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Oct. 19, 2026 county list
Wisconsin Deer Baiting and Feeding Rules
Deer baiting and feeding are banned in 60 of Wisconsin's 72 counties and allowed with limits in 12. Here are both lists, the 2-gallon rules where bait is legal, and the bait rules for bear, turkey, elk, small game and migratory birds.
Photo: USDA NRCS Montana (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Wisconsin law (Wis. Stat. 29.336) requires the DNR to ban deer baiting and feeding for 36 months in any county with a wild or captive CWD or tuberculosis positive and for 24 months in counties within 10 miles of one, and each new positive renews the clock. As of Oct. 19, 2026 the ban covers 60 counties. Without additional detections the baiting and feeding ban in Washburn County will expire on Nov. 9, 2026; no other county is scheduled to have a ban removed during the 2026 deer seasons. The county list here was read from the DNR map, so check the DNR page before you put anything out; local ordinances may also ban baiting.
DNR baiting and feeding regulations and map, Wis. Stat. 29.336, checked October 19, 2026. Highlighted pins are the 12 counties where baiting is allowed.
Where deer baiting is banned and where it is allowed
Baiting is legal only in the far north and a few counties along Lake Michigan and Green Bay; everything else is under the ban.
Allowed with limits (12)
Ashland, Bayfield, Brown, Burnett, Door, Douglas, Iron, Kewaunee, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, Taylor
Banned (60)
Adams, Barron, Buffalo, Calumet, Chippewa, Clark, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Dunn, Eau Claire, Florence, Fond du Lac, Forest, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, La Crosse, Lafayette, Langlade, Lincoln, Manitowoc, Marathon, Marinette, Marquette, Menominee, Milwaukee, Monroe, Oconto, Oneida, Outagamie, Ozaukee, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Racine, Richland, Rock, Sauk, Shawano, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Trempealeau, Vernon, Vilas, Walworth, Washburn, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, Waushara, Winnebago, Wood
Baiting and feeding counties (map legend: 60 banned), checked October 19, 2026.
Baiting rules by species
Deer, bear, turkey, elk, small game and migratory birds each have their own rule.
Where deer bait is legal
Up to 2 gallons per contiguous parcel under 40 acres, or 2 gallons per 40 acres; baiting sites at least 100 yards apart; no hunting within 100 yards of more than 2 gallons on the same parcel; not within 50 yards of a public trail, road or campsite or 100 yards of a 45+ mph roadway; no feeding sites known to be used by bear or elk.
When bait may go out
No baiting during the closed deer season; bait may be placed from midnight the day before the archery opener and must stop at the close of all deer seasons. Area must be free of unlawful bait 10 consecutive days before hunting.
What bait may contain
No animal parts/byproducts (honey, bones, fish, meat, solid fat), no automatic/mechanical/gravity feeders, no bait in or containing processed materials (scents excepted).
Scents
Scents to attract by odor allowed statewide if not accessible for consumption; more than 2 oz removed daily.
Food plots and crops
Hunting over standing crops/food plots legal; establishing food plots on DNR land prohibited.
Bear bait
Bait April 15 through the last day of the bear season; max 10 gallons per site; enclosed in a hollow log, hole or stump capped with natural material inaccessible to deer; no animal parts/byproducts (liquid scents and cheese allowed), no processed containers (wood bottom allowed), no feeders; not within 50 yards of a trail/road/campsite or 100 yards of a 45+ mph road; minimize chocolate. No license needed to bait bear.
Turkey
Illegal to bait turkeys; hunting over standing crops and food plots legal.
Small game, coyote and bobcat
Illegal to bait any small game (including coyote and bobcat) for hunting.
Elk
Illegal to feed elk or hunt elk over bait.
Waterfowl, coots and doves
Illegal to hunt waterfowl, coots or doves over bait (area baited for 10 days after removal); normal agricultural crops legal; doves may be hunted over manipulated crops/food plots without added grain.
Feeding deer near homes
Wis. Stat. 29.336: DNR must ban deer feeding in counties with a CWD/TB positive (36 months) or within 10 miles of one (24 months); limited viewing-feeding allowed elsewhere near residences.
Baiting regulations, bear, small game, checked October 19, 2026.
All 72 counties, baiting status
Bear bait follows its own rule and is legal in every bear zone; the deer ban does not stop bear baiting.
| County | Deer baiting and feeding | CWD wild positive | Deer zone | Bear zone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams | Banned | Yes | Central Farmland | C/F |
| Ashland | Allowed | None | Northern Forest | A |
| Barron | Banned | None | Central Farmland | D |
| Bayfield | Allowed | None | Northern Forest | A |
| Brown | Allowed | None | Central Farmland | F |
| Buffalo | Banned | Yes | Central Farmland | E |
| Burnett | Allowed | None | Northern Forest/Central Farmland | D/A |
| Calumet | Banned | None | Central Farmland | F |
| Chippewa | Banned | Earlier | Central Farmland/Northern Forest | C/D/E/A |
| Clark | Banned | Yes | Central Farmland/Central Forest | C |
| Columbia | Banned | Yes | Southern Farmland | F |
| Crawford | Banned | Yes | Southern Farmland | E |
| Dane | Banned | Yes | Southern Farmland | F/E |
| Dodge | Banned | Yes | Southern Farmland | F |
| Door | Allowed | None | Central Farmland | F |
| Douglas | Allowed | None | Northern Forest | A |
| Dunn | Banned | Yes | Central Farmland | E/D |
| Eau Claire | Banned | Yes | Central Farmland/Central Forest | C/E |
| Florence | Banned | None | Northern Forest | B |
| Fond du Lac | Banned | Yes | Central Farmland | F |
| Forest | Banned | None | Northern Forest | B |
| Grant | Banned | Yes | Southern Farmland | F/E |
| Green | Banned | Yes | Southern Farmland | F |
| Green Lake | Banned | Yes | Central Farmland | F |
| Iowa | Banned | Yes | Southern Farmland | E/F |
| Iron | Allowed | None | Northern Forest | A/B |
| Jackson | Banned | Yes | Central Farmland/Central Forest | E/C |
| Jefferson | Banned | Yes | Southern Farmland | F |
| Juneau | Banned | Yes | Central Farmland/Central Forest | C/E |
| Kenosha | Banned | Yes | Southern Farmland | F |
| Kewaunee | Allowed | None | Central Farmland | F |
| La Crosse | Banned | Yes | Central Farmland | E |
| Lafayette | Banned | Yes | Southern Farmland | F |
| Langlade | Banned | Earlier | Northern Forest/Central Farmland | B/C |
| Lincoln | Banned | Earlier | Northern Forest/Central Farmland | B/A/C |
| Manitowoc | Banned | Earlier | Central Farmland | F |
| Marathon | Banned | Yes | Central Farmland | C |
| Marinette | Banned | Earlier | Central Farmland/Northern Forest | B/C |
| Marquette | Banned | Yes | Central Farmland | F/C |
| Menominee | Banned | Earlier | Central Farmland | C |
| Milwaukee | Banned | Earlier | Southern Farmland | F |
| Monroe | Banned | Yes | Central Farmland/Central Forest | E/C |
| Oconto | Banned | Yes | Central Farmland/Northern Forest | C/B/F |
| Oneida | Banned | Yes | Northern Forest | B/A |
| Outagamie | Banned | None | Central Farmland | F |
| Ozaukee | Banned | None | Southern Farmland | F |
| Pepin | Banned | None | Central Farmland | E |
| Pierce | Banned | Yes | Central Farmland | E |
| Polk | Banned | Yes | Central Farmland/Northern Forest | D |
| Portage | Banned | Yes | Central Farmland | C/F |
| Price | Allowed | None | Northern Forest | A |
| Racine | Banned | Yes | Southern Farmland | F |
| Richland | Banned | Yes | Southern Farmland | E |
| Rock | Banned | Yes | Southern Farmland | F |
| Rusk | Allowed | None | Northern Forest | D/A |
| Sauk | Banned | Yes | Southern Farmland | E/F |
| Sawyer | Allowed | None | Northern Forest | A/D |
| Shawano | Banned | Yes | Central Farmland | C/F |
| Sheboygan | Banned | Yes | Central Farmland | F |
| St. Croix | Banned | None | Central Farmland | E/D |
| Taylor | Allowed | None | Northern Forest/Central Farmland | A/C |
| Trempealeau | Banned | Yes | Central Farmland | E/C |
| Vernon | Banned | Yes | Southern Farmland | E |
| Vilas | Banned | Earlier | Northern Forest | B/A |
| Walworth | Banned | Yes | Southern Farmland | F |
| Washburn | Banned | Earlier | Northern Forest/Central Farmland | D/A |
| Washington | Banned | Earlier | Southern Farmland | F |
| Waukesha | Banned | Yes | Southern Farmland | F |
| Waupaca | Banned | Yes | Central Farmland | F/C |
| Waushara | Banned | Yes | Central Farmland | F/C |
| Winnebago | Banned | Earlier | Central Farmland | F |
| Wood | Banned | Yes | Central Farmland/Central Forest | C |
Baiting counties, CWD summary, DNR zone layers, checked October 19, 2026.
Wisconsin baiting and feeding questions
Which Wisconsin counties allow deer baiting?
Ashland, Bayfield, Brown, Burnett, Door, Douglas, Iron, Kewaunee, Price, Rusk, Sawyer and Taylor. The other 60 counties ban baiting and feeding.
How much bait is legal for deer in Wisconsin?
Up to 2 gallons per contiguous parcel under 40 acres, or 2 gallons per 40 acres; baiting sites at least 100 yards apart; no hunting within 100 yards of more than 2 gallons on the same parcel; not within 50 yards of a public trail, road or campsite or 100 yards of a 45+ mph roadway; no feeding sites known to be used by bear or elk.
When can I start baiting deer?
No baiting during the closed deer season; bait may be placed from midnight the day before the archery opener and must stop at the close of all deer seasons. Area must be free of unlawful bait 10 consecutive days before hunting.
Is Washburn County still under a baiting ban?
Without additional detections the baiting and feeding ban in Washburn County will expire on Nov. 9, 2026; no other county is scheduled to have a ban removed during the 2026 deer seasons.
Can I bait bear in a county with a deer bait ban?
Yes. Bear baiting follows its own rule: from April 15 through the bear season, up to 10 gallons a site, covered so deer cannot reach it.
Is it legal to hunt deer over a food plot?
Hunting over standing crops/food plots legal; establishing food plots on DNR land prohibited.
Can I use deer scents in a ban county?
Scents to attract by odor allowed statewide if not accessible for consumption; more than 2 oz removed daily.
Why do baiting bans keep spreading?
State law ties them to CWD and TB detections: 36 months for the county with a positive, 24 months for counties within 10 miles, renewed with each new positive.
Before you bait
Check the CWD page for sampling in your county and your deer unit page for the rules where you hunt.