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La Crosse County · State forest
Coulee Experimental State Forest for Wisconsin hunters
A hunter's summary of Coulee Experimental State Forest in La Crosse County: zones and quota, rules, CWD numbers and local help.
Photo: wackybadger (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Coulee Experimental State Forest
Parking, trailheads and gates near Coulee Experimental State Forest
- Parking areaParking · 0.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.4 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.
Coulee Experimental State Forest: record card
Coulee Experimental State Forest: a Wisconsin state forest, located in La Crosse County. Region on record: the DNR West Central Region. The Wisconsin DNR writes the rules on the ground. The 2,962 acres on record put it 13th of the 16 state forests we list. Base town: Bangor, some 3 miles away. 2 units or parcels make it up.
From the source page (WI DNR Managed Lands GIS ACRES field, parcels open to hunting); region from the DNR county layer. Checked October 19, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Coulee Experimental State Forest
Coulee Experimental State Forest deer unit, quota and game zones
The deer unit is La Crosse, in the Central Farmland zone. The 2026 antlerless quota for that unit is 4,000. For black bear this is Zone E, with no hound hunting; 2,628 permits for 2026. Turkey hunting falls under Zone 1, which had 64,574 spring permits in 2025. The DNR counts La Crosse County among its CWD-affected counties. La Crosse County sits under the DNR deer baiting and feeding ban.
The deer unit around Coulee Experimental State Forest
| DMU | Deer zone | Antlerless quota | Public-land bonus | Private-land bonus | Free tags per license |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Crosse | Central Farmland | 4,000 | 397 | 1,191 | 3 |
Bear, turkey and bird zones at Coulee Experimental State Forest
| Zone | Rule | Numbers | Extra | 2025 result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear E | Bait only | 185 target, 2,628 permits | 1 point | 128 bears in 2025 |
| Wild turkey 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 | ||
| Ducks | Southern | Oct 3–Oct 11 Oct 17–Dec 6 | ||
| Geese | Southern | Sep 16–Oct 11 Oct 17–Dec 6 Dec 19–Jan 2 | ||
| Wolf zone 6 | 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 Coulee Experimental State Forest
Entry terms for Coulee Experimental State Forest
The forest is open to hunting except campgrounds, picnic grounds and other posted special-use areas.
Wisconsin rules that follow you to Coulee Experimental State Forest
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.
Coulee Experimental State Forest: 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 Coulee Experimental State Forest
Whitetails, wild turkeys, ruffed grouse and squirrels, cottontails and hares, per the property record.
White-tailed deer
Wild turkey
Ruffed grouse
Small game
Other legal game follows the La Crosse 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 Coulee Experimental State Forest 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 | Metro sub-unit gun | Metro sub-unit: La Crosse | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 9, 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: La Crosse | 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 | |
| Elk | Elk, all weapons | Central Elk Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 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 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 (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.
Coulee Experimental State Forest described by the DNR
Quoted as published; nothing here is our wording.
Hunting The Coulee Experimental State Forest provides one of the few large, public upland forests in La Crosse County suitable for hunting a variety of species. All hunting regulations apply. Primary game species include deer, ruffed grouse, squirrels, turkeys and rabbits. The forest is within Deer Management Unit 59D and Wild Turkey Zone 1. The habitat consists primarily of upland timber and open fields. Cross-country skiing Cross-country skiing has been a popular recreational use on the property for many years.
Local volunteers groom 12 miles of trail on the property.
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
Every unit of Coulee Experimental State Forest
Coulee Experimental State Forest lists 2 units with 379 acres between them.
| Unit | Type | County | Acres | Game listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast Coulee Oak Woodland | State natural area | La Crosse | 287 | — |
| Berg Prairie and Billy Goat Ridge | State natural area | La Crosse | 92 | — |
Harvest numbers for the country around Coulee Experimental State Forest
2025 in La Crosse County: 1,911 bucks, 2,604 antlerless, 4,515 in all. Range since 2016: 3,396 to 4,515 deer a year. Early 2026 registrations (archery, crossbow, youth hunt): La Crosse 207. The DNR sampled 154 deer from La Crosse County in 2025; 1 had CWD. 3 positives overall, from 2,083 deer. In 2025, La Crosse County produced 1 registered bears. Figures are for the whole county unit, not Coulee Experimental State Forest alone; the DNR does not report harvest by property.
La Crosse County unit harvest
| Season | Bucks | Does and fawns | Registered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,911 | 2,604 | 4,515 |
| 2024 | 1,757 | 2,282 | 4,039 |
| 2023 | 1,848 | 2,238 | 4,086 |
| 2022 | 1,812 | 2,114 | 3,926 |
| 2021 | 1,669 | 1,875 | 3,544 |
| 2020 | 1,812 | 2,033 | 3,845 |
CWD samples, La Crosse County
| Year | Tested | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 19 | 2 |
| 2025 | 154 | 1 |
| 2024 | 140 | 0 |
| 2023 | 159 | 0 |
| 2022 | 139 | 0 |
| 2021 | 136 | 0 |
Bears registered in La Crosse County
| Season | Bears | Boars | Sows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
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 Coulee Experimental State Forest
Where to sleep, where to buy shells, where to drop off a deer.
| Town | County | Miles | Population | Public land nearby |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangor | La Crosse | 3.5 mi | 1,573 | 3,306 |
| St. Joseph | La Crosse | 4.6 mi | — | 8,001 |
| La Crosse | La Crosse | 9.9 mi | 51,049 | 22,425 |
| French Island | La Crosse | 12 mi | — | 22,863 |
Season and zone pages by county: La Crosse County.
Who processes a deer from Coulee Experimental State Forest
Where to ask about Coulee Experimental State Forest
Licenses and questions for La Crosse County go through the DNR La Crosse 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.
Coulee Experimental State Forest and nearby public ground
Coulee Experimental State Forest at the big pin; the nearest 10 public places around it. Combined, 82,904 acres are on record.
| Public land | Type | Acres | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Crosse Marsh Natural Resource Area | DNR property | 135 | 9.5 mi | west |
| Coon Creek Cliffs | State natural area | 27 | 9.6 mi | south |
| Coon Creek | Fishery area | 673 | 11 mi | southeast |
| Eureka Maple Woods | State natural area | 148 | 11 mi | southeast |
| Portland Maples | State natural area | 100 | 11 mi | southeast |
| Great River | State trail | 256 | 15 mi | northwest |
| Pinnacle Rock Rearing Station | Fishery area | 55 | 15 mi | east |
| Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge | Wildlife refuge | 80,794 | 15 mi | west |
| Great River Trail Prairies | State natural area | 33 | 16 mi | northwest |
| Sand Creek | Habitat area | 683 | 16 mi | north |
Points from the DNR managed lands, SNA, county forest, FWS realty, USFS, NPS and DoD layers (WI DNR Managed Lands GIS (polygon centroid) (polygon centroid)). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Shooting-hour table for Coulee Experimental State Forest
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 | 6:11 a.m. to 7:43 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 7:42 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Pheasant and duck dates | 6:55 a.m. to 6:37 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 6:40 p.m. |
| Nov 1, 2026 | Early November | 6:16 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 5:17 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer opener | 6:44 a.m. to 4:50 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 4:56 p.m. |
| Dec 1, 2026 | Muzzleloader week | 6:56 a.m. to 4:44 p.m. | 6:51 a.m. to 4:51 p.m. |
| Dec 24, 2026 | Holiday Hunt opener | 7:15 a.m. to 4:46 p.m. | 7:09 a.m. to 4:54 p.m. |
| Jan 3, 2027 | Archery close (most units) | 7:17 a.m. to 4:55 p.m. | 7:11 a.m. to 5:02 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 E offset of 16 minutes for longitude 91.03 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Coulee Experimental State Forest: nearest ranges
About 30 miles separates Coulee Experimental State Forest from Viola Sportsman's Club, the nearest public map range. Club ranges within 30 miles are included.
rifle, trap, shotgun, air gun, smallbore rimfire on file
archery, 3D archery on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
Before-the-trip answers for Coulee Experimental State Forest
Is Coulee Experimental State Forest DNR, county or federal ground?
A Wisconsin state forest; the manager is the Wisconsin DNR.
Is Coulee Experimental State Forest a big property?
2,962 acres in the source data.
Which town works as a base for Coulee Experimental State Forest?
La Crosse County; Bangor, the nearest town we cover, is 3 miles away.
Which species does the record give for Coulee Experimental State Forest?
Whitetails, wild turkeys, ruffed grouse and squirrels, cottontails and hares, plus any other season open in the county.
What deer tags work on Coulee Experimental State Forest?
It is in La Crosse (Central Farmland). This year the antlerless quota is 4,000.
How hard is a bear permit for Coulee Experimental State Forest?
Zone E; hounds may not be used there.
Which zone do I apply for to hunt turkeys at Coulee Experimental State Forest?
Zone 1. Success in 2025 was 21%.
Which goose zone is Coulee Experimental State Forest in?
Ducks follow the Southern zone, Canada geese the Southern zone. Opening day for Southern Zone ducks is Oct 3.
Can I bait deer at Coulee Experimental State Forest?
No bait or feed in La Crosse County. The county list for CWD includes La Crosse County.
When does orange apply at Coulee Experimental State Forest?
Pink counts the same as orange: 50% above the waist in firearm deer seasons.
Does a Coulee Experimental State Forest 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 Coulee Experimental State Forest need?
Gun deer ($24), archer ($24) or small game ($18) for residents; nonresident gun deer is $200.
Which public land sits closest to Coulee Experimental State Forest?
La Crosse Marsh Natural Resource Area (10 miles), Coon Creek Cliffs State Natural Area (10 miles) and Coon Creek Fishery Area (11 miles), each with a page here.
Signing off on Coulee Experimental State Forest
Gates, refuges and open areas at Coulee Experimental State Forest are the manager's call; confirm them before opening day.
Sources for this page: DNR: recreation · DNR GIS · DNR: coulee; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Ligocsicnarf89 (CC BY 4.0); bgautrea (CC BY-SA 2.0).