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Jackson County, Wisconsin
Jackson County Forest: the hunter's file
Deer unit DMU 203 and Jackson, bear and turkey zones, closures, licenses and the nearest towns and services.
Photo: aarongunnar (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Jackson County Forest
Key facts for Jackson County Forest
Jackson County Forest is a county forest under the County Forest Law in Jackson County. The DNR files it under its West Central Region (west-central Wisconsin). Management sits with Jackson County Forestry Department. Acreage: 122,685, which places it 8th of 30 county forests. The closest covered town is Millston, around 12 miles off as the crow flies. It belongs to Wisconsin County Forest System.
From the source page (WI DNR Forest Tax report "Wisconsin County Forest Acres as of July 01, 2021" (total incl. special use lands)); region from the DNR county layer. Checked October 19, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Jackson County Forest
Jackson County Forest by zone and unit
Deer: Central Forest and Central Farmland zones, DMU 203 and Jackson. 450 and 5,000 antlerless deer: the 2026 quota for the units. Bear hunters here apply for Zone C: 7,605 applied for 2026 and 4,465 permits went out. In Zone 1 turkey hunters held 64,574 spring tags in 2025 (spring 2027 levels are not out yet). CWD-positive deer have been recorded in Jackson County; free testing is offered statewide. Baiting and feeding deer are banned in Jackson County.
DMU figures for Jackson County Forest
| Unit | Deer zone | Quota | Public-access bonus | Private bonus | Farmland per license |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 203 | Central Forest | 450 | 0 | 268 | — |
| Jackson Central Farmland | Central Farmland | 5,000 | 0 | 1,481 | 2 |
Jackson County Forest zone table
| Zone | Setting | Data | Also | Last season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear zone C | No dogs | 875 target, 4,465 permits | 2 points | 663 bears in 2025 |
| Bear zone E | No dogs | 185 target, 2,628 permits | 1 point | 128 bears in 2025 |
| Turkey 1 | 64,574 spring tags (2025) | 21% success | 13,813 gobblers | 1,500 fall bonus |
| Turkey 3 | 55,612 spring tags (2025) | 22% success | 12,324 gobblers | 1,500 fall bonus |
| Ruffed grouse A | Sep 12–Jan 3 | 5 a day | ||
| Duck | Southern | Oct 3–Oct 11 Oct 17–Dec 6 | ||
| Goose | Southern | Sep 16–Oct 11 Oct 17–Dec 6 Dec 19–Jan 2 | ||
| Elk | Central (Black River Elk Range) | 6 bull and 6 antlerless | Public land nearly 70% | |
| Wolf 5/6 | No hunt | Endangered status |
Zones from the DNR zone layers as recorded in lands.json; quotas and bonus tags from the 2026 antlerless quota table; bear figures from the 2026 bear drawing summary and 2025 bear harvest; turkey from the 2025 spring turkey report; CWD and baiting lists from the DNR. Checked October 19, 2026.
Jackson County Forest: the property description
Copied from the official listing.
Part of the 30-county Wisconsin county forest system (more than 2.4 million acres, the largest public land ownership in the state).
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
Access, closures and licenses for Jackson County Forest
Jackson County Forest: open to whom, and how
County forest land under the County Forest Law is open to public hunting, fishing and other recreation under state rules and county forest ordinances (blinds, stands, ATVs, camping). Ask the county forest office about closed areas.
Orange, stands and GameReg at Jackson County Forest
Bowhunters too: when a gun deer season is on, 50% of the coat and hat must be orange or pink, unless you are hunting waterfowl. Use GameReg (online or 844-426-3734) before 5 p.m. the day after the harvest.
Tags and licenses for Jackson County Forest
Licenses sell on Go Wild. On public land, antlerless deer need a public-access authorization for the unit.
Access from the source page; closures from the DNR closed and restricted areas layer; stocking and dove fields from the DNR upland bird layers; rules from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 regulations; prices from Go Wild. Checked October 19, 2026.
Jackson County Forest: parent and sister units
Wisconsin County Forest System is the parent; 29 more units share it.
More of Wisconsin County Forest System
| Name | Kind | Counties | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas | County forest | Douglas | 281,853 |
| Marinette | County forest | Marinette | 229,978 |
| Bayfield | County forest | Bayfield | 175,557 |
| Iron | County forest | Iron | 175,343 |
| Washburn | County forest | Washburn | 150,196 |
| Clark | County forest | Clark | 134,742 |
| Langlade | County forest | Langlade | 130,717 |
| Sawyer | County forest | Sawyer | 115,196 |
| Burnett | County forest | Burnett | 111,516 |
| Lincoln | County forest | Lincoln | 100,843 |
| Price | County forest | Price | 92,294 |
| Rusk | County forest | Rusk | 89,284 |
| Oneida | County forest | Oneida | 82,960 |
| Eau Claire | County forest | Eau Claire | 52,712 |
| Oconto | County forest | Oconto | 43,792 |
Which animals Jackson County Forest lists
Game on the record for Jackson County Forest: whitetails, black bears, wild turkeys, ruffed grouse, woodcock, squirrels, cottontails and hares and raccoons, foxes and coyotes.
White-tailed deer
Black bear
Wild turkey
Ruffed grouse
Woodcock
Small game
Furbearers
Seasons not named here still apply if they are open in Jackson County and the property rules allow.
Species from the property record (General county forest hunting opportunities (DNR County Forests page; WCFA grouse/woodcock management areas). Bear/elk subject to zone.); bag limits from the DNR regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Which seasons are open in Jackson County Forest
Deer dates are statewide in Wisconsin; bear, turkey, grouse, cottontail and waterfowl dates follow zone lines, so only the rows for Jackson County Forest are listed.
| Species | Season | Where it applies | Opens | Closes | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery and crossbow | Statewide | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth/disabled gun 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 | December antlerless hunt | Statewide | Dec 10, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Antlerless-only Holiday Hunt | Holiday Hunt, Jackson | 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 draw | Bear Zone E/C | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Elk | Elk, all weapons | Central Elk Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall turkey | Turkey Zone 1/3 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 1/3 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 1/3 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 1/3 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 1/3 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 1/3 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 1/3 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 1/3 | May 26, 2027 | Jun 1, 2027 | |
| Ruffed Grouse | Ruffed grouse | Grouse Zone A | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| 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 | North of Hwy. 64 | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 25, 2026 | |
| Bobcat | Bobcat, Period 1 | South of Hwy. 64 | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 25, 2026 | |
| Bobcat | Bobcat, Period 2 | North of Hwy. 64 | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Bobcat, Period 2 | South of Hwy. 64 | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Unprotected species | Unprotected species | 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.
Jackson County Forest: county harvest and CWD tests
Hunters registered 4,911 deer in the Jackson County unit in 2025: 2,333 bucks and 2,578 antlerless. High year on the chart: 2022 at 6,250; low year: 2025 at 4,911. Preliminary 2026 count to Oct. 19: 79 in DMU 203 and 394 in Jackson Central Farmland. Jackson County CWD testing (2025): 1 positives out of 198 samples. Cumulative total 4 positives in 3,127 tests. Jackson County bear harvest, 2025: 47. Harvest and CWD figures cover Jackson County as a whole.
Jackson County deer by year
| Year | Buck | Antlerless | Deer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,333 | 2,578 | 4,911 |
| 2024 | 2,940 | 2,780 | 5,720 |
| 2023 | 2,884 | 2,403 | 5,287 |
| 2022 | 3,230 | 3,020 | 6,250 |
| 2021 | 3,143 | 2,533 | 5,676 |
| 2020 | 3,198 | 3,018 | 6,216 |
Testing for CWD, Jackson County
| Year | Deer tested | CWD positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 19 | 0 |
| 2025 | 198 | 1 |
| 2024 | 213 | 1 |
| 2023 | 225 | 2 |
| 2022 | 204 | 0 |
| 2021 | 186 | 0 |
Bears by year, Jackson County
| Year | Bears | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 110 | 48 | 62 |
| 2025 | 47 | 25 | 22 |
Deer from DNR Deer Metrics harvest history and the 2026 harvest to date; CWD from the DNR CWD summary; bears from the DNR bear harvest reports. Checked October 19, 2026.
Jackson County Forest pinned among its neighbours
Map of Jackson County Forest and the 10 nearest public places. That is 93,880 acres of public ground.
| Area | Category | Acreage | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildcat Ridge | State natural area | 379 | 7.8 mi | southwest |
| Ketchum Creek Pines | State natural area | 424 | 8.2 mi | southwest |
| Jay Creek Pine Forest | State natural area | 441 | 9.0 mi | south |
| Starlight Wetlands | State natural area | 1,052 | 9.3 mi | southwest |
| Black River | State forest | 68,861 | 9.5 mi | west |
| Washburn Marsh | State natural area | 604 | 9.5 mi | southwest |
| Kingston Pines | State natural area | 535 | 11 mi | southeast |
| Wood County | Wildlife area | 19,240 | 11 mi | east |
| Komensky Barrens | State natural area | 1,831 | 12 mi | west |
| East Fork of the Black River | State natural area | 513 | 12 mi | northwest |
Points from the DNR managed lands, SNA, county forest, FWS realty, USFS, NPS and DoD layers (WI DNR Public Land GIS, County Forests layer (polygon centroid) (point inside polygon (centroid falls outside))). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Towns, processors and DNR desks near Jackson County Forest
Start with a town, then line up a cooler, a butcher and a mount.
| Town | County | Miles off | People | Public acres (10 mi) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Millston | Jackson | 12 mi | — | 115,461 |
| Warrens | Monroe | 13 mi | 541 | 79,341 |
| Sand Pillow | Jackson | 15 mi | — | 102,555 |
| Mission | Jackson | 15 mi | — | 101,157 |
For the wider county picture: Jackson County.
Venison, mounts and ammo near Jackson County Forest
Jackson County Forest: agency contacts
County service center: DNR La Crosse Service Center (608-785-9000).
Towns and populations from the Census 2024 estimates; public acres within 10 miles from the land layers; businesses from store locators and listings (license-only agents left out); offices from DNR, USFS and USFWS pages. Checked October 19, 2026. Call ahead.
Jackson County Forest: nearest ranges
Sherwood Shooting Range in Clark County is the nearest DNR-map range, 12 miles out. Two nearby club ranges follow.
rifle, trap, sporting clays, shotgun on file
sporting clays, shotgun on file
sporting clays, shotgun on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
First and last legal minute at Jackson County Forest
Deer, bear, elk, small game and fall turkey: 30 minutes before sunrise until 20 minutes after sunset. Ducks, geese, doves and spring turkey: same start, done at sunset.
| Date | Season moment | Northern Area | Southern Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 12, 2026 | Bow, turkey, grouse opener | 6:07 a.m. to 7:39 p.m. | 6:09 a.m. to 7:38 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Pheasant and duck dates | 6:51 a.m. to 6:33 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 6:36 p.m. |
| Nov 1, 2026 | Early November | 6:12 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. | 6:09 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer opener | 6:40 a.m. to 4:46 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. to 4:52 p.m. |
| Dec 1, 2026 | Muzzleloader week | 6:52 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. | 6:47 a.m. to 4:47 p.m. |
| Dec 24, 2026 | Holiday Hunt opener | 7:11 a.m. to 4:42 p.m. | 7:05 a.m. to 4:50 p.m. |
| Jan 3, 2027 | Archery close (most units) | 7:13 a.m. to 4:51 p.m. | 7:07 a.m. to 4:58 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 D offset of 12 minutes for longitude 90.47 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Questions hunters raise about Jackson County Forest
How many turkey permits go to the Jackson County Forest zone?
Turkey Zone 1/3. 64,574 spring tags were issued there in 2025.
What waterfowl dates apply at Jackson County Forest?
Duck zone: Southern; goose zone: Southern. Southern Zone ducks open Oct 3, 2026-27.
Can I put out corn for deer at Jackson County Forest?
Not here: Jackson County is under the ban. CWD has been found in wild deer in Jackson County.
How much orange do I wear at Jackson County Forest?
During any firearm deer season: 50% of your outer clothing above the waist and 50% of any cap, blaze orange or pink. Waterfowl hunters are exempt.
When must I register a turkey from Jackson County Forest?
Deer: online, phone or station by 5 p.m. next day. Turkeys: online or phone only.
Which tags work on Jackson County Forest?
No special permit for most of it; buy the license on Go Wild and carry public-access antlerless tags.
Is there other public ground around Jackson County Forest?
By straight-line distance: Wildcat Ridge State Natural Area (8 miles), Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area (8 miles) and Jay Creek Pine Forest State Natural Area (9 miles).
What is the parent of Jackson County Forest?
Wisconsin County Forest System holds it.
What type of property is Jackson County Forest on the record?
It is a county forest under the County Forest Law, managed by Jackson County Forestry Department.
What size is Jackson County Forest on the record?
About 122,685 acres.
What is the nearest town to Jackson County Forest?
Base in Millston, 12 miles away; the ground is in Jackson County.
Which game is named for Jackson County Forest?
The property record lists whitetails, black bears, wild turkeys, ruffed grouse, woodcock, squirrels, cottontails and hares and raccoons, foxes and coyotes.
What is the antlerless quota at Jackson County Forest?
DMU 203 and Jackson, part of the Central Forest and Central Farmland zones. Antlerless goal for 2026: 450 and 5,000.
Jackson County Forest: one more look before the drive
Signs on the ground beat any web page. Read the posted boundaries at Jackson County Forest when you arrive.
Sources for this page: DNR GIS · DNR: AcreageSummary · DNR: CountyForests · WCFA: county contacts; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Ligocsicnarf89 (CC BY 4.0); USFWS/Southeast (Public domain).