Western Minnesota Prairie Waters

Lac qui Parle Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is located about 140 miles west of the Twin Cities in the Minnesota River Valley, northwest of Montevideo.Its headquarters is on the northeast side of Lac qui Parle Lake between the towns of Watson and Milan.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Lac qui Parle WMA lies in Big Stone, Chippewa, Lac qui Parle and Swift Counties. It is about 25 miles long, 1 to 3 miles wide, and encompasses more than 31,000 acres or over 48 square miles of land and water. Made up of wetlands, brushlands, woodlands, native prairie, and other grasslands and cropland. Lac qui Parle Lake (6,400 acres) and Marsh lake (5,100 acres) are the most prominent features.

Natural wetlands and man-made impoundments provide habitat for waterfowl, shorebirds and aquatic furbearers. Most wetlands are near the lakes, but some upland areas contain marshes and smaller impoundments.

Map of Lac qui Parle Wildlife Management Area

WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT

Intensive management is required for sustained wildlife production. More than 2,000 acres of corn food plots are planted each year by local farmers and WMA personnel to provide feed for geese, deer and other wildlife. Native prairie nesting cover is maintained by controlled burning. Tree plantings are established to winter and escape cover. Water levels of impoundments are manipulated to maintain aquatic plant growth and enhance wildlife habitat.

RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

Public hunting is the primary recreational use of the WMA, although thousands of bird watchers and nature observers visit the area each year. Geese are the most commonly hunted species, followed by duck, deer, and pheasants. Fox, raccoons, squirrels and rabbits are other species hunted on Lac qui Parle WMA.

Birdwatchers enjoy many song birds and waterfowl that use the WMA for nesting and as a migratory stopover. A bald eagle nest is located on an island in the Sanctuary. Anyone who likes to see abundant wildlife will enjoy a hike through the WMA. Within easy distance of woodlands, wetlands and prairie a variety of wildlife and plant species exist. Lac qui Parle's mix of hardwood, prairie and food plots have created a healthy deer herd. The sight of a whitetail or ducks at dawn are common almost any time of the year.

Trappers harvest from good populations of muskrat, mink, fox, raccoon and beaver. Permits are required to trap on the WMA.

Lac qui Parle and occasionally Marsh Lake have excellent crappie, walleye, northern pike and white bass fishing.

CONTROLLED GOOSE HUNT

Lac qui Parle is a goose hunting and watching paradise. In the fall as many as 150,000 Canada geese are on the area at one time.

Hunting within the Lac qui Parle Controlled Hunting Zone is limited to designated hunting stations. The migratory Canada geese are mostly from the Eastern Prairie Population (EPP), which nests near the southwestern shore of Hudson's Bay and traditionally winter on and near the Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Missouri. Approximately 70 to 80 percent of these EPP geese use the management area during migration. Hunters who want to know more about the controlled hunt should contact the Lac qui Parle headquarters.

WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA RULES

Activities permitted:

• Hunting in accordance with state regulations
• Hiking
• Wildlife Observation
• Fishing
• Bird Watching and Nature Study

Activities requiring a permit:

• Trapping in the WMA
• Cutting fuelwood for home use
• Operating a snowmobile or an ATV on the ice of Lac qui Parle Lake

Prohibited activities:

• Camping
• Horseback Riding
• Target Shooting
• Trespassing within the wildlife sanctuary from September 20 through December 1. One exception is that fishing is allowed beginning the day after the close of the controlled goose hunting season on Lac qui Parle Lake.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from the programs of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is available to all individuals regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. Discrimination inquiries should be sent to MN-DNR, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55155-4031; or the Equal Opportunity Office, Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C., 20240.

Natural Resources