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Central Farmland deer zone · Northeast
Manitowoc County Hunting
Manitowoc County sits in the Central Farmland deer zone. Here are its 2 deer units, 2026 antlerless quotas, CWD sampling, bear and turkey zones, public land with acres and the 2026-27 season table.
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
In northeast Wisconsin, Manitowoc County takes in 589 square miles around its seat, Manitowoc. Population in 2024 stood at 81,513, up 0.2% from 2020. The whole county is Central Farmland for deer, with 2 units on the DNR map. For a DNR desk, hunters here use the DNR Green Bay Service Center. 14 public tracts reach into the county; Killsnake Wildlife Area is the largest.
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.
Deer management units covering Manitowoc County
Quotas follow units, not county lines: the 1 unit reaching Manitowoc County carry 5,400 antlerless deer between them in 2026. Buy a deer license and select the Farmland unit here, and 2 antlerless authorizations arrive with it. Bonus antlerless authorizations sell first come, one a day, at $12 for residents and $20 for nonresidents.
| Deer unit | Zone | 2026 quota | Initial public | Initial private | Still for sale Oct 19 | Included tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manitowoc | Central Farmland | 5,400 | 300 | 2,200 | 296 / 2,193 | 2 |
| Manitowoc County Metro Sub-Unit | Central Farmland metro | In parent | 100 | 200 | 100 / 200 | 2 |
Antlerless Holiday Hunt
Holiday Hunt dates for Manitowoc County: Dec 24, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027. Bucks are off limits for every weapon during it. Bows and crossbows stay legal into January, Jan 4 to Jan 31, 2027.
Metro sub-unit
Hunters in the metro sub-unit near Milwaukee get gun dates Nov 21 to Dec 9, 2026 and a January bow season. DNR offered 300 bonus tags for the sub-unit in August.
Gun deer dates
Nov 21 to Nov 29, 2026 is the nine-day gun hunt; the muzzleloader week is Nov 30 to Dec 9, 2026 and the December 4-day antlerless 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.
Manitowoc County buck and antlerless harvest
The 2025 total for the Manitowoc unit was 4,513 deer, 51% of them antlerless. The high point of the series, which starts in 1960, was 2006 with 4,728 deer.
| Season | Bucks | Does and fawns | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,195 | 2,318 | 4,513 |
| 2024 | 2,077 | 2,185 | 4,262 |
| 2023 | 1,981 | 2,149 | 4,130 |
| 2022 | 1,863 | 2,437 | 4,300 |
| 2021 | 1,755 | 2,266 | 4,021 |
| 2020 | 1,898 | 2,669 | 4,567 |
| 2019 | 1,667 | 2,535 | 4,202 |
| 2018 | 1,931 | 2,523 | 4,454 |
| 2017 | 2,027 | 2,408 | 4,435 |
| 2016 | 1,892 | 2,524 | 4,416 |
Season to date, 2026 (preliminary)
| Row | Antlered | Antlerless | To date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manitowoc | 148 | 189 | 337 |
| Manitowoc Metro Subunit | 21 | 31 | 52 |
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.
Manitowoc County: CWD tests by year
1,554 wild deer from Manitowoc County have been tested since 1999, and 1 carried CWD. In CWD year 2025 (April 2025 to March 2026) 191 deer were sampled and 0 were positive. Deer baiting and feeding are prohibited across Manitowoc County (a CWD or TB positive in or within 10 miles of the county). Tests are required for donated adult deer.
| CWD year | Sampled | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 10 | 0 |
| 2025 | 191 | 0 |
| 2024 | 58 | 1 |
| 2023 | 63 | 0 |
| 2022 | 57 | 0 |
| 2021 | 104 | 0 |
| 2020 | 115 | 0 |
| 2019 | 46 | 0 |
| 2018 | 31 | 0 |
| 2017 | 10 | 0 |
CWD testing guide · Baiting and 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.
Bear, turkey and bird zones in Manitowoc County
Bear drawing and harvest
Zone F sets the bear rules in Manitowoc County, a no-hound zone. No bears were credited to Manitowoc County in 2024 or 2025.
| Zone | 2026 target | Permits drawn | Min points | Applicants | 2025 harvest | Hounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone F | 50 | 764 | 1 | 764 | 27 | No |
Wild turkey
Manitowoc County is in turkey zone 2. Spring authorizations are zone and period specific; 2027 levels are not out yet, so the 2025 figures are shown. Zone 2 spring authorizations issued in 2025: 51,056 combined.
| Zone | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Success, 2025 | 2025 birds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 2 | 51,022 | 51,028 | 51,030 | 51,065 | 51,056 | 22% | 11,024 |
Upland and waterfowl
The Zone B grouse season covers Oct 17 to Dec 8, 2026. The DNR plans to stock 960 pheasants in 2026 on Killsnake Wildlife Area. Lake Michigan and Green Bay waters beyond 500 feet from shore are the Open Water duck zone.
Bear drawing by zone · Turkey zone details
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.
Manitowoc County public hunting land
The list holds every public property touching Manitowoc County, 14 in all, largest first within each type. Another 368 acres of privately owned forest are open to the public under Managed Forest Law. Manitowoc County has 0 VPA-HIP and 2 turkey access leases on private ground.
- 3 state wildlife areasKillsnake Wildlife Area (7,002 acres*), Collins Marsh Wildlife Area (4,317 acres), Kiel Marsh Wildlife Area (850 acres*)
- State forest (1)Point Beach State Forest (3,027 acres)
- State natural areas, 3 listedPoint Beach Ridges State Natural Area (558 acres), Nipissing Swamp State Natural Area (243 acres), Two Creeks Buried Forest State Natural Area (16 acres)
- Waterfowl production areas (2 here)Two Creeks Waterfowl Production Area (136 acres), Pietroske Waterfowl Production Area (120 acres)
- State park (1 here)Two Creeks State Park (29 acres)
- State fishery areas (2)Wilke Lake Fishery Area (Remnant) (9 acres), Manitowoc River Public Access (3 acres)
- Conservation easement in the county (1)DNR Statewide Easement Program Lands (9 acres)
- Ice Age Trail area in the county (1)East Twin River State Ice Age Trail Area
Bigger units that cross the county: DNR Statewide Wildlife Habitat Program Lands, DNR State Ice Age Trail Areas (unnamed parcels), Leopold Wetland Management District.
Nearby in other counties: C.D. Besadny Fish and Wildlife Area (22 miles, 2,749 acres), Holland Wildlife Area (25 miles, 536 acres), Holland Red Maple Swamp State Natural Area (25 miles, 206 acres), Brillion Wildlife Area (26 miles, 4,898 acres), Rhine Center Bog State Natural Area (27 miles, 53 acres).
Fischer Creek Recreation Area does not allow hunting or trapping.
All Wisconsin public land · Managed Forest Law land · 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.
Manitowoc County hunting dates, fall 2026 to spring 2027
20 species and 44 segments reach Manitowoc County. The last column compares each one with today.
| Quarry | Season | Zone | From | To | Status today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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: Milwaukee | 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: Manitowoc | 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 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 2 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 2 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 2 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 2 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 2 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 2 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 2 | May 26, 2027 | Jun 1, 2027 | |
| Ruffed Grouse | Ruffed grouse | Grouse Zone A | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 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 | Open Water Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 15, 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.
Manitowoc County town guides and adjacent counties
Manitowoc County has 6 town guides, each with the public land within reach, nearby services and daily shooting hours.
- Manitowocseat · 34,616 residents (2024) · 883 public acres close by
- Clarks Mills6,690 public acres close by
- Collins15,818 public acres close by
- Mishicot1,423 residents (2024) · 3,432 public acres close by
- St. Nazianz713 residents (2024) · 11,842 public acres close by
- Two Rivers11,214 residents (2024) · 3,349 public acres close by
4 Wisconsin counties surround Manitowoc County, with Manistee (MI) and Mason (MI) over the state line.
Towns: Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; adjacency from the Census county adjacency file.
Manitowoc County: legal hunting light
The DNR tables are worked out for Zone A in the east; Manitowoc County lies in longitude Zone A, so add 0 minutes to each table time.
| Date | Why it matters | Northern Area | Southern Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 12, 2026 | Archery, fall turkey and grouse opener | 5:55 a.m. to 7:27 p.m. | 5:57 a.m. to 7:26 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Pheasant and duck dates | 6:39 a.m. to 6:21 p.m. | 6:38 a.m. to 6:24 p.m. |
| Nov 1, 2026 | Early November | 6:00 a.m. to 4:57 p.m. | 5:57 a.m. to 5:01 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer opener | 6:28 a.m. to 4:34 p.m. | 6:23 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. |
| Dec 1, 2026 | Muzzleloader week | 6:40 a.m. to 4:28 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. to 4:35 p.m. |
| Dec 24, 2026 | Holiday Hunt opener | 6:59 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. to 4:38 p.m. |
| Jan 3, 2027 | Archery close (most units) | 7:01 a.m. to 4:39 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 4:46 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 A offset of 0 minutes for longitude 87.58 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Fires, permits and bans around Manitowoc County
The Wisconsin burn ban page shows Manitowoc 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): Manitowoc County is 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).
- Fires on public land: DNR-managed lands (NR 45.07): no fire on the ground and no burning refuse except in designated fireplaces or fire rings.
Manitowoc County ranges and matches
7 ranges in Manitowoc County, from the DNR range layer and directory listings checked October 19, 2026.
trap, rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire, archery on file
sporting clays, shotgun on file
trap, 5-stand, archery, 3D archery, muzzleloader on file
trap, 5-stand, rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire on file
trap, skeet, archery, shotgun on file
rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire on file
| Range | Town | Disciplines | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westshore Sportsman's Club · rod and gun club | Two Rivers | trap/skeet/rifle/handgun/smallbore rimfire/archery/muzzleloader/air gun/benchrest/shotgun | Members only |
Nearest range on the DNR public range map: Brown County Sportsmen's Club in Brown County, about 38 miles from the county center.
Ranges from the DNR public range map and directory listings, checked October 19, 2026.
Manitowoc County processors, taxidermists and shops
Businesses inside Manitowoc County come first, then those in bordering counties by distance.
DNR and agency offices
DNR service centers keep weekday counter hours, 8:30 to 4; field offices are by appointment only.
Meat processors
Taxidermy
Preserves and game farms
Gun and bow 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.
Manitowoc County on the Wisconsin events calendar
1 upcoming event and 1 posted result (NWTF banquet and UKC nite hunt), retrieved October 19, 2026.
On the calendar
| Dates | Name | Place | Link | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 21, 2027 | Northern Kettles NWTF Banquet / NWTF banquet | Kiel Manitowoc Co. | Buy tickets | Source |
Results
| Held | Event | Result | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 17–18, 2026 | Manitowoc Co CH UKC Nite Hunt (July 2026) / UKC nite hunt | July 17 Hunt 1: 1st 'PR'A&d's Shioc River Copper TW, Austin Ullmer, David Ullmer 450+ July 18 (R.Q.E. #165): 1st NITECH WCH FCH GRCH CGRCH'PR'Hogan's Sage BLU, Lee Hogan 200+ | Source |
Manitowoc County hunting questions
How does Manitowoc County rank for registered deer?
31st of the 61 county-named units in 2025 (4,513 deer).
How many free antlerless tags come with a license in Manitowoc County?
2 in the Farmland unit; forest units get none.
Is there a baiting ban in Manitowoc County?
Yes.
How common is CWD in Manitowoc County?
1 positive in 1,554 samples since 1999.
What turkey zone is Manitowoc County in?
Zone 2.
Under which bear zone does Manitowoc County fall?
Zone F, by the DNR bear zone layer.
How do I register a deer shot in Manitowoc County?
Through GameReg (online, phone or an in-person station) by 5 p.m. the day after recovery.
Which wildlife areas are in Manitowoc County?
Killsnake Wildlife Area, Collins Marsh Wildlife Area and Kiel Marsh Wildlife Area.
Can a Manitowoc County hunter donate venison?
Yes, through the DNR Deer Donation Program at participating processors; BRW Processing, Meier's Meat Processing and Hujet Custom Butchering are nearest.
Is blaze pink legal in Manitowoc County?
Yes. Fluorescent pink meets the same 50% rule as blaze orange.
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.
Manitowoc County trip checklist
Unit lines in Manitowoc County follow roads and habitat as well as county borders, so confirm your DMU on the DNR map before you buy tags.
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: John Begalke (CC BY 2.0); Shenandoah National Park (Public Domain Mark 1.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); royal_broil (CC BY-SA 2.0); Anne Marie Peterson from Madison, WI, US (CC BY-SA 2.0).