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Bill Cross Wildlife Area for Wisconsin hunters
A hunter's summary of Bill Cross Wildlife Area in Lincoln County: zones and quota, rules, CWD numbers and local help.
Photo: ThreeIfByBike (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Bill Cross Wildlife Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Bill Cross Wildlife Area
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 2.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.3 mi from the centreDirections
Parking, trailhead and gate locations come from OpenStreetMap contributors. Roads into public land can be gated or seasonal; check with the managing agency before you go.
Bill Cross Wildlife Area: record card
Bill Cross Wildlife Area: a DNR state wildlife area, located in Lincoln County. Region on record: the DNR Northern Region. The Wisconsin DNR writes the rules on the ground. The 1,520 acres on record put it 93rd of the 285 state wildlife areas we list. Base town: Merrill, some 8 miles away.
From the source page (WI DNR Managed Lands GIS ACRES field, sum of parcels open to hunting); region from the DNR county layer. Checked October 19, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Bill Cross Wildlife Area
Bill Cross Wildlife Area deer unit, quota and game zones
The deer unit is DMU 119, in the Northern Forest zone. The 2026 antlerless quota for that unit is 1,190. For black bear this is Zone A, where hounds are legal; 1,675 permits for 2026. Turkey hunting falls under Zone 4, which had 34,997 spring permits in 2025. The DNR counts Lincoln County among its CWD-affected counties. Lincoln County sits under the DNR deer baiting and feeding ban.
The deer unit around Bill Cross Wildlife Area
| DMU | Deer zone | Antlerless quota | Public-land bonus | Private-land bonus | Free tags per license |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 119 | Northern Forest | 1,190 | 487 | 3,743 | — |
Bear, turkey and bird zones at Bill Cross Wildlife Area
| Zone | Rule | Numbers | Extra | 2025 result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear A | With hounds | 1,100 target, 1,675 permits | 11 points | 1,235 bears in 2025 |
| Bear B | With hounds | 850 target, 1,545 permits | 11 points | 851 bears in 2025 |
| Wild turkey 4 | 34,997 spring tags (2025) | 24% success | 8,472 gobblers | 1,500 fall bonus |
| Wild turkey 5 | 12,008 spring tags (2025) | 20% success | 2,446 gobblers | — |
| Grouse zone A | Sep 12–Jan 3 | 5 a day | ||
| Ducks | Northern | Sep 26–Nov 24 | ||
| Geese | Northern | Sep 16–Dec 16 | ||
| Wolf zone 2 | Closed | Federally endangered |
Zones from the DNR zone layers as recorded in lands.json; quotas and bonus tags from the 2026 antlerless quota table; bear figures from the 2026 bear drawing summary and 2025 bear harvest; turkey from the 2025 spring turkey report; CWD and baiting lists from the DNR. Checked October 19, 2026.
Rules on the ground at Bill Cross Wildlife Area
Entry terms for Bill Cross Wildlife Area
Anyone licensed can hunt and trap here in season. Watch for posted refuges and closed areas, and follow NR 45.
Wisconsin rules that follow you to Bill Cross Wildlife Area
During any firearm deer season, everyone hunting except waterfowlers wears blaze orange or fluorescent pink on at least half the clothing above the waist, and on half of any cap. DNR land rule: 144 sq in of solid orange or pink on any ground blind in gun season. Leave no stand overnight south of Hwy. 64. North of the highway, two per hunter per county may stay from Sept. 1 to Jan. 31. GameReg registration is due by 5 p.m. the day after you recover the animal.
Bill Cross Wildlife Area: licenses and tags
Go Wild carries every license. For antlerless deer on public ground, use a public-access tag for the right DMU.
Access from the source page; closures from the DNR closed and restricted areas layer; stocking and dove fields from the DNR upland bird layers; rules from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 regulations; prices from Go Wild. Checked October 19, 2026.
Game and bag limits at Bill Cross Wildlife Area
Raccoons, foxes and coyotes, per the property record.
Furbearers
Other legal game follows the Lincoln County season table below.
Species from the property record (species named by the source); bag limits from the DNR regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Every Bill Cross Wildlife Area 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/disabled gun 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 | December antlerless hunt | Statewide | Dec 10, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone B/A | Sep 9, 2026 | Sep 15, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone C | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone B/A | Sep 16, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone B/A | Oct 7, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall turkey | Turkey Zone 4/5 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 4/5 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 4/5 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 4/5 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 4/5 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 4/5 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 4/5 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 4/5 | May 26, 2027 | Jun 1, 2027 | |
| Ruffed Grouse | Ruffed grouse | Grouse Zone A | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| 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 | Northern cottontail zone | Sep 12, 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 | Northern Duck Zone | Sep 26, 2026 | Nov 24, 2026 | |
| Teal | Early teal | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 9, 2026 | |
| Geese | Regular goose | Northern Goose Zone | Sep 16, 2026 | Dec 16, 2026 | |
| 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 | North of Hwy. 64 | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 25, 2026 | |
| Bobcat | Bobcat, Period 1 | South of Hwy. 64 | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 25, 2026 | |
| Bobcat | Bobcat, Period 2 | North of Hwy. 64 | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Bobcat, Period 2 | South of Hwy. 64 | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Unprotected species | Unprotected species | 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.
Bill Cross Wildlife Area described by the DNR
Quoted as published; nothing here is our wording.
Bill Cross Wildlife Area is a 1,522-acre property located in Lincoln County. It was purchased in 1997 from Wisconsin Public Service. The property is split into two pieces from north to south by 2 1/2 miles of the Wisconsin River. The property encompasses 3 3/4 miles of Wisconsin River frontage and is mostly undeveloped with forested uplands adjoining the river. The east-facing river bank tends to be steep, dropping some 100 feet in elevation to the river's edge.
The dominant habitat types are aspen and northern hardwood forests. Several pine plantations are present within the property. Small kettle wetlands are scattered on the property west of the river. Wetland types include open water with emergent wet meadows or river meander scars with forested and emergent wetland types and shrub-carr. The property is approximately 8 miles northwest of the city of Merrill and can be accessed on the east side of the Wisconsin River from Highway 107 or the west side of the Wisconsin River from Tesch Road.
Bill Cross Wildlife Area: hunting text as published
- The Bill Cross Wildlife Area is managed to provide opportunities for public hunting, trapping, fishing and other outdoor recreation while protecting the qualities of the unique native communities and associated species found on the property.
- Management activities include maintenance of the aspen cover type through timber harvest and selective thinning of overstocked northern hardwood stands.
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
Harvest numbers for the country around Bill Cross Wildlife Area
2025 in Lincoln County: 718 bucks, 708 antlerless, 1,426 in all. Range since 2016: 1,426 to 4,346 deer a year. Early 2026 registrations (archery, crossbow, youth hunt): DMU 119 236. The DNR sampled 152 deer from Lincoln County in 2025; 0 had CWD. 1 positives overall, from 2,880 deer. In 2025, Lincoln County produced 123 registered bears. Figures are for the whole county unit, not Bill Cross Wildlife Area alone; the DNR does not report harvest by property.
Lincoln County unit harvest
| Season | Bucks | Does and fawns | Registered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 718 | 708 | 1,426 |
| 2024 | 1,930 | 1,207 | 3,137 |
| 2023 | 1,694 | 1,107 | 2,801 |
| 2022 | 2,278 | 1,538 | 3,816 |
| 2021 | 1,860 | 1,048 | 2,908 |
| 2020 | 1,664 | 1,258 | 2,922 |
CWD samples, Lincoln County
| Year | Tested | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 9 | 0 |
| 2025 | 152 | 0 |
| 2024 | 148 | 0 |
| 2023 | 164 | 0 |
| 2022 | 166 | 0 |
| 2021 | 219 | 0 |
Bears registered in Lincoln County
| Season | Bears | Boars | Sows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 142 | 63 | 79 |
| 2025 | 123 | 54 | 69 |
Deer from DNR Deer Metrics harvest history and the 2026 harvest to date; CWD from the DNR CWD summary; bears from the DNR bear harvest reports. Checked October 19, 2026.
Bed, fuel and a butcher near Bill Cross Wildlife Area
Where to sleep, where to buy shells, where to drop off a deer.
| Town | County | Miles | Population | Public land nearby |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merrill | Lincoln | 7.7 mi | 9,445 | 6,590 |
| Tomahawk | Lincoln | 15 mi | 3,390 | 41,459 |
| Rib Lake | Taylor | 20 mi | 913 | 34,287 |
| Wausau | Marathon | 22 mi | 40,262 | 6,929 |
Season and zone pages by county: Lincoln County.
Who processes a deer from Bill Cross Wildlife Area
Where to ask about Bill Cross Wildlife Area
Licenses and questions for Lincoln County go through the DNR Rhinelander Service Center.
Towns and populations from the Census 2024 estimates; public acres within 10 miles from the land layers; businesses from store locators and listings (license-only agents left out); offices from DNR, USFS and USFWS pages. Checked October 19, 2026. Call ahead.
Bill Cross Wildlife Area and nearby public ground
Bill Cross Wildlife Area at the big pin; the nearest 10 public places around it. Combined, 24,843 acres are on record.
| Public land | Type | Acres | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Haymeadow Creek Fish Area | Fishery area | 11 | 5.9 mi | east |
| Parallel Ridges | Ice Age Trail area | 64 | 6.1 mi | northeast |
| Council Grounds | State park | 493 | 6.3 mi | southeast |
| Krueger Pines | State natural area | 29 | 6.7 mi | southeast |
| New Wood | Wildlife area | 2,700 | 7.6 mi | northwest |
| Camp 27 | Ice Age Trail area | 1,929 | 9.2 mi | west |
| Tomahawk Timberlands (new Wood Trct) | Easement land | 16,923 | 9.8 mi | west |
| Knob Creek | Ice Age Trail area | 141 | 12 mi | west |
| Yellow Lake Statewide | Fishery area | 2,536 | 13 mi | east |
| Prairie River | Ice Age Trail area | 17 | 13 mi | northeast |
Points from the DNR managed lands, SNA, county forest, FWS realty, USFS, NPS and DoD layers (WI DNR Managed Lands GIS (polygon centroid of hunting-open parcels) (polygon centroid)). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Shooting-hour table for Bill Cross Wildlife Area
Two tables cover the state, one for the Northern Area and one for the Southern Area, each for Zone A. West of 88 degrees you add 4 minutes per degree of longitude.
| Date | Why it matters | Northern Area | Southern Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 12, 2026 | Bow, turkey, grouse opener | 6:03 a.m. to 7:35 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 7:34 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Pheasant and duck dates | 6:47 a.m. to 6:29 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 6:32 p.m. |
| Nov 1, 2026 | Early November | 6:08 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer opener | 6:36 a.m. to 4:42 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. to 4:48 p.m. |
| Dec 1, 2026 | Muzzleloader week | 6:48 a.m. to 4:36 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 4:43 p.m. |
| Dec 24, 2026 | Holiday Hunt opener | 7:07 a.m. to 4:38 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 4:46 p.m. |
| Jan 3, 2027 | Archery close (most units) | 7:09 a.m. to 4:47 p.m. | 7:03 a.m. to 4:54 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 C offset of 8 minutes for longitude 89.80 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Bill Cross Wildlife Area: nearest ranges
About 21 miles separates Bill Cross Wildlife Area from Village of Athens Sporting Range, the nearest public map range. Club ranges within 30 miles are included.
rifle, handgun, archery on file
trap, archery, shotgun on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
Before-the-trip answers for Bill Cross Wildlife Area
What deer tags work on Bill Cross Wildlife Area?
It is in DMU 119 (Northern Forest). This year the antlerless quota is 1,190.
How hard is a bear permit for Bill Cross Wildlife Area?
Zone A; hounds may be used there.
Which zone do I apply for to hunt turkeys at Bill Cross Wildlife Area?
Zone 4. Success in 2025 was 24%.
Which goose zone is Bill Cross Wildlife Area in?
Ducks follow the Northern zone, Canada geese the Northern zone. Opening day for Northern Zone ducks is Sep 26.
Can I bait deer at Bill Cross Wildlife Area?
No bait or feed in Lincoln County. The county list for CWD includes Lincoln County.
When does orange apply at Bill Cross Wildlife Area?
Pink counts the same as orange: 50% above the waist in firearm deer seasons.
Does a Bill Cross Wildlife Area deer go into GameReg?
By 5 p.m. the following day, through GameReg; bears also go to a station or online the same way.
What paperwork does Bill Cross Wildlife Area need?
Gun deer ($24), archer ($24) or small game ($18) for residents; nonresident gun deer is $200.
Which public land sits closest to Bill Cross Wildlife Area?
Little Haymeadow Creek Fish Area (6 miles), Parallel Ridges State Ice Age Trail Area (6 miles) and Council Grounds State Park (6 miles), each with a page here.
Is Bill Cross Wildlife Area DNR, county or federal ground?
A DNR state wildlife area; the manager is the Wisconsin DNR.
Is Bill Cross Wildlife Area a big property?
1,520 acres in the source data.
Which town works as a base for Bill Cross Wildlife Area?
Lincoln County; Merrill, the nearest town we cover, is 8 miles away.
Which species does the record give for Bill Cross Wildlife Area?
Raccoons, foxes and coyotes, plus any other season open in the county.
Signing off on Bill Cross Wildlife Area
Gates, refuges and open areas at Bill Cross Wildlife Area are the manager's call; confirm them before opening day.
Sources for this page: DNR: Billcross · DNR GIS · DNR: alpha; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: xulescu_g (CC BY-SA 2.0); nugefishes (CC BY 2.0).