Mille Lacs WMA

 

 

     
 
About
 
 

Ownership

 
 

Minnesota DNR logo

 
     
 

Links

 
 

Minnesota DNR

 
     
 

Overview

 
 

Mille Lacs Wildlife Management Area protects 60.5 square miles of moist hardwood forest and wetlands in east-central Minnesota. About sixty percent of the WMA is forested, mostly moist red oak - basswood forest. The remainder is wetland, mostly sedge meadow and willow - dogwood shrub swamp. There are 80 parking areas and about 100 miles of forest roads, hiking trails, and hunter walking trails within the WMA.

Hunters can stalk deer, bear, small game, forest birds, and waterfowl. Fur-bearer trapping is allowed with a permit. Non-game wildlife found here include red-shouldered hawk and four-toed salamander, both species of special concern in Minnesota. Protected plants found here include bog bluegrass, little goblin moonwort, narrow triangle moonwort, and least moonwort.

Visitors to Mille Lacs WMA on Memorial Day weekend will see large-flowered trillium peaking and large numbers of mosquitoes feeding. DEET is highly recommended.

 
     
 

History

 
 

 

 
     
 

Management

 
 

Management projects on the WMA include a ruffed grouse management area, a woodcock management demonstration area, and an Adaptive Forest Management Project.

 
     
 

Comments

 
 

 

 
     
 
Location
 
 

Maps

 
 

Visitor Map

Mille Lacs WMA Visitor Map GeoPDF

 
         
 

Printable Map(s) with GPS coordinates

 
         
         
 

Size

 
 

38,729 acres

 
         
 

Parking

 
 

There are 80 parking areas along the roads bordering the WMA and on Queens Road, Game Refuge Road, 60th Ave., and 50th Ave.

Olson Field parking lot
N46 2.412, W93 32.834

WMA Headquarters
N45 58.098, W93 37.408

 
         
 

Driving Directions

  Area and County  
 

Get driving directions from Google Maps to this destination from any address, and send those directions to your phone.

   
          Mille Lacs and Kanabec Counties  
          Central Minnesota  
     
 
Activities
 
 

Hiking Trails

 
 

The are about 100 miles of forest roads and hiking trails within the WMA.

 
     
 

Hunting

 
 

Deer, bear, small game, forest birds, and waterfowl. Fur-bearer and minnow trapping available with permit. See Hunting and Trapping Regulations (MN DNR) for details.

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Ecological Classification

  Ecological Classification  
  Ecological Province    

Laurentian Mixed Forest Province

   
  Ecological Section    

Western Superior Uplands

   
  Ecological Subsection    

Mille Lacs Uplands

   
  Land Type Association    

Ann Lake Drumlin Plain

Eastside Till Plain

Kathio Moraine

   
             
 

Native Plant Communities*

   
 

Alder - (Maple - Loosestrife) Swamp

Aspen - Ash Forest

Black Ash - Yellow Birch - Red Maple - Basswood Swamp (Eastcentral)

Bog birch - Alder Shore Fen

Central Dry-Mesic Oak-Aspen Forest

Central Mesic Hardwood Forest (Eastern)

Northern Mixed Cattail Marsh

Northern Poor Conifer Swamp

Northern Poor Fen

Northern Rich Fen (Basin)

Northern Wet Ash Swamp

Poor Black Spruce Swamp

Red Oak - Basswood Forest (Calcareous Till)

Red Oak - Basswood Forest (Noncalcareous Till)

Red Oak - Sugar Maple - Basswood - (Large-Flowered Trillium) Forest

Rich Tamarack Swamp (Eastcentral)

Sedge Meadow

Willow - Dogwood Shrub Swamp

   
  * Source: The Minnesota Biological Survey, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Division of Ecological Resources      
         
 

Natural Features

     
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

           
 
Visitor Photos
 
           
 

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Queens Road

 
    Mille Lacs WMA      
           
 

Other Forest

 
    Mille Lacs WMA   Mille Lacs WMA  

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
 
     
     

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

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Other Videos
 
  TeamNojTuag Ep.1: Squirrel
JVFishy
 
   
 
About

Published on Oct 13, 2015

***WARNING*** There is and will be some animal killing in this short clip. For those who can't watch please do not watch this.

This is our opener weekend up in Mille Lacs WMA in Mille Lacs, Minnesota. Our family do a yearly opener hunt up in Mille Lacs WMA every year, this year marks our 8th year i believe of being up here and so far this has been the second best year so far.

Enjoy the clip and subscribe for more hunting video coming.

The next Episode will be on our second duck opener weekend.

   

 

Camcorder

           
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

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MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
 

Visits

5/25/2016                
 
 

Amphibians

 
 

One amphibian species with conservation status in Minnesota has been seen here:

Special Concern

four-toed salamander (Hemidactylium scutatum)

 
 

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Amphibians and Reptiles List

 
 

blue-spotted salamander (Ambystoma laterale)

wood frog (Lithobates sylvaticus)

  wood frog  
 

Birds

 
 

Two bird species with conservation status in Minnesota have been seen here:

Special Concern

Boreal Owl (Aegolius funereus)

Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)

 
 

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Birds List

eBird Field Checklist

 
 

American Robin (Turdus migratorius)

Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)

Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)

Eastern Wood-peewee (Contopus virens)

Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)

Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla)

Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)

 

Blue Jay

Canada Goose

 
 

Fishes

 
 

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Fishes List

 
         
 

Fungi and Lichens

 
 

Black Knot (Apiosporina morbosa)

Common Greenshield Lichen (Flavoparmelia caperata)

Thin-Walled Maze Polypore (Daedaleopsis confragosa)

Violet-toothed Polypore (Trichaptum biforme)

  Common Greenshield Lichen  
 

Insects and Arachnids

 
 

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Insects List

 
 

crimson erineum mite (Aceria elongata)

maple spindle-gall mite (Vasates aceriscrumena)

  crimson erineum mite  
 

Mammals

 
 

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Mammals List

 
 

American black bear (Ursus americanus)

eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)

whitetail deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

  American black bear  
 

Plants

 
 

Six plant species with conservation status in Minnesota are found here:

Endangered

butternut (Juglans cinerea)

snailseed pondweed (Potamogeton bicupulatus)

Threatened

bog bluegrass (Poa paludigena)

little goblin moonwort (Botrychium mormo)

narrow triangle moonwort (Botrychium lanceolatum ssp. angustisegmentum)

Special Concern

least moonwort (Botrychium simplex)

 
 

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas and Minnesota Biological Survey Vegetation Releves Plant List

 
 

Plants frequently found in:

Alder - (Maple - Loosestrife) Swamp FPn73a

Aspen - Ash Forest MHn46a

Black Ash - Yellow Birch - Red Maple - Basswood Swamp (Eastcentral) WFn55b

Bog Birch - Alder Shore Fen OPn81a

Central Dry-Mesic Oak-Aspen Forest MHc26

Central Mesic Hardwood Forest (Eastern) MHc36

Northern Mixed Cattail Marsh MRn83

Northern Poor Conifer Swamp APn81

Northern Poor Fen APn91

Northern Rich Fen (Basin) OPn92

Northern Wet Ash Swamp WFn55

Poor Black Spruce Swamp APn81a

Red Oak - Basswood Forest (Calcareous Till) MHc36b

Red Oak - Basswood Forest (Noncalcareous Till) MHc36a

Red Oak - Sugar Maple - Basswood - (Large-Flowered Trillium) Forest MHc26b

Rich Tamarack Swamp (Eastcentral) FPn72a

Sedge Meadow WMn82b

Willow - Dogwood Shrub Swamp WMn82a

     
 

 

Allegheny blackberry (Rubus allegheniensis)

American basswood (Tilia americana var. americana)

American elm (Ulmus americana)

American hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana var. virginiana)

American red raspberry (Rubus idaeus ssp. strigosus)

American spikenard (Aralia racemosa ssp. racemosa)

beaked hazelnut (Corylus cornuta var. cornuta)

bearded shorthusk (Brachyelytrum erectum)

bigleaf aster (Eurybia macrophylla)

bigtooth aspen (Populus grandidentata)

black ash (Fraxinus nigra)

black cherry (Prunus serotina var. serotina)

black-seeded plantain (Plantago rugelii var. rugelii)

bland sweet cicely (Osmorhiza claytonii)

bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)

bluebead lily (Clintonia borealis)

Canada mayflower (Maianthemum canadense)

Canadian wild ginger (Asarum canadense)

chokecherry (Prunus virginiana var. virginiana)

common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale)

common false Solomon’s seal (Maianthemum racemosum var. racemosum)

common yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

cream pea (Lathyrus ochroleucus)

dotted hawthorn (Crataegus punctata)

downy arrowwood (Viburnum rafinesqueanum)

downy yellow violet (Viola pubescens)

dwarf ginseng (Panax trifolius)

dwarf raspberry (Rubus pubescens)

early meadow-rue (Thalictrum dioicum)

field horsetail (Equisetum arvense)

goldthread (Coptis trifolia)

green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

hairy woodrush (Luzula acuminata ssp. acuminata)

hooked buttercup (Ranunculus recurvatus var. recurvatus)

interrupted fern (Claytosmunda claytoniana)

jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum)

kidney-leaved buttercup (Ranunculus abortivus)

large-flowered bellwort (Uvularia grandiflora)

large-flowered trillium (Trillium grandiflorum)

northern blue flag (Iris versicolor)

northern lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina var. angustum)

northern red oak (Quercus rubra)

northern starflower (Lysimachia borealis)

ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris var. pensylvanica)

pagoda dogwood (Cornus alternifolia)

paper birch (Betula papyrifera)

Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica)

pineapple-weed (Matricaria discoidea)

quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides)

rattlesnake fern (Botrypus virginianus)

red clover (Trifolium pratense)

red maple (Acer rubrum var. rubrum)

rose twisted-stalk (Streptopus lanceolatus var. longipipes)

round-lobed hepatica (Anemone americana)

sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis)

Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila)

sugar maple (Acer saccharum ssp. saccharum)

twoleaf miterwort (Mitella diphylla)

upright carrionflower (Smilax ecirrhata)

western bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum var. latiusculum)

white ash (Fraxinus americana)

white rattlesnake root (Nabalus albus)

wild geranium (Geranium maculatum)

wild sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis)

wild strawberry (Fragaria virginiana)

wood anemone (Anemone quinquefolia var. quinquefolia)

woodbine (Parthenocissus vitacea)

zigzag goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis)

 

Acer rubrum var. rubrum (red maple)

Acer saccharum ssp. saccharum (sugar maple)

Achillea millefolium (common yarrow)

Anemone americana (round-lobed hepatica)

Anemone quinquefolia var. quinquefolia (wood anemone)

Aralia nudicaulis (wild sarsaparilla)

Aralia racemosa ssp. racemosa (American spikenard)

Arisaema triphyllum (jack-in-the-pulpit)

Asarum canadense (Canadian wild ginger)

Athyrium filix-femina var. angustum (northern lady fern)

Betula papyrifera (paper birch)

Botrypus virginianus (rattlesnake fern)

Brachyelytrum erectum (bearded shorthusk)

Carex pensylvanica (Pennsylvania sedge)

Clintonia borealis (bluebead lily)

Coptis trifolia (goldthread)

Cornus alternifolia (pagoda dogwood)

Corylus cornuta var. cornuta (beaked hazelnut)

Crataegus punctata (dotted hawthorn)

Equisetum arvense (field horsetail)

Eurybia macrophylla (bigleaf aster)

Fragaria virginiana (wild strawberry)

Fraxinus americana (white ash)

Fraxinus nigra (black ash)

Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash)

Geranium maculatum (wild geranium)

Iris versicolor (northern blue flag)

Lathyrus ochroleucus (cream pea)

Luzula acuminata ssp. acuminata (hairy woodrush)

Lysimachia borealis (northern starflower)

Maianthemum canadense (Canada mayflower)

Maianthemum racemosum var. racemosum (common false Solomon’s seal)

Matricaria discoidea (pineapple-weed)

Matteuccia struthiopteris var. pensylvanica (ostrich fern)

Mitella diphylla (twoleaf miterwort)

Nabalus albus (white rattlesnake root)

Onoclea sensibilis (sensitive fern)

Osmorhiza claytonii (bland sweet cicely)

Claytosmunda claytoniana (interrupted fern)

Ostrya virginiana var. virginiana (American hophornbeam)

Panax trifolius (dwarf ginseng)

Parthenocissus vitacea (woodbine)

Plantago rugelii var. rugelii (black-seeded plantain)

Populus grandidentata (bigtooth aspen)

Populus tremuloides (quaking aspen)

Prunus serotina var. serotina (black cherry)

Prunus virginiana var. virginiana (chokecherry)

Pteridium aquilinum var. latiusculum (western bracken fern)

Quercus rubra (northern red oak)

Ranunculus abortivus (kidney-leaved buttercup)

Ranunculus recurvatus var. recurvatus (hooked buttercup)

Rubus allegheniensis (Allegheny blackberry)

Rubus idaeus ssp. strigosus (American red raspberry)

Rubus pubescens (dwarf raspberry)

Sanguinaria canadensis (bloodroot)

Smilax ecirrhata (upright carrionflower)

Solidago flexicaulis (zigzag goldenrod)

Streptopus lanceolatus var. longipipes (rose twisted-stalk)

Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale (common dandelion)

Thalictrum dioicum (early meadow-rue)

Tilia americana var. americana (American basswood)

Trifolium pratense (red clover)

Trillium grandiflorum (large-flowered trillium)

Ulmus americana (American elm)

Ulmus pumila (Siberian elm)

Uvularia grandiflora (large-flowered bellwort)

Viburnum rafinesqueanum (downy arrowwood)

Viola pubescens (downy yellow violet)

 

American red raspberry

American spikenard

black cherry

bloodroot

bluebead lily

chokecherry

common false Solomon’s seal

common yarrow

downy yellow violet

early meadow-rue

interrupted fern

large-flowered bellwort

large-flowered trillium

northern lady fern

northern starflower

red clover

round-lobed hepatica

wild geranium

wood anemone

 

 

 

Binoculars

 

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