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West-central Wisconsin
Chippewa County Hunting
What the DNR sets for Chippewa County: deer zone and units, antlerless quota and Farmland tags, baiting status, bear zone C/D/E/A, turkey zone 4, plus harvest history and public ground.
Photo: U.S. Department of Agriculture (CC BY 2.0)
The Census measures Chippewa County at 1,008 square miles of land; Chippewa Falls is the county seat. About 67,323 people lived there in 2024, 1.5% more than the 2020 base. DNR zone maps put it at 71% Central Farmland and 29% Northern Forest. Licenses and questions go to the DNR Eau Claire Service Center (Eau Claire), about 22 miles away. The land list holds 26 properties with ground in Chippewa County, led by Chippewa County Forest at 34,738 acres.
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.
2026-27 deer units for Chippewa County
Across the 2 quota units touching Chippewa County, the 2026 antlerless quotas add to 6,765 deer (whole units, not just the county share). Each archery, crossbow or gun license that names a Farmland unit here comes with 2 free antlerless authorizations, good only in that unit and on the land type you pick. Forest units (DMU 110) include no free antlerless tags; antlerless hunting there runs on bonus authorizations. Bonus tags: $12 resident, $20 nonresident, first come first served at one per day.
| Unit | Zone | 2026 antlerless quota | Bonus, public | Bonus, private | Left Oct 19 (pub/priv) | Free Farmland tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chippewa Central Farmland | Central Farmland | 5,000 | 600 | 3,200 | 592 / 3,178 | 2 |
| Chippewa County Metro Sub-Unit | Central Farmland metro | In parent | 100 | 900 | 100 / 899 | 3 |
| DMU 110 | Northern Forest | 1,765 | 1,000 | 6,950 | 421 / 6,419 | — |
Dec. 24 hunt
The antlerless-only Holiday Hunt runs Dec 24, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027 in Chippewa County (Central Farmland part only); no bucks may be taken with any weapon on those days. Extended archery and crossbow dates: Jan 4 to Jan 31, 2027.
Metro hunting
Metro sub-unit rules apply around Eau Claire: gun Nov 21 to Dec 9, 2026, bows and crossbows through Jan 31, 2027. 1,000 metro bonus authorizations were made available at the start.
Gun deer opener
The nine-day gun deer season runs Nov 21 to Nov 29, 2026, followed by muzzleloader Nov 30 to Dec 9, 2026 and the statewide 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.
Deer harvest in Chippewa County
Deer Metrics shows 6,315 deer for the Chippewa unit in 2025, 1.8% of the state total of 345,207. Compared with 2015 (5,735 deer), 2025 was +10%, and the record year on file is 2000 (9,323). The county-named unit lost its forest acres to DMU 110 in 2025, so the latest bar is smaller ground.
| Season | Buck | Antlerless | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,776 | 3,539 | 6,315 |
| 2024 | 3,070 | 3,552 | 6,622 |
| 2023 | 2,615 | 3,007 | 5,622 |
| 2022 | 3,201 | 3,582 | 6,783 |
| 2021 | 3,000 | 3,171 | 6,171 |
| 2020 | 2,940 | 3,533 | 6,473 |
| 2019 | 2,467 | 2,503 | 4,970 |
| 2018 | 2,754 | 2,286 | 5,040 |
| 2017 | 2,849 | 1,904 | 4,753 |
| 2016 | 2,683 | 1,412 | 4,095 |
Forest units: 2025 deer
| Unit | Buck | Antlerless | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 110 | 1,787 | 1,757 | 3,544 |
Preliminary 2026 registrations
| DNR row | Bucks | Antlerless | All |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chippewa | 223 | 296 | 519 |
| Chippewa Metro Subunit | 7 | 27 | 34 |
| DMU 110 | 141 | 172 | 313 |
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.
Chippewa County chronic wasting disease results
Chippewa County is one of the 51 counties with at least one CWD-positive wild deer (1 positives, 2,024 tests to date). 0 of 162 deer sampled in CWD year 2025 tested positive. Baiting deer is illegal in Chippewa County, and so is feeding them, under the CWD-related ban. Donated adults need a CWD test.
| Year | Deer sampled | Positives |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 3 | 0 |
| 2025 | 162 | 0 |
| 2024 | 105 | 1 |
| 2023 | 115 | 0 |
| 2022 | 133 | 0 |
| 2021 | 174 | 0 |
| 2020 | 145 | 0 |
| 2019 | 215 | 0 |
| 2018 | 199 | 0 |
| 2017 | 19 | 0 |
| 2016 | 9 | 0 |
| 2015 | 3 | 0 |
CWD rules and kiosks · Which counties ban bait
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.
Chippewa County: bears, gobblers and birds
Black bear
Black bear hunting here falls under zone C (50%), D (29%), E (14%) and A (8%), drawn by preference points, with dogs allowed in D/A. Bear registrations in Chippewa County: 127 in 2025, 129 the year before.
| Zone | Target | Drawn 2026 | Points | Applied | 2025 state harvest | Dogs allowed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone C | 875 | 4,465 | 2 | 7,605 | 661 | No |
| Zone D | 1,100 | 3,855 | 2 | 6,847 | 906 | Yes |
| Zone E | 185 | 2,628 | 1 | 2,628 | 128 | No |
| Zone A | 1,100 | 1,675 | 11 | 11,648 | 1,161 | Yes |
| Season | Harvest | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 127 | 65 | 62 |
| 2024 | 129 | 72 | 57 |
Turkey authorizations
The DNR turkey map places Chippewa County in zone 4. Levels below are 2025, the latest published. 2025 spring authorization total for zone 4: 34,997.
| Turkey zone | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Success 2025 | Birds 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 4 | 34,115 | 34,373 | 34,964 | 34,994 | 34,997 | 24% | 8,472 |
Small game and birds
Ruffed grouse Zone A runs Sep 12, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027 with a daily bag of 5. 1 property in Chippewa County is on the 2026 pheasant stocking list.
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.
Chippewa County public properties with acreage
Chippewa County counts 26 public properties open to hunting; posted refuges and closed parcels inside them still apply. Chippewa County is one of 30 counties with a county forest, 34,738 acres as of July 2021. MFL open lands, private forests the public may hunt, cover 2,579 acres here. Leased private land adds more: 2 VPA-HIP properties and 0 THAP turkey leases in Chippewa County.
- County forest (1 here)Chippewa County Forest (34,738 ac)
- State recreation area (1 here)Chippewa Moraine State Recreation Area (3,551 ac)
- State natural areas: 8Ohmart Wetlands State Natural Area (717 ac), Townline Lake and Woods State Natural Area (700 ac), North of North Shattuck Lake State Natural Area (603 ac), Jean Brunet Woods State Natural Area (391 ac), Lawin Sedge Meadow State Natural Area (261 ac), Marsh Miller Cedars State Natural Area (88 ac), Plagge Woods State Natural Area (81 ac), Chippewa Moraine Lakes State Natural Area (69 ac)
- State wildlife areas (4 here)Tom Lawin Wildlife Area (2,281 ac), Town of Arthur State Habitat Area (202 ac), Drywood Wildlife Area (39 ac), Long Lake State Habitat Area (16 ac)
- 2 state parksBrunet Island State Park (1,140 ac), Lake Wissota State Park (1,057 ac)
- State fishery areas in the county (5)McCann Creek Fishery Area (318 ac), Elk Creek Fishery Area (282 ac*), Duncan Creek Fishery Area (241 ac), Sand Creek Fishery Area (Chippewa and Dunn Counties) (214 ac), Hay Creek Fishery Area (107 ac)
- Ice Age Trail areas (2)Firth Lake State Ice Age Trail Area (728 ac), Chippewa Moraine State Ice Age Trail Area (350 ac)
- State trails (2 here)Chippewa River State Trail (306 ac*), Old Abe State Trail (250 ac)
- State habitat area (1)Bob Lake State Habitat Area (40 ac)
Larger units with ground here: DNR Statewide Wildlife Habitat Program Lands, DNR Small Public Access and Stream Bank Parcels Open to Hunting, DNR Scattered Wildlife Lands.
Skip Rem-Sand Creek and Larabee Lake Wetlands State Ice Age Trail Area; DNR lists no hunting there.
Every public property · County forest list · About MFL open land · About VPA-HIP
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.
Every Chippewa County season on one table
Private and public land share these dates. A state park, refuge or Fort McCoy can close sooner, so read the property page before you go.
| Animal | Segment | Scope | Starts | Ends | Open now? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Metro sub-unit gun | Metro sub-unit: Eau Claire | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 9, 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: Chippewa (Central Farmland) | 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 D/A | Sep 9, 2026 | Sep 15, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear (Class A license by drawing) | Bear Zone C/E | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear (Class A license by drawing) | Bear Zone D/A | Sep 16, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear (Class A license by drawing) | Bear Zone D/A | Oct 7, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall turkey | Turkey Zone 4 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 4 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 4 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 4 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 4 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 4 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 4 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 4 | 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 | Northern cottontail zone | Sep 12, 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 | Northern Duck Zone | Sep 26, 2026 | Nov 24, 2026 | |
| Teal | Early teal | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 9, 2026 | |
| Geese | Regular goose | Northern Goose Zone | Sep 16, 2026 | Dec 16, 2026 | |
| 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.
Towns of Chippewa County, then its neighbours
Public acres beside each Chippewa County town are a GIS total for a 10-mile circle, not a DNR figure.
- Chippewa Fallscourthouse town · 15,075 inhabitants · 6,178 public acres within 10 miles
- Cadott1,467 inhabitants · 4,340 public acres within 10 miles
- Holcombe26,943 public acres within 10 miles
- Jim Falls6,843 public acres within 10 miles
- Lake Wissota7,698 public acres within 10 miles
- Eau Clairepartly in county · 72,331 inhabitants · 4,402 public acres within 10 miles
Chippewa County borders 6 Wisconsin counties.
Towns: Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; adjacency from the Census county adjacency file.
Hunting hours for Chippewa County
Big game and small game hunters get 20 minutes after sunset in Wisconsin, not 30. Waterfowl and spring gobbler hunters quit at sunset.
| When | Event | North | South |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 12, 2026 | Archery, fall turkey and grouse opener | 6:11 a.m. to 7:43 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 7:42 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Pheasant and duck dates | 6:55 a.m. to 6:37 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 6:40 p.m. |
| Nov 1, 2026 | Early November | 6:16 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 5:17 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer opener | 6:44 a.m. to 4:50 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 4:56 p.m. |
| Dec 1, 2026 | Muzzleloader week | 6:56 a.m. to 4:44 p.m. | 6:51 a.m. to 4:51 p.m. |
| Dec 24, 2026 | Holiday Hunt opener | 7:15 a.m. to 4:46 p.m. | 7:09 a.m. to 4:54 p.m. |
| Jan 3, 2027 | Archery close (most units) | 7:17 a.m. to 4:55 p.m. | 7:11 a.m. to 5:02 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 E offset of 16 minutes for longitude 91.28 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Can you burn in Chippewa County?
The Wisconsin burn ban page shows Chippewa 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): Chippewa 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).
- Public land fires: DNR-managed lands (NR 45.07): no fire on the ground and no burning refuse except in designated fireplaces or fire rings.
Chippewa County gun ranges and clubs
3 ranges listed inside Chippewa County, Cornell Shooting Range among them on the DNR public range map.
rifle, handgun on file
rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire, air gun, action pistol on file
archery on file
On the local calendar
| Day and event | Discipline | Enter |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 8-9, 2027: 2nd Annual Stanley-Boyd 3D Archery Tournament | NASP | See listing |
| Jan 8-9, 2027: 3rd Annual Stanley-Boyd Archery Tournament | NASP | See listing |
| Feb 20, 2027: 2027 14th Annual Cadott Archery Tournament | NASP | See listing |
Ranges from the DNR public range map and directory listings, checked October 19, 2026.
Butchers, mounts and stores near Chippewa County
Wisconsin publishes no list of licensed taxidermists or guides, so those rows come from DNR CWD partners and directories.
DNR counters and field offices
Weekday counter hours at DNR service centers run 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Processors nearby
Taxidermy shops
Guides nearby
Sporting goods
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.
Chippewa County hunters often ask
Where do hunters in Chippewa County take deer for cutting?
Commonly Inge's Custom Meats, Bob's Processing and Lotts-A-Meat; call ahead in November.
Does extended archery apply in Chippewa County?
Yes, to Jan 31, 2027.
Does Chippewa County have more than one deer unit?
Yes: Chippewa Central Farmland, Chippewa County Metro Sub-Unit and DMU 110.
Where do I see the bonus tags left in Chippewa County?
On the DNR bonus availability page; this page shows the counts as of Oct. 19, 2026.
What was the best deer year in Chippewa County?
2000, with 9,323 deer registered.
Is CWD testing free for deer from Chippewa County?
Yes. DNR testing is voluntary and free statewide, at kiosks, cooperating businesses or with a home kit.
Can I hunt over a food plot in Chippewa County?
Yes. Standing crops and food plots are legal, but you may not plant one on DNR land.
Can I hunt bears with hounds in Chippewa County?
Yes, in zone D/A.
Can turkeys be hunted in the fall in Chippewa County?
Yes: Sep 12, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027, using a fall authorization for the zone.
Where should I start on public land in Chippewa County?
Try the biggest first: Chippewa County Forest, Chippewa Moraine State Recreation Area and Tom Lawin Wildlife Area.
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.
Heading to Chippewa County
Every date here is for the 2026-27 Wisconsin seasons; check the DNR site again before the trip.
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: aarongunnar (CC BY-SA 2.0); YellowstoneNPS (Public domain); aarongunnar (CC BY-SA 2.0); Anne Marie Peterson from Madison, WI, US (CC BY-SA 2.0); Doc Searls from Santa Barbara, USA (CC BY 2.0); aarongunnar (CC BY-SA 2.0); royal_broil (CC BY-SA 2.0); USFWS Mountain-Prairie (CC BY 2.0).