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West-central Wisconsin
Vernon County Hunting
What the DNR sets for Vernon County: deer zone and units, antlerless quota and Farmland tags, baiting status, bear zone E, turkey zone 1, plus harvest history and public ground.
Photo: aarongunnar (CC BY-SA 2.0)
The Census measures Vernon County at 792 square miles of land; Viroqua is the county seat. About 31,351 people lived there in 2024, 2.0% more than the 2020 base. Every acre falls in the Southern Farmland Zone; 1 DMU cover it. Licenses and questions go to the DNR La Crosse Service Center (La Crosse), about 23 miles away. The land list holds 19 properties with ground in Vernon County, led by Upper Mississippi River Refuge – McGregor District at 23,685 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 Vernon County
Across the 1 quota unit touching Vernon County, the 2026 antlerless quotas add to 10,000 deer (whole units, not just the county share). Each archery, crossbow or gun license that names a Farmland unit here comes with 3 free antlerless authorizations, good only in that unit and on the land type you pick. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vernon | Southern Farmland | 10,000 | 400 | 1,300 | 400 / 1,300 | 3 |
Dec. 24 hunt
The antlerless-only Holiday Hunt runs Dec 24, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027 in Vernon County; no bucks may be taken with any weapon on those days. Extended archery and crossbow dates: Jan 4 to Jan 31, 2027.
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 Vernon County
Deer Metrics shows 9,561 deer for the Vernon unit in 2025, 2.8% of the state total of 345,207. Compared with 2015 (7,852 deer), 2025 was +22%, and the record year on file is 1996 (10,056).
| Season | Buck | Antlerless | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3,877 | 5,684 | 9,561 |
| 2024 | 3,746 | 5,254 | 9,000 |
| 2023 | 3,768 | 5,019 | 8,787 |
| 2022 | 3,643 | 5,190 | 8,833 |
| 2021 | 3,464 | 4,411 | 7,875 |
| 2020 | 3,780 | 5,080 | 8,860 |
| 2019 | 3,192 | 4,259 | 7,451 |
| 2018 | 3,570 | 5,108 | 8,678 |
| 2017 | 3,066 | 3,882 | 6,948 |
| 2016 | 3,328 | 4,385 | 7,713 |
Preliminary 2026 registrations
| DNR row | Bucks | Antlerless | All |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vernon | 202 | 311 | 513 |
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.
Vernon County chronic wasting disease results
Vernon County is one of the 51 counties with at least one CWD-positive wild deer (347 positives, 8,319 tests to date). 120 of 850 deer sampled in CWD year 2025 tested positive. Baiting deer is illegal in Vernon County, and so is feeding them, under the CWD-related ban. The donation program tests every deer from this county.
| Year | Deer sampled | Positives |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 61 | 13 |
| 2025 | 850 | 120 |
| 2024 | 807 | 79 |
| 2023 | 712 | 47 |
| 2022 | 637 | 31 |
| 2021 | 671 | 20 |
| 2020 | 735 | 15 |
| 2019 | 800 | 8 |
| 2018 | 751 | 11 |
| 2017 | 477 | 3 |
| 2016 | 288 | 0 |
| 2015 | 47 | 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.
Vernon County: bears, gobblers and birds
Black bear
Black bear hunting here falls under zone E, drawn by preference points, with no dogs. No bear harvest is listed for Vernon County in the 2024-25 reports.
| Zone | Target | Drawn 2026 | Points | Applied | 2025 state harvest | Dogs allowed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone E | 185 | 2,628 | 1 | 2,628 | 128 | No |
Turkey authorizations
The DNR turkey map places Vernon County in zone 1. Levels below are 2025, the latest published. 2025 spring authorization total for zone 1: 64,574.
| Turkey zone | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Success 2025 | Birds 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | 61,121 | 60,523 | 62,058 | 62,329 | 64,574 | 21% | 13,813 |
Small game and birds
Ruffed grouse Zone B runs Oct 17 to Dec 8, 2026 with a daily bag of 2. 1 property in Vernon County is on the 2026 pheasant stocking list. The Mississippi River goose zone covers the ground west of the BNSF railroad tracks along the river.
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.
Vernon County public properties with acreage
Vernon County counts 19 public properties open to hunting; posted refuges and closed parcels inside them still apply. Vernon County is one of 30 counties with a county forest, 1,942 acres as of July 2021. MFL open lands, private forests the public may hunt, cover 938 acres here. Leased private land adds more: 0 VPA-HIP properties and 3 THAP turkey leases in Vernon County.
- 2 refuge districtsUpper Mississippi River Refuge – McGregor District (23,685 ac*), Upper Mississippi River Refuge – La Crosse District (19,975 ac*)
- Reserve: 1Kickapoo Valley Reserve (8,569 ac)
- 1 state parkWildcat Mountain State Park (3,701 ac)
- State fishery areas in the county (7)Tainter and McGraw Creeks (1,385 ac*), Coon Creek Fishery Area (673 ac*), Bishop Branch Creek (122 ac), Elk Creek Fishery Area (Remnant) (104 ac*), West Fork of the Kickapoo River Fishery Area (43 ac), Maple Dale Creek Fishery Area (19 ac), Rainbow Springs Fishery Area (5 ac)
- County forest (1 here)Vernon County Forest (1,942 ac)
- State natural areas: 5Battle Bluff Prairie State Natural Area (338 ac), Romance Prairie State Natural Area (77 ac), Mount Pisgah Hemlock-Hardwoods State Natural Area (74 ac), Bergen Bluffs State Natural Area (32 ac), Coon Creek Cliffs State Natural Area (27 ac)
- State habitat area (1)Rush Creek Streambank Protection Area (345 ac*)
- Demonstration forest, 1 listedChampion Valley Timber Demonstration Forest (53 ac)
Larger units with ground here: DNR Statewide Habitat Areas (unnamed parcels), DNR Statewide Wildlife Habitat Program Lands, DNR Scattered Forest 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).
Beyond the line: Eureka Maple Woods State Natural Area (10 miles, 148 ac), Portland Maples State Natural Area (10 miles, 100 ac), Pinnacle Rock Rearing Station (13 miles, 55 ac), Camp Creek Fishery Area (Remnant) (13 miles, 382 ac).
Skip Rem-Seas Branch Creek; DNR lists no hunting there.
Every public property · County forest list · About MFL open land · Turkey access 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.
Every Vernon 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 | 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: Vernon | 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 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.
Towns of Vernon County, then its neighbours
Public acres beside each Vernon County town are a GIS total for a 10-mile circle, not a DNR figure.
- Viroquacourthouse town · 4,407 inhabitants · 2,829 public acres within 10 miles
- De Soto326 inhabitants · 13,122 public acres within 10 miles
- Stoddard915 inhabitants · 16,144 public acres within 10 miles
- Westby2,414 inhabitants · 3,490 public acres within 10 miles
Vernon County borders 6 Wisconsin counties, plus Allamakee (IA) and Houston (MN) across the state line.
Towns: Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; adjacency from the Census county adjacency file.
Hunting hours for Vernon 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 | 6:07 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 90.82 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Burning rules in Vernon County
Today's Vernon County status is on the Wisconsin burn ban list.
- When a permit is needed: 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): Vernon 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).
- 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.
Vernon County gun ranges and clubs
6 ranges listed inside Vernon County, Viola Sportsman's Club among them on the DNR public range map.
rifle, trap, shotgun, air gun, smallbore rimfire on file
handgun, rifle, archery, trap, shotgun on file
rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire, archery, 3D archery on file
trap, archery, shotgun on file
trap, skeet, rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire on file
On the local calendar
| Day and event | Discipline | Enter |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 30-31, 2026: Hillsboro Gun, Ammo & Accessory Show | Gun show | See listing |
| Dec 5, 2026: Concealed Carry @ The VSC / 9am Start at Viola Sportsman's Club | Clinic | Reserve |
| Jan 1, 2027: New Years Day Trap Shoot at Viola Sportsman's Club | Trap | Club page |
Ranges from the DNR public range map and directory listings, checked October 19, 2026.
Butchers, mounts and stores near Vernon 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
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.
Vernon County hunters often ask
Can I hunt over a food plot in Vernon 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 Vernon County?
No; hounds are not allowed in this zone.
Can turkeys be hunted in the fall in Vernon County?
Yes: Sep 12, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027, using a fall authorization for the zone.
Where should I start on public land in Vernon County?
Try the biggest first: Upper Mississippi River Refuge – McGregor District, Upper Mississippi River Refuge – La Crosse District and Kickapoo Valley Reserve.
Where do I register a bear from Vernon County?
In the county of kill or an adjoining county, through GameReg by 5 p.m. the next day; mail two premolar teeth by Oct. 15.
Does my hat need to be orange in Vernon County?
If you wear one during a firearm deer season, it must be at least 50% orange or pink.
Where do hunters in Vernon County take deer for cutting?
Commonly Westby Locker & Meats, St. Joe's Country Market and Kickapoo Locker Service; call ahead in November.
Does extended archery apply in Vernon County?
Yes, to Jan 31, 2027.
Does Vernon County have more than one deer unit?
No, one unit: Vernon.
Where do I see the bonus tags left in Vernon County?
On the DNR bonus availability page; this page shows the counts as of Oct. 19, 2026.
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 Vernon 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: Anne Marie Peterson from Madison, WI, US (CC BY-SA 2.0); Shenandoah National Park (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Doc Searls from Santa Barbara, USA (CC BY 2.0); royal_broil (CC BY-SA 2.0); USFWS Headquarters (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0); USFWS Mountain-Prairie (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Jim, the Photographer (CC BY 2.0).