Home › Wisconsin › Counties › Grant County
2026-27 · Southern Farmland
Grant County Hunting
Registered deer since 1960, CWD sampling since 2015, bear and turkey figures, wildlife areas and county forest acres, and the season dates that reach Grant County this fall and next spring.
Photo: Tony Webster (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Grant County spans 1,148 square miles in south-central Wisconsin, governed from Lancaster. The Census Vintage 2024 estimate is 52,330 residents (+0.8% since 2020). The Southern Farmland Zone takes in the entire county, carved into 1 unit. The closest DNR counter is the DNR Fitchburg Service Center in Fitchburg. Grant County touches 3 state wildlife areas, 11 state natural areas and 8 other public properties.
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 Grant County
Grant County: units, quotas, Holiday Hunt
Natural Resources Board quotas for 2026 total 6,500 antlerless deer in the units listed here. Farmland hunters get 2 antlerless tags included with each license for this county's Farmland unit, tied to public or private land. Remaining bonus authorizations stay on sale at $12 for residents and $20 for visitors until the unit sells out.
| DMU | Zone | Quota 2026 | Public bonus | Private bonus | Unsold Oct 19 | Farmland tags per license |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grant | Southern Farmland | 6,500 | 750 | 3,000 | 750 / 3,000 | 2 |
Holiday season
Grant County holds the Holiday Hunt, Dec 24, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027, antlerless deer only. The bow and crossbow season stretches to Jan. 31 here (Jan 4 to Jan 31, 2027).
Gun season
Gun deer opens the Saturday before Thanksgiving: Nov 21 to Nov 29, 2026. Muzzleloader follows Nov 30 to Dec 9, 2026, then four antlerless-only days 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.
Grant County registered deer by year
Hunters registered 5,741 deer in the Grant unit in 2025: 2,728 bucks and 3,013 antlerless. That is 20% below the 2015 figure of 7,134; the best year since 1960 was 2007 at 9,546.
| Year | Bucks | Antlerless | All deer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,728 | 3,013 | 5,741 |
| 2024 | 2,760 | 3,254 | 6,014 |
| 2023 | 3,004 | 3,460 | 6,464 |
| 2022 | 2,802 | 3,591 | 6,393 |
| 2021 | 2,884 | 3,516 | 6,400 |
| 2020 | 3,296 | 4,083 | 7,379 |
| 2019 | 2,981 | 3,595 | 6,576 |
| 2018 | 3,329 | 4,286 | 7,615 |
| 2017 | 3,088 | 3,670 | 6,758 |
| 2016 | 3,280 | 3,937 | 7,217 |
This fall so far (preliminary)
| Unit | Antlered | Antlerless | So far |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grant | 113 | 191 | 304 |
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.
Grant County CWD sampling and bait rules
Chronic wasting disease has turned up in Grant County: 621 positive wild deer out of 9,043 sampled through Oct. 18, 2026. Sampling in CWD year 2025 reached 396 deer, with 82 positives. Hunters in Grant County may not bait deer; the county is on the DNR ban map. Donated venison from here requires a CWD test on every deer.
| CWD year | Tested | CWD found |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 10 | 1 |
| 2025 | 396 | 82 |
| 2024 | 389 | 84 |
| 2023 | 489 | 89 |
| 2022 | 479 | 78 |
| 2021 | 577 | 83 |
| 2020 | 619 | 70 |
| 2019 | 672 | 61 |
| 2018 | 587 | 43 |
| 2017 | 378 | 12 |
| 2016 | 262 | 5 |
| 2015 | 93 | 2 |
CWD across Wisconsin · Feeding rules
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.
Other game in Grant County
Bear zone and harvest
The DNR bear map puts Grant County in zone F (62%) and E (38%); hounds are prohibited. Bear registrations from Grant County were nil in the last two DNR reports.
| Bear zone | 2026 goal | Winners | Low points | Applicants | Taken 2025 | Hounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone F | 50 | 764 | 1 | 764 | 27 | No |
| Zone E | 185 | 2,628 | 1 | 2,628 | 128 | No |
| Year | Bears | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1 | 1 | — |
Gobblers
Spring gobbler hunting here uses zone 1 authorizations, by period A through F. Zone 1 carried 64,574 spring authorizations in 2025.
| Zone | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2025 success | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | 61,121 | 60,523 | 62,058 | 62,329 | 64,574 | 21% | 13,813 |
Ducks, geese, grouse, rabbits
Grouse hunters here follow Zone B: Oct 17 to Dec 8, 2026. Along the river the Mississippi River goose zone applies west of the BNSF tracks.
Bear zone map and dates · Turkey zones 1 to 7
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.
Grant County: state, county and federal land
22 public properties in Grant County are pinned on the map, with 3 more just over the line. Open MFL acreage in Grant County: 1,154, per the 2026 DNR report. The DNR leases 7 private properties here for public access (2 VPA-HIP, 5 THAP).
- Refuge district in the county (1)Upper Mississippi River Refuge – McGregor District (23,685 acres*)
- 11 state natural areasMillville Oak Woodlands State Natural Area (1,267 acres), Snow Bottom State Natural Area (592 acres), Blue River Bluffs State Natural Area (408 acres), Wyalusing Hardwood Forest State Natural Area (403 acres), Woodman Lake Sand Prairie and Dead Lake State Natural Area (286 acres), Adiantum Woods State Natural Area (273 acres), Wyalusing Walnut Forest State Natural Area (135 acres), Blue River Sand Barrens State Natural Area (129 acres), Cassville Bluffs State Natural Area (55 acres), Gasner Hollow Prairie State Natural Area (50 acres), Dewey Heights Prairie State Natural Area (30 acres)
- State parks in the county (2)Wyalusing State Park (2,620 acres), Nelson Dewey State Park (744 acres)
- State fishery areas, 4 listedBlue River (242 acres), Mount Hope Rearing Station (200 acres), Castle Rock Creek Fishery Area (Remnant) (86 acres), Big Green River Fishery Area (Remnant) (2 acres)
- Demonstration forest (1 here)Douglas Hallock Demonstration Forest (452 acres)
- State wildlife areas (3)Mount Hope Conservation Area (200 acres), Snowden Branch State Habitat Area (20 acres), Headwaters Little Platte River State Habitat Area (7 acres)
Also covering part of the county: DNR Statewide Habitat Areas (unnamed parcels), Lower Wisconsin State Riverway, DNR State-Owned Islands, DNR Gift Lands, Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge, Upper Mississippi River Refuge – Winona District, Mississippi River Nine-Foot Channel Project Lands (USACE, Wisconsin Pools).
Just outside the county: Wauzeka Bottoms State Natural Area (17 miles, 879 acres), Pecatonica River Woods State Natural Area (18 miles, 106 acres), Ipswich Prairie State Natural Area (18 miles, 18 acres).
Not open to hunters: Rem-Big Rock Creek, Rem-Big Spring Branch, Rem-Crooked Creek, Rem-Doc Smith Branch, Rem-Millville Creek and Rem-Six Mile Branch.
Public land index · MFL lands · VPA-HIP · About THAP
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.
Grant County: opening and closing days
From bear baiting in September to the last spring turkey period, 43 season segments apply to Grant County.
| Species | Hunt type | Zone or unit | Opening | Closing | 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: Grant | 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/E | 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 1) | Mississippi River Zone | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 11, 2026 | |
| Geese | Regular goose (split 2) | Southern Goose Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Geese | Regular goose (split 2) | Mississippi River Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Jan 5, 2027 | |
| 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.
Grant County base towns and next-door counties
Population figures for Grant County towns are Census 2024 estimates; unincorporated places have none.
- Lancastercounty seat · 4,042 residents
- Bagley353 residents · 11,330 acres of public land in 10 miles
- Blue River453 residents · 15,557 acres of public land in 10 miles
- Boscobel3,265 residents · 19,396 acres of public land in 10 miles
- Muscoda1,303 residents · 15,078 acres of public land in 10 miles
- Sandy Hook4,682 acres of public land in 10 miles
Neighbouring Wisconsin counties: 4; out of state, Clayton (IA), Dubuque (IA) and Jo Daviess (IL).
Towns: Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; adjacency from the Census county adjacency file.
Grant County first and last legal light
Wisconsin prints its shooting hours as tables. For deer, bear, elk, small game and fall turkey the day runs from 30 minutes before sunrise to 20 minutes after sunset; migratory birds and spring turkey stop at sunset.
| Date | Season moment | Northern Area | Southern Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 12, 2026 | Archery, fall turkey and 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 90.69 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Fires, permits and bans around Grant County
Grant County status today: open the Wisconsin county list.
- 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): Grant County is not on this list.
- Burn bans come from: 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.
Grant County: where to shoot
Grant County holds 7 listed ranges; none appears on the DNR public range map.
trap, shotgun on file
trap, shotgun on file
trap, shotgun on file
trap, shotgun on file
trap, rifle, archery, 3D archery, shotgun on file
archery, 3D archery on file
| Range or club | City or village | Shooting | Open to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tri-County Archers · archery range | Platteville | archery/3D archery | Access not stated |
Yellowstone Shooting Range in Lafayette County is the nearest public map range, about 36 miles.
Upcoming in Grant County
| When, name | Type | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 11-12, 2026: Boscobel Gun Show | Gun show | Event page |
Ranges from the DNR public range map and directory listings, checked October 19, 2026.
After the shot in Grant County
Distances are straight-line miles from the middle of Grant County; call before you drive.
Offices for licenses and questions
Field offices are appointment only; service center counters open 8:30-4 on weekdays.
Getting a deer processed
For a mount
Guides and game farms
Gear shops
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.
Banquets, trials and hunts in Grant County
Listed as of October 19, 2026: 1 posted result.
Posted results
| Held | Event | Result | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 9–10, 2025 | 2025 Heartland Classic (UKC coonhounds) / UKC major | Nite Hunt Champion: NITECH PR B&Bs Dirty Pete, TW, Kyle Betenbender, Mark Bouska (IA) | Source |
Grant County FAQ
What deer zone is Grant County in?
The Southern Farmland Zone, covered by 1 unit: Grant.
What late deer seasons does Grant County have?
Holiday Hunt and extended archery.
How many antlerless deer were taken in Grant County?
3,013 in 2025, out of 5,741 in all.
What is the 2026 antlerless quota in Grant County?
6,500 across 1 unit, counting each unit whole.
Can bears be baited in Grant County?
Bear baiting has its own rules: April 15 to the end of bear season, 10 gallons per site, in a hollow log or stump.
Do I need to test a donated deer from Grant County?
Yes, every donated deer must be tested.
How successful are turkey hunters in Grant County?
Zone 1 spring success was 21% in 2025.
How many bears were taken in Grant County?
None are listed in the 2024 or 2025 county tables.
Can I register a deer by phone in Grant County?
Yes: 1-844-426-3734 (844-GAME-REG), by 5 p.m. the day after recovery.
What does Grant County offer in public hunting land?
The land list has 22 properties here and 1,154 open MFL acres.
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.
Grant County: before the opener
Bonus antlerless tags sell out in some units; buy early on Go Wild.
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: Anne Marie Peterson from Madison, WI, US (CC BY-SA 2.0); Susan Young (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Doc Searls from Santa Barbara, USA (CC BY 2.0); royal_broil (CC BY-SA 2.0); Tracie Hall (CC BY-SA 2.0); YellowstoneNPS (Public domain).