA adds 909 acres of public ground to St. Louis County. Line up the 16 wildlife management areas in St. Louis County by acres and Zim WMA comes 3rd. It is made of 2 subunits, Janzen Unit (297 ac) and Main Unit (612 ac).
Its deer permit area is 178; the 2026 designation there is antlerless permit lottery. DNR runs Zim WMA from its Tower area office; email tower.wildlife@state.mn.us. Federal aid noted by DNR for Zim WMA: Pittman-Robertson.
In DNR's words: Sharp-tailed grouse management is emphasized on this unit.
Species on the record: deer, black bear, small game, ruffed grouse and woodcock.
- White-tailed Deer
- Black Bear
- Eastern Cottontail
- Gray Squirrel
- Snowshoe Hare
- Ruffed Grouse
- American Woodcock
From the agency record (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources); checked October 28, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Zim Wildlife Management Area
Zim WMA route text and lots
Use these DNR directions to find Zim WMA; the map pins its 4 parking points.
- Janzen Unit: 5 miles west of Cotton on St Louis Co 52 then .3 miles North on Co 7. No parking lot.
- Main Unit: 5 miles west of Cotton on St Louis Co 52 then 4 miles North on Co 7. Parking lot on East side of highway.
DNR WMA detail pages (Compass feature records); checked October 28, 2026.
Zim WMA access rules
The rows below restate the access rules on the agency record for Zim WMA.
| Activity | Status |
|---|---|
| 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.
Zim WMA and deer permit area 178
The 2026 designation for DPA 178 is antlerless permit lottery, and 25 antlerless permits go out by lottery; firearms dates follow the 100-series window. Antlerless deer in DPA 178 need a lottery permit for the firearms seasons; the declaration deadline was Sept. 10.
| Hunt | First day | Last day | Now |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
CWD sampling in DPA 178 is voluntary. The DPA covers 1,241 square miles. DPA 178 counties: St. Louis and Itasca.
From the DNR 2026 deer season map and the 2026-2027 regulations booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
Seasons open on Zim WMA
Dated seasons that apply on Zim WMA (21 rows), with today's status in the last column.
| Quarry | Season | Where | Opening | Closing | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery | DPA 178 | Sep 19, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Deer | Youth deer | DPA 178 | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Deer | Firearms, 100 series | DPA 178 | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | |
| Deer | Muzzleloader | Statewide | Nov 28, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Quota areas | Quota areas 22, 24, 25, 31, 51, 53 | 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 | |
| Take-a-Kid | Take-a-Kid | Statewide | Sep 26, 2026 | Sep 27, 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 | |
| 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 | |
| Crow | Crow segment | Statewide | Mar 1, 2027 | Mar 31, 2027 |
Waterfowl rows show the North, Central and South zones because DNR draws those lines on highways (MN 210/23/39, US 212/I-494/I-94), not by unit; check the DNR map.
From the 2026-2027 Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations booklet (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources); checked October 28, 2026. All Minnesota seasons.
DPA 178 harvest, the area around Zim WMA
Harvest numbers below are DPA 178 totals (1,521 in 2025), the closest DNR figure for Zim WMA.
| Season | Bucks (adult) | Others | Registered | Per sq mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,283 | 238 | 1,521 | 1.27 |
| 2024 | 1,190 | 202 | 1,392 | 1.16 |
| 2023 | 949 | 323 | 1,272 | 1.06 |
| 2022 | 1,065 | 409 | 1,474 | 1.23 |
| 2021 | 1,301 | 404 | 1,705 | 1.43 |
| 2020 | 1,311 | 446 | 1,757 | 1.47 |
| 2019 | 1,340 | 377 | 1,717 | 1.44 |
| 2018 | 1,573 | 1,385 | 2,958 | 2.48 |
| 2017 | 1,772 | 878 | 2,650 | 2.22 |
DNR 2025 deer harvest report; earlier years from the DNR yearly reports. Checked October 28, 2026.
Zim WMA on the map with nearby land
Big pins mark Zim WMA and its parking; Fermoy WMA is the nearest neighbor at 1.3 mi.
| Neighbor | Category | Acreage | DPA | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fermoy WMA | WMA | 503 | 178 | 1.3 mi | west |
| Sax WMA | WMA | 943 | 178 | 1.8 mi | southwest |
| Anchor Lake WMA | WMA | 216 | 178 | 8.5 mi | northeast |
| Little Whiteface River WMA | WMA | 442 | 178 | 8.9 mi | south |
| Whiteface River AMA | AMA | 188 | 178 | 10.0 mi | east |
| Whiteface River State Forest | State forest | 2,503 | 178, 181 | 12 mi | south |
| Cloquet Valley State Forest | State forest | 50,513 | 130, 132 | 13 mi | southeast |
| Whiteface River RGMA | RGMA | 3,674 | 132, 178 | 13 mi | east |
Points: DNR WMA boundary layer (polygon centroid of the largest part). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
What St. Louis County adds to a Zim WMA trip
Zim WMA is one of 59 public places we list in St. Louis County. Quota bear area 24, 25 and 31 overlaps the county (24 (100 permits), 25 (375 permits) and 31 (400 permits)). Turkey: permit area 508. Area wildlife office: Tower Area Wildlife Office ((218) 300-7860). Do not mistake Zim WMA for closed St. Louis County ground such as Amity Creek Aquatic Management Area and Angora Creek Aquatic Management Area.
County acres from DNR and federal GIS layers (counties.json); zones from the 2026-2027 booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
Supplies and help close to Zim WMA
From Zim WMA the nearest town is Meadowlands (12 mi). Eveleth, with 3,415 residents, is the biggest town on the list. On the DNR record, the reference town is Cotton. DNR staff closest to Zim WMA work out of Cloquet (33 mi).
| Place | County | Population | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meadowlands | St. Louis | 140 | 12 mi | southwest |
| Iron Junction | St. Louis | 106 | 14 mi | north |
| Leonidas | St. Louis | 51 | 17 mi | north |
| Eveleth | St. Louis | 3,415 | 18 mi | north |
| Gilbert | St. Louis | 1,655 | 20 mi | north |
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.
Closest Minnesota ranges to Zim Wildlife Management Area
Little Swan Sporting Clays, 12 miles away, is the nearest range to Zim Wildlife Management Area; check its access rule before going. The property rules exclude target shooting.
From the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 28, 2026; target shooting rule from the DNR WMA rules.
Zim WMA legal light on key dates
Legal light at Zim WMA: half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset for deer and bear, and to sunset for turkey, waterfowl and small game.
| Day | Season point | Sun up | Sun down | Shooting opens | Deer close | Bird close |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 19, 2026 | Archery and grouse opener | 6:52 a.m. | 7:17 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. | 7:47 p.m. | 7:17 p.m. |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Duck opener | 7:01 a.m. | 7:03 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. | 7:33 p.m. | 7:03 p.m. |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Pheasant opener | 7:20 a.m. | 6:35 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. | 7:05 p.m. | 6:35 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Firearms deer opener | 7:01 a.m. | 4:47 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. | 5:17 p.m. | 4:47 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Muzzleloader opener | 7:32 a.m. | 4:25 p.m. | 7:02 a.m. | 4:55 p.m. | 4:25 p.m. |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Archery close | 7:57 a.m. | 4:29 p.m. | 7:27 a.m. | 4:59 p.m. | 4:29 p.m. |
| Apr 14, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:26 a.m. | 7:56 p.m. | 5:56 a.m. | 8:26 p.m. | 7:56 p.m. |
Raccoon and fox may be hunted at night under DNR rules.
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.
Photos to set the scene for Zim WMA
Zim WMA questions answered from its record
Are tree stands allowed on Zim WMA, and for how long?
No. Portable stands and blinds come off Zim WMA every day (northwest Minnesota has an overnight exception Nov. 1-Dec. 31), and no equipment stays overnight.
Zim WMA: is overnight camping allowed?
Not unless DNR designates a site or issues a permit; WMA rules bar other camping.
Is hunting legal on Zim WMA in 2026-27?
Yes, in the regular seasons. Read the special restrictions on the DNR page and watch for posted refuge areas.
How many acres of hunting does Zim WMA offer?
909 acres in 2 subunits.
What DPA is Zim WMA, and what is its designation?
DPA 178 (100 series, antlerless permit lottery). Firearms deer runs Nov 7 to Nov 22, 2026 there.
What animals can be hunted at Zim WMA?
Deer, black bear, small game and ruffed grouse and woodcock, according to the agency page for Zim WMA.
How do hunters reach Zim WMA?
5 miles west of Cotton on St Louis Co 52 then .3 miles North on Co 7. No parking lot. Lots mapped: 4.
Who holds title to Zim WMA?
Land manager for Zim WMA: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Tower office.
Does chronic wasting disease testing apply on Zim WMA?
DPA 178 is outside the CWD zones, with optional testing.
What are the legal shooting hours at Zim WMA?
On the Nov. 7 firearms opener, legal deer hours at Zim WMA run 6:31 a.m. to 5:17 p.m..
If Zim WMA is full, where is the next public land?
Public ground nearest by straight line: Fermoy WMA (1.3 mi), Sax WMA (1.8 mi) and Anchor Lake WMA (8.5 mi).
Other photos on this page: Sharon Mollerus (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); GerryT (CC BY 2.0).