Home › Wisconsin › Public land › Coon Creek Fishery Area
2026-27 · Fishery area
Coon Creek Fishery Area, a hunter's guide
Who runs it, which deer unit and bear zone cover it, what it holds (raccoons, foxes and coyotes), and the public land and towns around it in Vernon, Monroe and La Crosse counties.
Photo: Fort McCoy (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Getting to Coon Creek Fishery Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Coon Creek Fishery Area
- Parking areaParking · 2.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.6 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.
What the record says about Coon Creek Fishery Area
On paper it is a DNR fishery area that is open to hunting; on the map it is in Vernon, Monroe and La Crosse counties. DNR staff of the West Central Region cover this part of west-central Wisconsin. Manager: the Wisconsin DNR. Its 673 acres rank 39th of the 245 Wisconsin fishery areas with an acreage on file. From Cashton, our closest town page, it is roughly 4 miles to the west. It is the parent of 2 pages on this site.
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 Coon Creek Fishery Area
Coon Creek Fishery Area in the agency's words
Unedited text from the official page.
The Coon Creek Fishery Area comprises several properties in Vernon, Monroe, and La Crosse County along Coon Creek and its tributaries. Included are sub-properties Bohemian Valley (La Crosse County), Rullands Coulee (Monroe County), and parcels adjacent to Chaseburg, along State Hwy 162 and Koll Road, along Spring Coulee, and along Timber Coulee (Vernon County). Coon Creek, Bohemian Valley Creek, Timber Coulee Creek, Spring Coulee Creek, and Rulland Creek are all class 1 trout streams. The upland habitat consists of a mix of hardwoods, pine, and underbrush.
Deer, squirrels, wild turkeys, cottontail rabbits, wood ducks, and woodcock are game species that inhabit the area. Directions: Coon Creek Fishery Area includes several parcels in northeast Vernon County along State Hwy 162 and County Hwy P, in southwest Monroe County along Oakdale Avenue, and in southeast La Crosse County along County Hwy G.
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
Coon Creek Fishery Area rules and licenses
Access rules at Coon Creek Fishery Area
State seasons on the open parcels only. The DNR map shows which pieces of this fishery land those are.
State law on Coon Creek Fishery Area
Orange or pink, 50% above the waist and 50% of the head covering, is the rule while gun deer seasons run; duck and goose hunters are exempt. Gun-season ground blinds on DNR property display 144 sq in of orange or pink from every direction. No screw-in steps or cut shooting lanes on DNR land. Overnight stands are legal north of Hwy. 64 from Sept. 1 to Jan. 31; south of it, remove them every day. By 5 p.m. the following day, register the deer on GameReg (online, phone or station).
Which licenses Coon Creek Fishery Area needs
Get licenses on Go Wild or at an agent. Antlerless tags are unit-specific and labelled public or private land.
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.
Coon Creek Fishery Area: DMU, bear zone and turkey zone
Deer management: Vernon, Monroe and La Crosse, Southern Farmland and Central Farmland zones. The Natural Resources Board set 10,000, 6,000 and 4,000 antlerless deer as the 2026 quota there. Bear Zone E has a 2026 harvest target of 185 with 2,628 Class A permits drawn; it took 1 preference point to win one. Spring turkey tags are sold for Zone 1; the DNR issued 64,574 there in 2025, the newest level published. Chronic wasting disease has turned up in wild deer in Vernon, Monroe and La Crosse counties; DNR testing is free and voluntary statewide. The deer baiting ban covers Vernon, Monroe and La Crosse counties.
Deer units that cover Coon Creek Fishery Area
| Deer unit | Zone | Antlerless goal | Public tags left | Private tags left | Included tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vernon | Southern Farmland | 10,000 | 400 | 1,300 | 3 |
| Monroe Central Farmland | Central Farmland | 6,000 | 586 | 1,495 | 4 |
| La Crosse | Central Farmland | 4,000 | 397 | 1,191 | 3 |
Zones beyond deer for Coon Creek Fishery Area
| Zone | Setting | Data | Also | Last season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear E | Dogs barred | 185 target, 2,628 permits | 1 point | 128 bears in 2025 |
| Turkey zone 1 | 64,574 spring tags (2025) | 21% success | 13,813 gobblers | 1,500 fall bonus |
| Grouse zone B | Oct 17–Dec 8 | 2 a day | ||
| Duck zone | Southern | Oct 3–Oct 11 Oct 17–Dec 6 | ||
| Goose zone | Southern | Sep 16–Oct 11 Oct 17–Dec 6 Dec 19–Jan 2 | ||
| Wolf zone 6 | No season | Listed 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.
Coon Creek Fishery Area: species with bag limits
Listed game at Coon Creek Fishery Area: raccoons, foxes and coyotes.
Furbearers
The Vernon County calendar below covers the rest.
Species from the property record (species named by the source); bag limits from the DNR regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Season dates that cover Coon Creek Fishery Area
Coon Creek Fishery Area sits in the Southern Farmland deer zone. These 43 rows are the dated hunting segments the DNR schedule puts there, from the September archery opener into spring turkey.
| Game | Season | Applies in | Begins | Through | Right 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 | |
| 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 draw | 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 | 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.
Units inside Coon Creek Fishery Area
Units inside Coon Creek Fishery Area: 2, adding up to 127 acres.
| Unit | Type | Where | Size | Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland Maples | State natural area | Monroe | 100 | — |
| Coon Creek Cliffs | State natural area | Vernon | 27 | — |
Public property near Coon Creek Fishery Area
The large pin is Coon Creek Fishery Area; the others are the 10 closest public properties. Together they hold 7,055 acres.
| Name | Type | Size (ac) | Away | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eureka Maple Woods | State natural area | 148 | 0.5 mi | southeast |
| Pinnacle Rock Rearing Station | Fishery area | 55 | 6.6 mi | east |
| Berg Prairie and Billy Goat Ridge | State natural area | 92 | 9.5 mi | northwest |
| Coulee Experimental | State forest | 2,962 | 11 mi | northwest |
| Northeast Coulee Oak Woodland | State natural area | 287 | 11 mi | northwest |
| West Fork of the Kickapoo River | Fishery area | 43 | 12 mi | southeast |
| Vernon | County forest | 1,942 | 13 mi | southwest |
| Maple Dale Creek | Fishery area | 19 | 13 mi | south |
| Bishop Branch Creek | Fishery area | 122 | 13 mi | south |
| Tainter and McGraw Creeks | Fishery area | 1,385 | 15 mi | south |
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) (point inside polygon (centroid falls outside))). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
How the land around Coon Creek Fishery Area hunts, by the numbers
Vernon County hunters registered 9,561 deer in 2025, 3,877 of them bucks. Totals swing between 6,948 and 9,561 across the years charted. 2026 so far, still changing: Vernon, 513, Monroe Central Farmland, 575 and La Crosse, 207. CWD sampling in Vernon County, CWD year 2025: 850 wild deer sampled, 120 positive. Overall: 8,319 samples and 347 positives. The DNR reports deer by unit, not by property: read these as the Vernon County picture.
Vernon County bucks and antlerless
| Year | Bucks | 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 |
Vernon County CWD sampling
| Year | Sampled | Positives |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 61 | 13 |
| 2025 | 850 | 120 |
| 2024 | 807 | 79 |
| 2023 | 712 | 47 |
| 2022 | 637 | 31 |
| 2021 | 671 | 20 |
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.
Coon Creek Fishery Area: nearest ranges
No range sits on Coon Creek Fishery Area; the nearest on the DNR public range map is Viola Sportsman's Club, about 19 miles away. Nearby club or private ranges are shown too.
rifle, trap, shotgun, air gun, smallbore rimfire on file
trap, skeet, rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire on file
rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire, archery, 3D archery on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
Home bases for a Coon Creek Fishery Area trip
Closest towns, measured as the crow flies, then the businesses around them.
| Town | County | Straight line | 2024 pop. | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cashton | Monroe | 4.4 mi | 1,157 | 1,868 |
| Westby | Vernon | 6.2 mi | 2,414 | 3,490 |
| St. Joseph | La Crosse | 8.9 mi | — | 8,001 |
| Bangor | La Crosse | 12 mi | 1,573 | 3,306 |
Read up on the county: Vernon County, Monroe County, La Crosse County.
Taxidermy and supplies for Coon Creek Fishery Area hunters
Phone numbers for Coon Creek Fishery Area questions
The DNR service center listed for Vernon County is DNR La Crosse Service Center, 608-785-9000.
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.
Coon Creek Fishery Area: legal shooting time, table by date
Big game and small game hunters get 20 minutes after sunset in Wisconsin, not 30. Waterfowl and spring gobbler hunters quit at sunset.
| Date | Hunt | Northern Area hours | Southern Area hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 12, 2026 | Bow, turkey, 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 90.88 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Straight answers on Coon Creek Fishery Area
Has CWD turned up in the county around Coon Creek Fishery Area?
The deer baiting ban applies in Vernon, Monroe and La Crosse counties. CWD: yes, in Vernon, Monroe and La Crosse counties.
Is blaze pink legal at Coon Creek Fishery Area?
Orange or pink, half of the upper clothing, whenever a gun deer season runs (not for waterfowl).
Where do I register game taken on Coon Creek Fishery Area?
Register on GameReg by 5 p.m. the next day; the confirmation number starts with W.
Is there a separate permit for Coon Creek Fishery Area?
The standard license for your game; no landowner permission on public ground.
Which public properties lie near Coon Creek Fishery Area?
Three to try: Eureka Maple Woods State Natural Area (0 miles), Pinnacle Rock Rearing Station (7 miles) and Berg Prairie and Billy Goat Ridge State Natural Area (10 miles).
Which units make up Coon Creek Fishery Area?
2 units, listed in the units section.
How is Coon Creek Fishery Area classified?
DNR fishery area that is open to hunting, under the Wisconsin DNR.
How much land is in Coon Creek Fishery Area?
It covers 673 acres by the recorded figure.
Where in the state does Coon Creek Fishery Area lie?
Vernon, Monroe and La Crosse counties holds it, 4 miles from Cashton.
What is Coon Creek Fishery Area hunted for?
The agency names raccoons, foxes and coyotes; other legal game follows the county dates.
Which deer management unit holds Coon Creek Fishery Area?
The Southern Farmland and Central Farmland zones, Vernon, Monroe and La Crosse. Quota for 2026: 10,000, 6,000 and 4,000 antlerless.
Is bear hunting possible at Coon Creek Fishery Area?
Zone E; hound hunting is not allowed there.
Can I turkey hunt Coon Creek Fishery Area in spring?
Zone 1; 2025 saw 13,813 birds registered in the zone.
Last checks on Coon Creek Fishery Area before you go
Treat this page as a starting point: the manager of Coon Creek Fishery Area has the final say on closures and maps.
Sources for this page: DNR: 642cooncreek · DNR GIS · DNR: county; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: The Hidden Hide with Ray (CC BY 2.0); USFWSmidwest (Public domain).