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DNR Northeast Region
Fond du Lac County Hunting
A DNR-sourced guide to Fond du Lac County in northeast 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: wonder_al (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Fond du Lac is the seat of Fond du Lac County, a 720 square mile county in the DNR Northeast Region. 104,269 people call it home, per the 2024 Census estimate (+0.1% against 2020). Deer management here is Central Farmland Zone throughout (1 unit). Its nearest DNR service center is DNR Oshkosh Service Center in Oshkosh, 23 miles from the county centre. Public hunting runs through 20 listed properties; the largest by acreage is Kettle Moraine State Forest – Northern Unit.
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 Fond du Lac County
Antlerless quota and bonus tags in Fond du Lac County
The DNR set a combined 2026 antlerless quota of 3,500 for the 1 unit that cover Fond du Lac County; units that cross into other counties count in full. In the Farmland part of Fond du Lac 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fond du Lac | Central Farmland | 3,500 | 1,200 | 1,500 | 1,158 / 1,486 | 2 |
Holiday deer hunt
A nine-day antlerless-only Holiday Hunt (Dec 24, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027) is part of the Fond du Lac 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.
Fond du Lac County deer numbers since 1960
In 2025, Fond du Lac County hunters registered 2,417 bucks and 2,225 antlerless deer, 4,642 in all. Harvest peaked in 2006 at 6,139; 2015 brought 4,587.
| Season | Buck | Antlerless | Sum |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,417 | 2,225 | 4,642 |
| 2024 | 2,283 | 2,263 | 4,546 |
| 2023 | 2,180 | 1,888 | 4,068 |
| 2022 | 2,003 | 1,971 | 3,974 |
| 2021 | 1,879 | 1,898 | 3,777 |
| 2020 | 1,990 | 2,184 | 4,174 |
| 2019 | 1,736 | 2,080 | 3,816 |
| 2018 | 1,950 | 2,238 | 4,188 |
| 2017 | 1,975 | 1,951 | 3,926 |
| 2016 | 1,947 | 2,275 | 4,222 |
2026 season to date, preliminary
| Unit | Antlered | Antlerless | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fond Du Lac | 241 | 318 | 559 |
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 Fond du Lac County
CWD is present in Fond du Lac County. The DNR has sampled 1,246 wild deer there since 1999 and 7 tested positive. Last CWD year: 110 tested, 2 positive. The baiting and feeding ban covers Fond du Lac County, as it does 59 other counties. The donation program requires tests on adult deer from this county.
| CWD year | Samples | Detected |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 13 | 1 |
| 2025 | 110 | 2 |
| 2024 | 125 | 3 |
| 2023 | 141 | 0 |
| 2022 | 103 | 0 |
| 2021 | 119 | 1 |
| 2020 | 107 | 0 |
| 2019 | 39 | 0 |
| 2018 | 29 | 0 |
| 2017 | 54 | 0 |
| 2016 | 2 | 0 |
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 Fond du Lac County
Bears in Fond du Lac County
Bear zone F covers Fond du Lac County; no hounds may be used. 1 bears came from Fond du Lac County in 2025 (1 male, 0 female).
| Zone | Harvest goal | 2026 permits | Minimum points | Applicants 2026 | 2025 bears | Hounds OK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone F | 50 | 764 | 1 | 764 | 27 | No |
| Year | County bears | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | 1 | — |
Spring turkey
For spring turkeys, Fond du Lac County falls in zone 2 (93%) and 3 (7%); each authorization names one zone and one of the six periods, A to F. In 2025 the DNR issued 106,668 spring authorizations across zone 2/3.
| Zone | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Success | 2025 harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 2 | 51,022 | 51,028 | 51,030 | 51,065 | 51,056 | 22% | 11,024 |
| Zone 3 | 52,304 | 52,068 | 52,808 | 53,441 | 55,612 | 22% | 12,324 |
Waterfowl and upland zones
Ruffed grouse: Zone B, open Oct 17 to Dec 8, 2026. Stocked rooster fields here include Eldorado Wildlife Area, Mullet Creek Wildlife Area and Glacial Habitat Restoration Areas, 4,420 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 Fond du Lac County
Here are all 20 properties with public hunting ground in Fond du Lac County, largest first. VPA-HIP (3) and THAP (2) leases open extra private acres in Fond du Lac County.
- 1 state forestKettle Moraine State Forest – Northern Unit (30,258 acres*)
- 1 national wildlife refugeHoricon National Wildlife Refuge (22,000 acres*)
- State habitat area (1 here)Glacial Habitat Restoration Areas (9,514 acres*)
- State wildlife areas, 2 listedEldorado Wildlife Area (6,349 acres), Mullet Creek Wildlife Area (2,244 acres)
- State natural areas (9)Milwaukee River and Swamp State Natural Area (828 acres), Milwaukee River Tamarack Lowlands & Dundee Kame State Natural Area (511 acres), Crooked Lake Wetlands State Natural Area (288 acres*), Oakfield Ledge State Natural Area (211 acres), Spruce Lake Bog State Natural Area (145 acres), Mullet Creek White Cedar Wetland State Natural Area (86 acres), Haskell Noyes Woods State Natural Area (62 acres), Spring Lake State Natural Area (48 acres), Oakfield Railroad Prairie State Natural Area (41 acres)
- Waterfowl production areas: 5Oakfield Waterfowl Production Area (430 acres), Breakneck Waterfowl Production Area (233 acres), Lamartine Waterfowl Production Area (216 acres), Rosendale Waterfowl Production Area (207 acres), Waterfowl Production Area 3 Waterfowl Production Area (80 acres)
- State park: 1Campbellsport Drumlin State Park (10 acres)
Multi-county units and DNR groupings that also reach the county: Kettle Moraine State Forest, Leopold Wetland Management District.
Next door: Rush Lake State Natural Area (18 miles, 442 acres).
Statewide land list · VPA-HIP map · THAP program
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.
Fond du Lac 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 Fond du Lac 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: Fond du Lac | 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 F | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall turkey | Turkey Zone 2/3 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 2/3 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 2/3 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 2/3 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 2/3 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 2/3 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 2/3 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 2/3 | 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.
Fond du Lac County seat, towns and border counties
The 5 towns below have their own page, with the county seat first.
- Fond du Lacseat · 44,469 townspeople · 7,717 public acres in a 10-mile circle
- Mount Calvary488 townspeople · 9,930 public acres in a 10-mile circle
- North Fond du Lac5,419 townspeople · 7,522 public acres in a 10-mile circle
- Rosendale1,037 townspeople · 11,757 public acres in a 10-mile circle
- Kewaskumspans the line · 4,564 townspeople · 21,697 public acres in a 10-mile circle
Fond du Lac County meets 6 in-state counties.
Towns: Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; adjacency from the Census county adjacency file.
Fond du Lac County shooting time on key dates
At Fond du Lac County the offset is 4 minutes (Zone B). 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 | 5:59 a.m. to 7:31 p.m. | 6:01 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Pheasant and duck dates | 6:43 a.m. to 6:25 p.m. | 6:42 a.m. to 6:28 p.m. |
| Nov 1, 2026 | Early November | 6:04 a.m. to 5:01 p.m. | 6:01 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer opener | 6:32 a.m. to 4:38 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 4:44 p.m. |
| Dec 1, 2026 | Muzzleloader week | 6:44 a.m. to 4:32 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 4:39 p.m. |
| Dec 24, 2026 | Holiday Hunt opener | 7:03 a.m. to 4:34 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 4:42 p.m. |
| Jan 3, 2027 | Archery close (most units) | 7:05 a.m. to 4:43 p.m. | 6:59 a.m. to 4:50 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 B offset of 4 minutes for longitude 88.49 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Before you burn in Fond du Lac County
The Wisconsin burn ban page shows Fond du Lac County today.
- 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): Fond du Lac County is 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).
- Campfires while hunting: DNR-managed lands (NR 45.07): no fire on the ground and no burning refuse except in designated fireplaces or fire rings.
Sighting in around Fond du Lac County
Ranges within Fond du Lac County: 13. Access rules differ, so read the line on each card.
rifle, handgun, trap, sporting clays, shotgun on file
rifle, handgun on file
trap, shotgun on file
trap, shotgun on file
trap, shotgun on file
| Name and kind | Town | Guns and bows | Getting in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kewaskum New Fane Sportsman's Club · rod and gun club | Campbellsport | trap/rifle/shotgun | Access not stated |
| Lakeshore Bowhunters Archery Club · archery range | Eldorado | archery/3D archery | Access not stated |
| Longshot Sportsman's Club · sporting clays course | Van Dyne | sporting clays/shotgun | Members only |
| Pheasants on the Ledge · sporting clays course | Oakfield | sporting clays/shotgun | Access not stated |
| Van Dyne Sportsmens Club · rod and gun club | Van Dyne | trap/skeet/5-stand/rifle/archery/shotgun | Members only |
| Wescot Sportsman's Club · rod and gun club | Fond du Lac | trap/5-stand/rifle/handgun/smallbore rimfire/archery/muzzleloader/shotgun | Members only |
| Wild Wings Sportsman's Club · sporting clays course | Campbellsport | sporting clays/shotgun | Access not stated |
County shoot dates
| Date, shoot | Format | Page |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 16-17, 2027: Central Wisconsin Gun Show | Gun show | Listing |
| Feb 26-27, 2027: Fond Du Lac Gun and Outdoors Show | Gun show | Listing |
| Apr 17-18, 2027: Central Wisconsin Gun Show | Gun show | Listing |
| Oct 16-17, 2027: Central Wisconsin Gun Show | Gun show | Listing |
Ranges from the DNR public range map and directory listings, checked October 19, 2026.
Fond du Lac County: processing, mounts and gear
Where Fond du Lac 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.
Hunting events in Fond du Lac County
On file here: 1 upcoming event (NWTF banquet).
Next dates
| Held | What | Where | Register | Source page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 1, 2027 | Fond du Lac NWTF Banquet / NWTF banquet | Fond du Lac Fond du Lac Co. | Buy tickets | Source |
Fond du Lac County, answered
Which processor should I call first in Fond du Lac County?
Beck's Meat Processing, the nearest listing; call ahead in season.
Do duck hunters in Fond du Lac County need orange?
No. Waterfowl hunters are exempt.
What DMU should I pick for Fond du Lac County on Go Wild?
The unit where you will hunt: Fond du Lac. Farmland tags and bonus tags are unit specific.
Can I shoot a buck during the Holiday Hunt in Fond du Lac County?
No. Only antlerless deer, with any weapon.
Is the Fond du Lac County deer harvest rising or falling?
Compare the years: 2025 4,642; 2024: 4,546; 2015: 4,587.
Can I shoot a doe in Fond du Lac 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 Fond du Lac County?
No. Automatic and gravity feeders are never legal for deer bait in Wisconsin.
How many deer were tested for CWD in Fond du Lac County in 2025?
110 in CWD year 2025, 2 positive.
How many turkey permits does Fond du Lac County get?
Zone 2/3 had 106,668 spring authorizations in 2025; 2027 levels are not out yet.
How many points do I need for a Fond du Lac County bear tag?
Zone F 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.
Fond du Lac 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: wackybadger (CC BY-SA 2.0); GlacierNPS (Public Domain Mark 1.0); wackybadger (CC BY-SA 2.0); wackybadger (CC BY-SA 2.0); royal_broil (CC BY-SA 2.0); Dori (CC BY-SA 3.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); iculori (CC BY 2.0).