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DNR South Central Region
Sauk County Hunting
A DNR-sourced guide to Sauk County in south-central Wisconsin: 2026-27 seasons, 1 DMU with their quotas, registered deer by year, county and state land, towns and the shops that serve hunters.
Photo: sporst (CC BY 2.0)
Baraboo is the seat of Sauk County, a 832 square mile county in the DNR South Central Region. 66,486 people call it home, per the 2024 Census estimate (+1.1% against 2020). Deer management here is Southern Farmland Zone throughout (1 unit). Its nearest DNR service center is DNR Fitchburg Service Center in Fitchburg, 38 miles from the county centre. Public hunting runs through 33 listed properties; the largest by acreage is Devil's Lake State Park.
Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates (population), DNR region from the DNR staff pages, deer zones from the DNR deer zone layer, service centers from DNR office locations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Sauk County
Antlerless quota and bonus tags in Sauk County
The DNR set a combined 2026 antlerless quota of 11,000 for the 1 unit that cover Sauk County; units that cross into other counties count in full. In the Farmland part of Sauk County every license carries 2 antlerless authorizations, valid with any weapon and season the license allows. Go Wild sells bonus antlerless tags for $12 resident and $20 nonresident, limited to one purchase a day.
| Unit | Zone | Antlerless quota 2026 | Bonus public | Bonus private | Available Oct 19 | Free per license |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sauk | Southern Farmland | 11,000 | 750 | 3,950 | 750 / 3,950 | 2 |
Holiday deer hunt
A nine-day antlerless-only Holiday Hunt (Dec 24, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027) is part of the Sauk County calendar. Archers keep going after Jan. 3: the extended season runs Jan 4 to Jan 31, 2027.
Nine-day gun season
Mark Nov 21 for the gun opener; the run of firearm seasons ends with the antlerless-only hunt Dec 10 to Dec 13, 2026.
Quotas and initial bonus counts from the DNR 2026 antlerless quota and initial permit availability (approved June 24, 2026); unsold counts and free Farmland tags from the bonus availability page as of Oct. 19, 2026; Holiday Hunt and extended archery from the 2026 season map; dates from the deer regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Sauk County deer numbers since 1960
In 2025, Sauk County hunters registered 2,846 bucks and 3,179 antlerless deer, 6,025 in all. Harvest peaked in 1984 at 15,190; 2015 brought 7,641.
| Season | Buck | Antlerless | Sum |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,846 | 3,179 | 6,025 |
| 2024 | 2,933 | 2,806 | 5,739 |
| 2023 | 3,017 | 3,245 | 6,262 |
| 2022 | 3,100 | 3,710 | 6,810 |
| 2021 | 2,918 | 3,197 | 6,115 |
| 2020 | 3,360 | 4,274 | 7,634 |
| 2019 | 2,942 | 3,630 | 6,572 |
| 2018 | 3,517 | 4,093 | 7,610 |
| 2017 | 2,946 | 3,450 | 6,396 |
| 2016 | 3,397 | 4,367 | 7,764 |
2026 season to date, preliminary
| Unit | Antlered | Antlerless | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sauk | 178 | 231 | 409 |
DNR Deer Metrics harvest history (registered deer, all seasons and weapons; values read from the DNR chart), 2025 forest DMU figures from the same source, and the DNR 2026 total harvest to date (preliminary). Checked October 19, 2026.
CWD and baiting in Sauk County
CWD is present in Sauk County. The DNR has sampled 23,859 wild deer there since 1999 and 2,530 tested positive. Last CWD year: 872 tested, 288 positive. The baiting and feeding ban covers Sauk County, as it does 59 other counties. All donated deer from the county need a CWD test.
| CWD year | Samples | Detected |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 66 | 17 |
| 2025 | 872 | 288 |
| 2024 | 848 | 278 |
| 2023 | 858 | 247 |
| 2022 | 866 | 228 |
| 2021 | 900 | 227 |
| 2020 | 1,068 | 279 |
| 2019 | 1,005 | 261 |
| 2018 | 946 | 187 |
| 2017 | 622 | 130 |
| 2016 | 442 | 90 |
| 2015 | 317 | 63 |
CWD by county · Bait law explained
CWD sampling from the DNR CWD summary by county (wild deer, data released through Oct. 18, 2026; CWD year runs April 1-March 31, 2026 partial); baiting from the DNR baiting and feeding page and its map; donation testing from the Deer Donation Program. Checked October 19, 2026.
Beyond deer in Sauk County
Bears in Sauk County
Bear zone E (82%) and F (18%) covers Sauk County; no hounds may be used. The DNR county table shows no bears registered in Sauk County in 2024 or 2025.
| Zone | Harvest goal | 2026 permits | Minimum points | Applicants 2026 | 2025 bears | Hounds OK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone E | 185 | 2,628 | 1 | 2,628 | 128 | No |
| Zone F | 50 | 764 | 1 | 764 | 27 | No |
Spring turkey
For spring turkeys, Sauk County falls in zone 1; each authorization names one zone and one of the six periods, A to F. In 2025 the DNR issued 64,574 spring authorizations across zone 1.
| Zone | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Success | 2025 harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | 61,121 | 60,523 | 62,058 | 62,329 | 64,574 | 21% | 13,813 |
Waterfowl and upland zones
Ruffed grouse: Zone B, open Oct 17 to Dec 8, 2026. Stocked rooster fields here include Pine Island Wildlife Area and Sauk Prairie State Recreation Area, 1,940 birds planned.
Bear zones A to F · Turkey periods by zone
Bear zones from the DNR bear zone layer; targets, permits and points from the 2026 bear drawing summary; harvest from the DNR 2025 bear report and 2024 report; turkey levels from the DNR turkey reports (2025 levels; 2027 not yet published); elk from the DNR elk page; bird zones from the DNR zone layers. Checked October 19, 2026.
Public hunting ground across Sauk County
Here are all 33 properties with public hunting ground in Sauk County, largest first. 800 acres of open Managed Forest Law land in Sauk County allow hunting on foot by anyone. VPA-HIP (1) and THAP (0) leases open extra private acres in Sauk County.
- State parks: 4Devil's Lake State Park (9,785 acres), Mirror Lake State Park (2,150 acres), Natural Bridge State Park (526 acres), Rocky Arbor State Park (264 acres*)
- State natural areas (18)South Bluff/Devil's Nose State Natural Area (3,492 acres), Dells of the Wisconsin River State Natural Area (1,286 acres*), Pine Island Savanna State Natural Area (798 acres*), Mirror Lake Pine Oak Forest State Natural Area (525 acres), Parfrey's Glen State Natural Area (509 acres), Ferry Bluff State Natural Area (465 acres), East Bluff State Natural Area (254 acres), Hulburt Creek Woods State Natural Area (179 acres), Bakken's Pond State Natural Area (153 acres), Lower Narrows State Natural Area (146 acres), Ableman's Gorge State Natural Area (107 acres), Bear Creek Sedge Meadow State Natural Area (89 acres*), Cady's Marsh State Natural Area (80 acres), McGilvra Woods State Natural Area (72 acres), Devil's Lake Oak Forest State Natural Area (66 acres), Natural Bridge and Rockshelter State Natural Area (61 acres), Pewits Nest State Natural Area (34 acres), Fern Dell Gorge State Natural Area (8 acres)
- State wildlife areas, 2 listedPine Island Wildlife Area (5,608 acres*), Dell Creek Wildlife Area (2,704 acres*)
- State recreation areas, 2 listedSauk Prairie State Recreation Area (3,370 acres), Baraboo Hills State Recreation Area (1,142 acres*)
- 3 state fishery areasBear Creek Fishery Area (763 acres*), Hulburt Creek Fishery Area (572 acres*), Baraboo River Fishery Area (Remnant) (1 acres)
- State trail, 1 listedThe 400 State Trail (358 acres*)
- Waterfowl production area: 1Fairfield Marsh Waterfowl Production Area (239 acres)
- Ice Age Trail areas (2 here)Lower Narrows State Ice Age Trail Area, Town of Greenfield State Ice Age Trail Area
Multi-county units and DNR groupings that also reach the county: Natural Area – Dedication, Lower Wisconsin State Riverway, DNR State Ice Age Trail Areas (unnamed parcels), Leopold Wetland Management District.
Rem-Leech Creek and Devil's Lake State Ice Age Trail Area are closed to hunting.
Statewide land list · MFL hunting rules · VPA-HIP map
Public land from the DNR managed lands layer and property pages, DNR state natural area, county forest and federal records; county forest acres from the DNR county forest acreage report (July 1, 2021); MFL open acres from the DNR MFL report; leases from the DNR VPA-HIP and THAP lists. Acres within 10 miles of the county seat are a GIS measure. Checked October 19, 2026.
Sauk County season calendar, 2026-27
Archery, the nine-day gun hunt, muzzleloader, bear, turkey, upland birds, rabbits, furbearers and the duck and goose splits for Sauk County.
| Game | Hunt | Zone | First day | Last day | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery and crossbow | Statewide | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth and disabled gun deer hunt | Statewide | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 11, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun deer (9-day) | Statewide | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Muzzleloader | Statewide | Nov 30, 2026 | Dec 9, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Statewide antlerless-only (December 4-day hunt) | Statewide | Dec 10, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Antlerless-only Holiday Hunt | Holiday Hunt: Sauk | Dec 24, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Extended archery and crossbow | Extended archery | Jan 4, 2027 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Bear (Class A license by drawing) | Bear Zone E/F | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall turkey | Turkey Zone 1 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 1 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 1 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 1 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 1 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 1 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 1 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 1 | May 26, 2027 | Jun 1, 2027 | |
| Ruffed Grouse | Ruffed grouse | Grouse Zone B | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 8, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | Pheasant | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Bobwhite Quail | Bobwhite quail | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 9, 2026 | |
| Hungarian partridge | Hungarian partridge | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Squirrel | Squirrel | Statewide | Sep 12, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Cottontail | Cottontail rabbit | Southern cottontail zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Snowshoe Hare | Snowshoe hare | Statewide | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| American Crow | Crow | Statewide | Nov 21, 2026 | Mar 24, 2027 | |
| Ducks | Youth waterfowl hunt | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Regular duck (split 1) | Southern Duck Zone | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 11, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Regular duck (split 2) | Southern Duck Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Teal | Early teal | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 9, 2026 | |
| Geese | Regular goose (split 1) | Southern Goose Zone | Sep 16, 2026 | Oct 11, 2026 | |
| Geese | Regular goose (split 2) | Southern Goose Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Geese | Regular goose (holiday split) | Southern Goose Zone | Dec 19, 2026 | Jan 2, 2027 | |
| Canada goose | Early Canada goose | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 15, 2026 | |
| Raccoon | Raccoon (resident) | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Raccoon (nonresident) | Statewide | Oct 31, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Red and gray fox | Fox (red and gray) | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Coyote | Coyote (hunting) | Statewide | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| Bobcat | Bobcat Period 1 (hunting and trapping) | Northern Zone (State Hwy. 64 line) | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 25, 2026 | |
| Bobcat | Bobcat Period 1 (hunting and trapping) | Southern Zone (State Hwy. 64 line) | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 25, 2026 | |
| Bobcat | Bobcat Period 2 (hunting and trapping) | Northern Zone (State Hwy. 64 line) | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Bobcat Period 2 (hunting and trapping) | Southern Zone (State Hwy. 64 line) | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Unprotected species | Unprotected species (opossum, skunk, weasel, woodchuck, porcupine, starling, English sparrow, chukar, coturnix quail, etc.) | Statewide | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
From the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Fall 2026-Spring 2027 hunting regulations and season dates, checked October 19, 2026.
Sauk County seat, towns and border counties
The 4 towns below have their own page, with the county seat first.
- Barabooseat · 13,096 townspeople · 21,451 public acres in a 10-mile circle
- Lake Delton3,466 townspeople · 8,780 public acres in a 10-mile circle
- Sauk City3,471 townspeople · 18,230 public acres in a 10-mile circle
- Spring Green1,573 townspeople · 12,279 public acres in a 10-mile circle
Sauk County meets 6 in-state counties.
Towns: Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; adjacency from the Census county adjacency file.
Sauk County shooting time on key dates
At Sauk County the offset is 8 minutes (Zone C). The times below already include it for both DNR shooting-hours areas.
| Date | Hunt | Northern Area hours | Southern Area hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 12, 2026 | Archery, fall turkey and grouse opener | 6:03 a.m. to 7:35 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 7:34 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Pheasant and duck dates | 6:47 a.m. to 6:29 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 6:32 p.m. |
| Nov 1, 2026 | Early November | 6:08 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer opener | 6:36 a.m. to 4:42 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. to 4:48 p.m. |
| Dec 1, 2026 | Muzzleloader week | 6:48 a.m. to 4:36 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 4:43 p.m. |
| Dec 24, 2026 | Holiday Hunt opener | 7:07 a.m. to 4:38 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 4:46 p.m. |
| Jan 3, 2027 | Archery close (most units) | 7:09 a.m. to 4:47 p.m. | 7:03 a.m. to 4:54 p.m. |
Deer, bear, elk, small game and fall turkey table times from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources shooting hours tables, plus the Zone C offset of 8 minutes for longitude 89.94 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Before you burn in Sauk County
See the Wisconsin county list for Sauk County today.
- Burn permit: Within DNR forest fire protection areas, whenever the ground is not completely snow-covered.
- Counties outside DNR burning-permit authority (per DNR daily restrictions on 2026-10-27): Sauk County is not on this list.
- Who sets a ban: The Wisconsin DNR, through daily county burning restrictions and permit suspensions within its forest fire protection areas (NR 30.05 emergency burning regulations; NR 45.07(3) emergency use and burning rules on DNR lands by posted notice).
- Warming fires: DNR-managed lands (NR 45.07): no fire on the ground and no burning refuse except in designated fireplaces or fire rings.
Sauk County gun ranges and clubs
Sauk County holds 5 listed ranges; none appears on the DNR public range map.
shotgun, rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire on file
trap, rifle, shotgun on file
trap, shotgun, rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire on file
trap, shotgun on file
trap, skeet, shotgun on file
For a public range, M&M Sportshop & Shooting Range (Juneau County) is roughly 33 miles away. Hours and rules
County shoot dates
| Date, shoot | Format | Page |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 12-13, 2027: Narrows Valley Supply Gun Show | Gun show | Listing |
| Jun 15, 2027: SW Zone Trap Shoot – /24 at Sauk Prairie Trap & Skeet Club, Inc. | Trap | Listing |
Ranges from the DNR public range map and directory listings, checked October 19, 2026.
Sauk County: processing, mounts and gear
Where Sauk County has few listings, bordering counties fill the gap.
Agency desks nearby
The service center counter opens weekdays 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Field offices need an appointment.
Venison processing
Taxidermists nearby
Hunting preserves
Gun, archery and outdoor stores
DNR service centers and field offices from DNR office locations; processors from the Deer Donation Program list, DNR CWD sampling station partners and directory listings; shops from the DNR license agent layer and directories. Checked October 19, 2026; call ahead. All Wisconsin hunting services.
Sauk County on the Wisconsin events calendar
Retrieved October 19, 2026: 1 upcoming event and 3 posted results, covering NWTF banquet and bear-hound field trial.
Next dates
| Held | What | Where | Register | Source page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 23, 2027 | Glacier Valley Gobblers NWTF Banquet / NWTF banquet | Baraboo Sauk Co. | Buy tickets | Source |
Past winners
| Held | Event | Result | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 18, 2026 | WBHA Benefit Field Trial (April 2026) / Bear-hound field trial | Male 1st: Captain (Cory Hermanson) Female 1st: Missy (Jack Ingraham) and Barker (Cory Hermanson) | Source |
| Apr 11, 2026 | County Line Houndsmen Field Trial 2026 / Bear-hound field trial | Male 1st: Captain (Cory Hermanson) Female 1st: Olive (Joe Cina) and Barker (Cory Hermanson) | Source |
| Apr 4, 2026 | Goldmine Bear Hunters Field Trial 2026 / Bear-hound field trial | Male 1st: Blitz (Taylor Ingraham) and Marshall (Cory Hermanson) Female 1st: Tootie (Logan Brody) | Source |
Sauk County, answered
Which processor should I call first in Sauk County?
Evenson Processing, the nearest listing; call ahead in season.
Do duck hunters in Sauk County need orange?
No. Waterfowl hunters are exempt.
What DMU should I pick for Sauk County on Go Wild?
The unit where you will hunt: Sauk. Farmland tags and bonus tags are unit specific.
Can I shoot a buck during the Holiday Hunt in Sauk County?
No. Only antlerless deer, with any weapon.
Is the Sauk County deer harvest rising or falling?
Compare the years: 2025 6,025; 2024: 5,739; 2015: 7,641.
Can I shoot a doe in Sauk County with my gun license?
Yes, with a free Farmland tag or a bonus authorization for the unit and land type.
Can I use a feeder for deer in Sauk County?
No. Automatic and gravity feeders are never legal for deer bait in Wisconsin.
How many deer were tested for CWD in Sauk County in 2025?
872 in CWD year 2025, 288 positive.
How many turkey permits does Sauk County get?
Zone 1 had 64,574 spring authorizations in 2025; 2027 levels are not out yet.
How many points do I need for a Sauk County bear tag?
Zone E needed 1 preference points in the 2026 drawing.
Answers from the DNR Fall 2026-Spring 2027 regulations, registration rules, blaze orange rules, DNR harvest and CWD data and the sources cited above. Checked October 19, 2026.
Sauk County, final word
State wildlife areas post refuges and closed areas; read the property page before you go.
Sources: DNR Fall 2026-Spring 2027 hunting regulations, season dates, Wisconsin DNR hunting, Census and the agencies linked in each section. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: royal_broil (CC BY-SA 2.0); ShenandoahNPS (Public domain); Doc Searls from Santa Barbara, USA (CC BY 2.0); Anne Marie Peterson from Madison, WI, US (CC BY-SA 2.0); Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife (CC BY-SA 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); ImagePerson (CC BY 4.0); Larry Lamsa (CC BY 2.0).