Chaska

Rapids Lake

Unit

Wilkie

Unit

St. Lawrence Unit

Jessenland Unit

Henderson

13

Blakeley Unit

Blakeley

Jessenland

Jordan

Belle Plaine

Le Sueur

282

101

6

11

9

93

19

40

169

Louisville Swamp Unit

169 212



Minnesota River

Minnesota Valley 

National Wildlife Refuge

Hunting Regulations & Map

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

General Hunting Regulations

Minnesota state regulations and refuge specific regulations 

will be enforced. Refuge specific regulations supercede state 

regulations. Hunting is allowed only on refuge units described 

in this brochure. Each unit offers specific hunting opportunities 

during Minnesota state seasons. You may only hunt species 

listed in this brochure.

Furbearers, including coyotes, and crows may not be hunted on 

the refuge at any time. 

Camping and fires on the refuge are prohibited.

For authorized hunting, refuge is open two hours before legal 

shooting time to one hour after legal shooting time.

Some areas have been posted as No Hunting Zone to protect 

buildings, private property or critical habitat areas. Hunt areas 

may not be accessed through No Hunting Zones. 

Possession of toxic shot is prohibited unless hunting deer or 

hunting upland game with single projectile ammunition.

Upland game hunting with single projectile ammunition is 

prohibited on all refuge units except on the Jessenland and Blakeley 

Units. On the Jessenland and Blakeley Units, .17 and .22 caliber 

rimfire ammunition is allowed for hunting upland game only. Where 

firearms deer hunting is allowed you may use shotguns and muzzle 

loading rifles with single projectile ammunition. The use of air guns 

is prohibited on all refuge units. 

Waterfowl hunters are allowed to use non-motorized boats 

during waterfowl hunting season. Gas or electric boat motors 

are prohibited.

All items, including boats and stands, must be removed at the end of 

the day. It is unlawful to hunt from a permanent stand.

No motorized vehicles are allowed within the hunting units 

except at designated parking areas.

It is unlawful to drive a metal object into a tree or to hunt from 

a tree in which a metal object has been driven. Screw-in steps 

are prohibited.

The distribution of bait and hunting over bait, including salt 

licks, mineral blocks or any chemical substance applied to the 

ground or vegetation is prohibited on National Wildlife Refuge 

units.

The possession of alcohol while hunting is prohibited.

Target shooting is prohibited.

Hunting on, across or within 100 feet of any road, parking lot or 

marked trail is prohibited.

Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge

3815 American Boulevard E.

Bloomington, MN 55425-1600

952/854-5900 

Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge

Rapids Lake Education and Visitor Center

15865 Carver Highlands Drive

Carver, MN 55315

952/361 4500

People with hearing impairments 

may reach Minnesota Valley NWR through 

the Federal Information Relay System at 

1 800/877 8339

Minnesota Valley’s website address:

http://midwest.fws.gov/minnesotavalley

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

1 800/344 WILD

http://www.fws.gov

Contacts:

Emergencies......................................................911

To report violations:

Refuge Law Enforcement Officer...952-854-5900

TIP Line..........................................1-800-652-9093

Carver Rapids Unit - DNR...............952-492-6400

West Metro State Conservation

Office Dispatch.................................651-582-1511
Rapids Lake Hunting

Activities & Regulations

Rapids Lake Unit

Big Game 

White-tailed deer

Migratory Birds

Goose, duck, merganser, 

moorhen, coot, rails,woodcock, 

common snipe, and mourning dove

Upland Game

Ruffed grouse, gray partridge, 

ring-necked pheasant, gray and fox 

squirrel, snowshoe hare, cotton

tail rabbit, jackrabbit and wild turkey (spring and fall turkey state 

season).

14905 Jonathan Carver Parkway

	 From Hwy 212, exit onto Jonathan Carver

	 Parkway (Co. Rd. 11) and proceed south 2.5 	 	

	 miles, continuing left on Co. Rd. 11. 	 	 	

	 Proceed 3/4-mile south, lot is on the left side.

15847 Carver Highlands Drive

	 From P1, continue south 1 	 	 	 	

	 mile on Co. Rd 11, turn left on Carver Highlands

	 Drive. Proceed 1 mile east of this

	 intersection to the lot on the left.

17000 Jonathan Carver Parkway

	 From the Co. Rd. 11/Carver Highlands Drive

	 intersection, proceed south on Co. Rd. 11.

	 Parking area is 1.7 miles on the left.

102 Carver Bluffs Parkway

	 From Hwy 212, exit onto Jonathan Carver

	 Parkway (Co. Rd 11). Proceed south about 2 	 	

	 miles, making a left turn on County Road 40.

	 Proceed north to Carver Bluffs Parkway

	 and turn right. Proceed to first stop sign and 	 	

	 turn left into the park. 

P2

P7

P11

P1

Please Note:

There are several No Hunting Zones in the 

Rapids Lake Unit near housing developments, 

trails, and buildings. Areas are posted on site.

Rapids Lake Unit

P2

P7

P11

P1

Renaissance

Festival

Carver

Rapids Lake Unit

Carver

Jordan

Archery & Firearms:

Deer, Upland Game,

Migratory Birds

No Hunting

Call 952-492-6400

for Regulations

Archery Only:

Deer & Upland Game

Archery & Firearms

Deer, Upland Game, 

Migratory Birds

Rapids

Lake

Long

Lake Horseshoe

Lake 

Minnesota River

Middle Road

169

Louisville Swamp 

Rapids Lake

Carver Rapids (DNR)

11

11

40

P7

P6

P5

P4

P3

P11

P1

P2

Carver Rapids

Unit (DNR)

State Land

40

9

Renaissance

Festival

it

Archery & Firearms:

Deer, Upland Game,

Migratory Birds

No Hunting

Call 952-492-6400

for Regulations

Archery Only:

Deer & Upland Game

Archery & Firearms

Deer, Upland Game, 

Migratory Birds

esota River

Middle Road

169

Louisville Swamp 

Rapids Lake

Carver Rapids (DNR)

P3

State Land

For Hunting Regulations on the DNR Carver 

Rapids Unit please call 952-492-6400.
Louisville Swamp Unit

Renaissance

Festival

Carver

Rapids Lake Unit

Carver

Jordan

Archery & Firearms:

Deer, Upland Game,

Migratory Birds

No Hunting

Call 952-492-6400

for Regulations

Archery Only:

Deer & Upland Game

Archery & Firearms

Deer, Upland Game, 

Migratory Birds

Rapids

Lake

Long

Lake Horseshoe

Lake 

Minnesota River

Middle Road

169

Louisville Swamp 

Rapids Lake

Carver Rapids (DNR)

11

11

40

P7

P6

P5

P4

P3

P11

P1

P2

Carver Rapids

Unit (DNR)

State Land

40

9

Renaissance

Festival

nit

Archery & Firearms:

Deer, Upland Game,

Migratory Birds

No Hunting

Call 952-492-6400

for Regulations

Archery Only:

Deer & Upland Game

Archery & Firearms

Deer, Upland Game, 

Migratory Birds

nesota River

Louisville Swamp 

Rapids Lake

Carver Rapids (DNR)

P3

Louisville Swamp Hunting 

Activities & Regulations

North of Middle Road

Big Game: Archery Only

White-tailed deer

Migratory Birds: CLOSED

Upland Game: Archery only

Ruffed grouse, gray partridge, 

ring-necked pheasant, gray and fox 

squirrel, snowshoe hare, cottontail 

rabbit, jackrabbit and wild turkey 

(spring and fall turkey state season).

South of Middle Road

Big Game: Archery and Firearms

White-tailed deer

Migratory Birds

Goose, duck, merganser, 

moorhen, coot, rails,woodcock, 

common snipe, and mourning dove

Upland Game: Archery and Firearms

Ruffed grouse, gray partridge, 

ring-necked pheasant, gray and fox 

squirrel, snowshoe hare, cottontail 

rabbit, jackrabbit and wild turkey 

(spring and fall turkey state season).

3801 145th St. W., Shakopee

	 Exit HWY 169 at 145th St. W. approximately

	 4.75 miles south of Shakopee. Parking is 1/2 mile

	 west. Drive past the main entrance to the

	 Renaissance Festival, over the next set of railroad

	 tracks, and bear left.

16210 Jordan Ave., Jordan 

	 Exit HWY 169 6-1/2 miles south of Shakopee on 	

	 Bluff Drive. Drive west 1/4-mile in to Jordan Ave.,

	 and turn right. Park on the right edge of the road,

	 at least 100 yards from the house. Please stay 	 	

	 on road to refuge entrance and respect private

	 property.

17000 Valley View Drive, Jordan 	 	

	 Exit HWY 169 7.5 miles south of Shakopee. Travel

	 west on 173rd St. 1/4 mile on 173rd St. W. to a “T”

	 intersection at Valley View Drive. Turn right. Drive

	 over the railroad tracks carefully. Parking is 1/8

	 mile beyond the tracks.

17401 Duck Lane, Jordan

	 Exit HWY 169 as described for P5 above. Turn left

	 at the “T” intersection. Drive 1.5 miles south on

	 Valley View Drive, past the Scott County Jail

	 Annex, overthe railroad tracks, and then turn right

	 on Circle Drive. Drive 1 block uphill to Highview

	 Drive.Turn left and drive 1 block to Mendoza Ave. 

	 Turn right on Mendoza and drive 1 block to Duck

	 Lane. Turn right on Duck Lane. Hunter Parking 		

	 Area is at the gate 1 mile N. 4-wheel drive is 	 	

	 recommended until freeze-up.

P3

P4

P5

P6

For Hunting Regulations on the DNR Carver 

Rapids Unit please call 952-492-6400.
Savage

Bloomington

Eden

Prairie

Blue Lake

Treatment Plant

No Hunting

Walking Trail

Archery Only: 

Deer & Upland 

Game

Firearms & Archery: 

Waterfowl

Archery Only: Deer & 

Upland Game

Blue

Lake

Rice

Lake

Old HWY 18

Fisher

Lake

Minnesota River

Valley Fair

Eagle

Creek

13

P10

P9

 P8 101

Wilkie Unit

169

Wilkie Unit

7701 County Road 101 East, Shakopee

From the HWY 169/101 interchange, proceed 	 	

	 west on HWY 101 1/4-mile to the first stoplight 	 	

	 right into the parking lot.	

7701 County Road 101 East, Shakopee 

Waterfowl hunter access. Drive through 	 	

	 the gate at P8 0.8 miles to the second gate. The

	 boat launch to Rice Lake is 50 yards east of 	 	

	 the road. Parking for your vehicle and trailer is 		

	 under the HWY 169 bridge to the west.

11255 Bloomington Ferry Road, Bloomington 

	 From HWY 169 exit onto Old Shakopee Road 	 	

	 and travel east about 0.7 miles. Turn right 	 	

	 (south) onto Bloomington Ferry Road near 	 	

	 the Dred Scott Playfields, continue for 1/2-mile.

	 Turn right onto Bloomington Ferry Circle, drive 		

	 down the hill to the parking area. Walk across

the pedestrian bridge to access the Wilkie Unit.

Rice Lake Area (from Eagle Creek 

west to the Highway 169 bridge)

Big Game: Archery Only

White-tailed deer

Waterfowl Only: (Closed

to Spring Goose Hunting)

Goose, duck, merganser, 

moorhen, coot, rails.

Upland Game: Archery Only

Ruffed grouse, gray partridge, 

ring-necked pheasant, gray and fox 

squirrel, snowshoe hare, cottontail 

rabbit, jackrabbit and wild turkey

(spring and fall turkey state season).

West of Highway 169 bridge 

(including Fisher and Blue Lakes)

Big Game: Archery Only

White-tailed deer

Migratory Birds: CLOSED

Refuge land east of Valleyfair 

and west of Eagle Creek.

P8

P9

P10

Upland Game: Archery Only

Ruffed grouse, gray partridge, 

ring-necked pheasant, gray and fox 

squirrel, snowshoe hare, cottontail 

rabbit, jackrabbit and wild turkey

(spring and fall turkey state season).

East of Eagle Creek 

CLOSED to all hunting

Wilkie Hunting 

Activities & Regulations
St. Lawrence Unit

Belle Plain

Jordan

0 .5 1

Miles

Hunter Parking Lot

Archery & Firearms:

Upland Game &

Migratory Birds

Archery Only: Deer 

I

Minnesota River

P12

169

St. Lawrence Unit



St. Lawrence Hunting 

Activities & Regulations 

Big Game: Archery Only

White-tailed deer

Migratory Birds

Goose, duck, merganser, 

moorhen, coot, rails,woodcock, 

common snipe, and mourning dove

Upland Game 

Ruffed grouse, gray partridge, 

ring-necked pheasant, gray and fox 

squirrel, snowshoe hare, cottontail 

rabbit, jackrabbit and wild turkey

(spring and fall turkey state season).

P12 Lot is approximately half way between

Jordan and Belle Plaine on north side

of HWY 169.
Jessenland & Blakeley Units

Big Game 

White-tailed deer

Migratory Birds

Goose, duck, merganser, 

moorhen, coot, rails,woodcock, 

common snipe, and mourning dove

Upland Game 

Ruffed grouse, gray partridge, 

ring-necked pheasant, gray and fox 

squirrel, snowshoe hare, cottontail 

rabbit, jackrabbit and wild turkey

(spring and fall turkey state season).

Approximately one mile east of Henderson on Hwy 19. Lot is on north side

of road.

Two parking lots on south side of CR 6

one and two miles SW of the

intersection of CR 5

P13

P14

Jessenland

Unit

Blakely

Unit

Henderson

Blakeley

93

6

P14

P13

P13

Archery & Firearms:

Deer, Upland Game &

Migratory Birds

Jessenland and

Blakeley Units

Hunter Parking Lot

0 .5 1

Miles

I

5

6

19

19

51 169

Minnesota

River

Jessenland AND Blakely 

Hunting Activities & Regulations