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South Central Region county guide
Columbia County Hunting
Hunting Columbia County in 2026-27: the Southern Farmland zone rules, every DMU that crosses the county, bonus antlerless availability, CWD and baiting, public land, towns, services and shooting hours.
Photo: Mobilus In Mobili (CC BY-SA 2.0)
766 square miles of land make up Columbia County, and Portage holds the county offices. Roughly 58,113 residents in 2024 works out to near 76 people a square mile. All of it lies in the Southern Farmland Zone, divided into 1 deer management unit. DNR walk-in help is at the Fitchburg service center, 32 miles from the middle of the county. Hunters can choose among 51 public properties here, the biggest being Pine Island Wildlife Area.
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.
Columbia County deer units, quotas and tags
8,800 antlerless deer is the 2026 quota sum for the 1 DMU on this table, each counted whole. The Farmland unit includes 4 antlerless authorizations per license at no extra cost; choose the unit and public or private land when you buy. Price of a bonus antlerless authorization: $12 resident, $20 nonresident; buyers are held to one a day.
| Unit | Deer zone | Antlerless quota | Bonus (public land) | Bonus (private land) | Remaining Oct 19 | Free tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | Southern Farmland | 8,800 | 1,000 | 4,000 | 1,000 / 4,000 | 4 |
Holiday Hunt
Christmas Eve to New Year's Day is the antlerless-only Holiday Hunt here: Dec 24, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027.
November gun hunt
Firearm deer dates: gun Nov 21 to Nov 29, 2026, muzzleloader Nov 30 to Dec 9, 2026, December antlerless-only 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.
Columbia County deer, year by year
Columbia County produced 7,189 registered deer in 2025, 14th among the 61 county-named units. Ten seasons earlier, in 2015, the unit registered 6,359 (+13% since).
| Harvest year | Antlered | Antlerless | Registered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3,299 | 3,890 | 7,189 |
| 2024 | 3,317 | 3,859 | 7,176 |
| 2023 | 3,203 | 3,426 | 6,629 |
| 2022 | 3,219 | 3,658 | 6,877 |
| 2021 | 3,016 | 3,151 | 6,167 |
| 2020 | 3,357 | 4,083 | 7,440 |
| 2019 | 2,995 | 3,098 | 6,093 |
| 2018 | 3,218 | 3,487 | 6,705 |
| 2017 | 2,953 | 2,875 | 5,828 |
| 2016 | 3,112 | 3,157 | 6,269 |
2026 early-season deer, preliminary
| Unit (as DNR lists it) | Antlered | Antlerless | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | 262 | 309 | 571 |
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.
Deer disease and baiting, Columbia County
The DNR CWD summary lists 824 positive wild deer for Columbia County from 9,739 samples. For CWD year 2025 the county logged 616 samples and 169 detections. Columbia County is one of 60 counties where baiting and feeding deer are banned. Every donated deer must be tested.
| Year | Sampled | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 44 | 14 |
| 2025 | 616 | 169 |
| 2024 | 595 | 129 |
| 2023 | 534 | 112 |
| 2022 | 477 | 93 |
| 2021 | 510 | 74 |
| 2020 | 570 | 80 |
| 2019 | 628 | 66 |
| 2018 | 555 | 38 |
| 2017 | 264 | 12 |
| 2016 | 153 | 9 |
| 2015 | 92 | 1 |
Statewide CWD page · Bait rules statewide
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.
Columbia County bear, turkey and upland zones
Bear numbers
For bears, Columbia County is zone F. Hounds are not permitted. Columbia County does not appear in the 2024 or 2025 bear county tables.
| Zone | Target 2026 | Permits | Fewest points | Applicants | 2025 harvest | Hounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone F | 50 | 764 | 1 | 764 | 27 | No |
Turkeys in Columbia County
Zone 3 (70%), 1 (19%) and 2 (10%) sets the turkey authorizations in Columbia County; 2025 is the most recent year with published levels. Spring 2025 brought 171,242 authorizations to zone 3/1/2.
| Turkey zone | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Success rate | Harvest 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | 52,304 | 52,068 | 52,808 | 53,441 | 55,612 | 22% | 12,324 |
| Zone 1 | 61,121 | 60,523 | 62,058 | 62,329 | 64,574 | 21% | 13,813 |
| Zone 2 | 51,022 | 51,028 | 51,030 | 51,065 | 51,056 | 22% | 11,024 |
Zones for birds and rabbits
Zone B grouse dates: Oct 17 to Dec 8, 2026. Look for stocked roosters at French Creek Wildlife Area and Grassy Lake Wildlife Area; the 2026 plan totals 4,120 birds.
Compare bear zones · All turkey zones
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 land on the Columbia County map
51 listed properties reach into Columbia County; acres for properties that cross a county line are the whole property. The 2026 MFL report lists 100 acres open to public hunting in Columbia County. Private land open by lease: 4 VPA-HIP and 0 THAP properties.
- State wildlife areas: 14Pine Island Wildlife Area (5,608 ac*), French Creek Wildlife Area (3,759 ac*), Peter Helland Wildlife Area (3,572 ac), Swan Lake Wildlife Area (2,499 ac), Mud Lake Wildlife Area (2,277 ac), Paradise Marsh Wildlife Area (1,594 ac), Lodi Marsh Wildlife Area (1,279 ac*), Grassy Lake Wildlife Area (700 ac), Jennings Creek Wildlife Area (531 ac), Columbus Wetland Public Hunting Grounds (248 ac), Hampden Wetland Public Hunting Grounds (229 ac), Dekorra Public Hunting Grounds (226 ac), Duck Creek Public Hunting Grounds (159 ac), Lewiston Marsh Public Hunting Grounds (153 ac)
- State natural areas in the county (15)French Creek North State Natural Area (1,417 ac*), Dells of the Wisconsin River State Natural Area (1,286 ac*), Pine Island Savanna State Natural Area (798 ac*), Swan Lake Sedge Meadow and Barrens State Natural Area (698 ac), Lodi Marsh State Natural Area (640 ac*), Rocky Run Oak Savanna State Natural Area (455 ac), Grassy Lake State Natural Area (292 ac), Springvale Wet Meadow State Natural Area (271 ac), French Creek Fen State Natural Area (219 ac), Swan Lake Tamaracks State Natural Area (205 ac), Lost Lake State Natural Area (169 ac), Mud Lake Forest and Ponds State Natural Area (131 ac), Empire Prairies State Natural Area (116 ac*), Gibraltar Rock State Natural Area (66 ac), Swan Lake Wet-Mesic Prairie State Natural Area (50 ac)
- Waterfowl production areas, 13 listedBaraboo River Waterfowl Production Area (950 ac), Schoeneberg Marsh Waterfowl Production Area (735 ac), Becker Waterfowl Production Area (357 ac), Manthey Waterfowl Production Area (352 ac), Hinkson Creek Waterfowl Production Area (337 ac), Rowe Waterfowl Production Area (334 ac), Severson Waterfowl Production Area (251 ac), Becker Lake Waterfowl Production Area (152 ac), Waterfowl Production Area 2 Waterfowl Production Area (127 ac), Anderson Waterfowl Production Area (125 ac), Vangen Waterfowl Production Area (81 ac), Doylestown Waterfowl Production Area (54 ac), Ludwig Waterfowl Production Area (33 ac)
- State fishery areas (6 here)Rocky Run Fishery Area (740 ac), Rowan Creek Fishery Area (644 ac), Berlin Lock and Dam (401 ac*), Hinkson Creek Fishery Area (235 ac), Lodi Spring Creek Fishery Area (47 ac), Roelke Creek Fishery Area (40 ac)
- 1 state habitat areaGlacial Habitat Restoration Areas (1,774 ac*)
- State recreation area: 1Baraboo Hills State Recreation Area (1,142 ac*)
- 1 ice age trail areaGibraltar Rock Area State Ice Age Trail Area
Multi-county properties here: DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands, DNR Statewide Wildlife Habitat Program Lands, DNR State Ice Age Trail Areas (unnamed parcels), DNR Scattered Wildlife Lands, Leopold Wetland Management District.
Land by type · MFL open lands · VPA-HIP leases
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.
Season dates that cover Columbia County
Columbia County sits in the Southern Farmland deer zone. These 40 rows are the dated hunting segments the DNR schedule puts there, from the September archery opener into spring turkey.
| Game | Season | Applies in | Begins | Through | Right 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 | 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: Columbia | Dec 24, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Bear (Class A license by drawing) | Bear Zone F | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall turkey | Turkey Zone 3/1/2 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 3/1/2 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 3/1/2 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 3/1/2 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 3/1/2 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 3/1/2 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 3/1/2 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 3/1/2 | 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.
Columbia County towns, plus bordering counties
Towns for Columbia County hunters, starting with the courthouse town.
- Portageseat of county · 9,975 people · 15,283 mapped public acres nearby
- Cambria768 people · 8,055 mapped public acres nearby
- Dekorra14,996 mapped public acres nearby
- Pardeeville2,258 people · 16,019 mapped public acres nearby
- Poynette2,834 people · 8,779 mapped public acres nearby
- Rio1,126 people · 13,789 mapped public acres nearby
- Wyocena732 people · 15,185 mapped public acres nearby
Columbia County touches 7 other Wisconsin counties.
Towns: Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; adjacency from the Census county adjacency file.
Columbia County: legal hunting light
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.
| Day | Reason | Northern table | Southern table |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 89.33 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Columbia County burn ban and campfire rules
Columbia County status today: open the Wisconsin county list.
- Permits: 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): Columbia County is not on this list.
- Ban orders: 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.
Columbia County: where to shoot
Inside the county line: 9 ranges, from rod and gun clubs to public map ranges and archery lanes.
rifle, shotgun on file
5-stand, sporting clays, trap, skeet, shotgun on file
rifle, handgun, trap, archery, 3D archery on file
trap, sporting clays, rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire on file
trap, archery, shotgun on file
handgun on file
| Range | Location | Firearms and archery | Access rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poynette Bowhunters Association · archery range | Poynette | archery/3D archery | Members only |
| Riverside Skeet Club · trap and skeet club | Wisconsin Dells | skeet/shotgun | Members only |
| Winnequah Gun Club – Outdoor · rod and gun club | Lodi | rifle/handgun/smallbore rimfire/muzzleloader/air gun/action pistol/silhouette | Access not stated |
Upcoming in Columbia County
| Date and match | Category | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 29, 2026: Dells Rifle Club Fall Show | Gun show | Full details |
| Nov 7, 2026: Fall River Gun Show | Gun show | Full details |
| Nov 15, 2026: Youth Archery Clinic | Clinic | Full details |
| Dec 4-5, 2026: 4th Annual Winter Warriorland 10m | NASP | Full details |
| Feb 12-13, 2027: Columbus Cardinal Shootout – 3D | NASP | Full details |
| Feb 12-13, 2027: Columbus Cardinal Shootout – Bullseye | NASP | Full details |
Ranges from the DNR public range map and directory listings, checked October 19, 2026.
Columbia County DNR offices and hunting businesses
Gas stations and hardware stores that only sell licenses are left out; these are hunting shops.
DNR service center and offices
Service center counters are open 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays; field offices see visitors by appointment.
Butchering and processing
Taxidermists
Guides and preserves
Hunting shops nearby
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.
Columbia County, dinners, hunts and trials
On file here: 2 upcoming events (NWTF banquet).
Dates ahead
| When | Event | Location | Tickets or entry | Posted at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 30, 2027 | NWTF Wisconsin State Convention and Banquet / NWTF banquet | Wisconsin Dells Columbia Co. | Buy tickets | Source |
| Mar 8, 2027 | River Valley Conservation Social (NWTF) / NWTF banquet | Portage Columbia Co. | Buy tickets | Source |
Columbia County: short answers
Which deer management units cover Columbia County?
Columbia, per the DNR county-to-unit list.
Are bonus antlerless tags left for Columbia County?
Columbia: 1,000 public, 4,000 private as of Oct. 19, 2026.
How many deer were registered in Columbia County in 2025?
7,189: 3,299 bucks and 3,890 antlerless.
What happens if my Columbia County deer tests positive?
You earn a replacement authorization: a statewide buck tag for an antlered deer, a same-unit tag for an antlerless one.
May hunters bait deer anywhere in Columbia County?
Not here: deer baiting and feeding are prohibited.
What are the bear dates in Columbia County?
Sep 9 to Oct 13, 2026, with the zone windows in the season table.
How do I register a turkey from Columbia County?
Online or by phone through GameReg by 5 p.m. the day after recovery; there are no in-person stations.
What is the largest public property in Columbia County?
Pine Island Wildlife Area, 5,608 acres.
Do I register geese shot in Columbia County?
No. Wisconsin has had no state goose registration since 2017; HIP certification is required.
Do I need blaze orange in Columbia County?
Yes, during any firearm deer season: 50% of outer clothing above the waist, orange or fluorescent pink.
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.
Last word on Columbia County seasons
If anything here disagrees with the DNR regulations, the regulations win.
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); GlacierNPS (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Anne Marie Peterson from Madison, WI, US (CC BY-SA 2.0); Doc Searls from Santa Barbara, USA (CC BY 2.0); Alabama Extension (CC0 1.0); ianpreston (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Mountain Prairie (CC BY 2.0); Reiner Ehlers (CC BY 2.0); Rick Obst (CC BY 2.0).