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Jefferson County · Habitat area
Hunting at DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands
DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands, 6,228 acres in Jefferson, Barron, Dunn, Columbia and 8 more counties: zones and tags, property rules, county harvest and the land nearby.
Photo: Wanderer 86 (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands
Parking, trailheads and gates near DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands
- Parking areaParking · 0.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.8 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.
DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands on one card
Hunters reach DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands in Jefferson, Barron, Dunn, Columbia and 8 more counties; it is a DNR habitat area. This is south-central Wisconsin, in the DNR South Central Region. Day-to-day it is in the hands of the Wisconsin DNR. Measured at 6,228 acres, it comes in 3rd of 58 habitat areas. Coordinates are not published; nearest-place lists use Jefferson County's centre, closest to Jefferson.
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 DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands
DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands broken down
5 regional components make up DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands.
| Component | Region | Open | Counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extensive Wl Habitat Nw | Northern | 1,003 | Barron |
| Extensive Wl Habitat Wd | West Central | 1,191 | Dunn, Pepin |
| Extensive Wl Habitat Lm | Northeast (Lake Michigan) | 247 | Green Lake, Winnebago, Waushara |
| Extensive Wl Habitat Sd | South Central | 3,119 | Jefferson, Columbia, Rock, Dane, Green |
| Extensive Wl Habitat Se | Southeast | 668 | Sheboygan, Waukesha, Ozaukee |
From the source. Checked October 19, 2026.
Zones that take in DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands
DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands is not drawn on the DNR map, so its zones are read from Jefferson, Barron, Dunn, Columbia and 2 more counties. DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands is Southern Farmland and Central Farmland deer country, unit Jefferson, Barron, Dunn, Columbia and 2 more units. 6 units, with 2026 antlerless quotas from 3,000 to 15,000. Wild deer with CWD have been confirmed in Jefferson, Dunn, Columbia, Sheboygan and 2 more counties. Leave the corn at home; Jefferson, Barron, Dunn, Columbia and 2 more counties bans deer baiting.
Antlerless tags near DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands
| Unit | Zone | Quota 2026 | Bonus, public | Bonus, private | Farmland tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson | Southern Farmland | 3,000 | 700 | 2,500 | 3 |
| Barron | Central Farmland | 4,500 | 987 | 3,479 | 2 |
| Dunn | Central Farmland | 15,000 | 492 | 2,993 | 3 |
| Columbia | Southern Farmland | 8,800 | 1,000 | 4,000 | 4 |
| Sheboygan | Central Farmland | 3,100 | 371 | 595 | 2 |
| Rock | Southern Farmland | 3,500 | 700 | 1,100 | 3 |
| Sheboygan County Metro Sub-Unit | Metro unit | With parent | 100 | 100 | 2 |
| Rock County Metro Sub-Unit | Metro unit | With parent | 100 | 300 | 5 |
DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands: other game zones
| Zone | Detail | Numbers | More | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear zone D | Hounds allowed | 1,100 target, 3,855 permits | 2 points | 931 bears in 2025 |
| Bear zone E | No hounds | 185 target, 2,628 permits | 1 point | 128 bears in 2025 |
| Bear zone F | No hounds | 50 target, 764 permits | 1 point | 27 bears in 2025 |
| Turkey 2 | 51,056 spring tags (2025) | 22% success | 11,024 gobblers | 2,500 fall bonus |
| Turkey 4 | 34,997 spring tags (2025) | 24% success | 8,472 gobblers | 1,500 fall bonus |
| Turkey 6 | 6,001 spring tags (2025) | 23% success | 1,362 gobblers | — |
| Turkey 3 | 55,612 spring tags (2025) | 22% success | 12,324 gobblers | 1,500 fall bonus |
| Turkey 1 | 64,574 spring tags (2025) | 21% success | 13,813 gobblers | 1,500 fall bonus |
| Ruffed grouse B | Oct 17–Dec 8 | 2 a day | ||
| Ruffed grouse A | Sep 12–Jan 3 | 5 a day | ||
| Duck zone | Southern | Oct 3–Oct 11 Oct 17–Dec 6 | ||
| Duck zone | Northern | Sep 26–Nov 24 | ||
| Duck zone | Open Water (500 feet from mainland shore) | — | ||
| Canada goose | Southern | Sep 16–Oct 11 Oct 17–Dec 6 Dec 19–Jan 2 | ||
| Canada goose | Northern | Sep 16–Dec 16 |
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.
What DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands requires of hunters
DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands access terms
Where the managed-lands map marks it open, this scattered parcel takes hunters and trappers in season (NR 45). The DNR map lists each parcel.
The rule book on DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands
Half of your outer clothing above the waist, and half of your hat, must be blaze orange or pink whenever a firearm deer season is open (waterfowl hunters excepted). Ground blinds need a 144-square-inch orange or pink patch in gun deer seasons on DNR ground. Stands may not damage trees. North of Hwy. 64 they can stay overnight Sept. 1, 2026 to Jan. 31, 2027 (two per hunter per county); south of Hwy. 64 they come down daily. Deer and turkeys go into GameReg online or by phone by 5 p.m. the next day.
Go Wild shopping list for DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands
A gun deer or archery license comes with a buck authorization; antlerless deer on this land need a public-access authorization.
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.
What hunters pursue at DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands
Nothing narrows the game at DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands; all open seasons apply as long as the property rules are followed.
The Jefferson County season table below has 41 dated rows for that reason.
Species from the property record (No species list published for this property; open seasons follow statewide/zone regulations where hunting is allowed.); bag limits from the DNR regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands: opening and closing days
From bear baiting in September to the last spring turkey period, 41 season segments apply to DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands.
| Species | Hunt type | Zone or unit | Opening | Closing | 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: Jefferson | 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 F | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall turkey | Turkey Zone 2 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 2 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 2 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 2 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 2 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 2 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 2 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 2 | 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 2) | Southern Goose Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| 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.
Jefferson County harvest near DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands
Deer registered in the Jefferson County unit, 2025: 3,843. The decade peaked at 3,843 in 2025 and bottomed at 2,451 in 2017. Through Oct. 19, 2026: 119 antlered and 191 antlerless in Jefferson, 320 antlered and 356 antlerless in Barron and 301 antlered and 489 antlerless in Dunn (preliminary). CWD year 2025 brought 191 Jefferson County samples and 16 positives. Running total since 1999: 8,499 tested. No harvest is published for DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands itself, so the county unit is the finest level.
Registered deer in the DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands county unit
| Year | Antlered | Antlerless | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,772 | 2,071 | 3,843 |
| 2024 | 1,757 | 2,059 | 3,816 |
| 2023 | 1,647 | 1,932 | 3,579 |
| 2022 | 1,459 | 1,895 | 3,354 |
| 2021 | 1,440 | 1,627 | 3,067 |
| 2020 | 1,500 | 2,093 | 3,593 |
CWD tests in Jefferson County
| CWD year | Wild deer sampled | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 20 | 0 |
| 2025 | 191 | 16 |
| 2024 | 170 | 12 |
| 2023 | 175 | 10 |
| 2022 | 167 | 4 |
| 2021 | 150 | 6 |
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.
Around DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands: more places to hunt
The record lacks a point, so the Jefferson County centre stands in for distances; DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands itself is not on the map. The neighbours add 8,970 acres between them.
| Nearby | Kind | Acres | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson Tamarack Swamp | State natural area | 1,629 | 1.9 mi | southeast |
| Jefferson Marsh | Wildlife area | 3,323 | 2.5 mi | southeast |
| Aztalan | State park | 178 | 5.7 mi | northwest |
| Ancient Aztalan Village | State natural area | 25 | 5.7 mi | northwest |
| Glacial Drumlin | State trail | 1,020 | 7.5 mi | west |
| Mud Lake Fen and Wet Prairie | State natural area | 157 | 7.7 mi | west |
| Lake Mills Hatchery | Fishery area | 80 | 8.0 mi | northwest |
| Bean Lake | State natural area | 198 | 9.1 mi | west |
| Rome Pond | Wildlife area | 2,289 | 9.1 mi | east |
| Texas Island Woods | State natural area | 71 | 9.7 mi | east |
Points from the DNR managed lands, SNA, county forest, FWS realty, USFS, NPS and DoD layers (county centre, no point published). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands: nearby towns and businesses
Town pages first, then shops, processors and DNR desks.
| Base town | County | Away | Residents | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson | Jefferson | 1.9 mi | 7,766 | 9,416 |
| Helenville | Jefferson | 3.7 mi | — | 11,180 |
| Johnson Creek | Jefferson | 4.5 mi | 3,398 | 6,072 |
| Rome | Jefferson | 6.6 mi | — | 20,288 |
County-level hunting pages: Jefferson County, Barron County, Dunn County, Columbia County, Sheboygan County, Rock County, Dane County, Pepin County, Green Lake County, Winnebago County.
Shops a short drive from DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands
DNR desks closest to DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands
Service center for Jefferson County business: DNR Janesville 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.
Shooting light at DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands by date
At DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands the offset is 4 minutes (Zone B). The times below already include it for both DNR shooting-hours areas.
| Day | Season | North table | South table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 12, 2026 | Bow, turkey, grouse opener | 5:59 a.m. to 7:31 p.m. | 6:01 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Pheasant and duck dates | 6:43 a.m. to 6:25 p.m. | 6:42 a.m. to 6:28 p.m. |
| Nov 1, 2026 | Early November | 6:04 a.m. to 5:01 p.m. | 6:01 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer opener | 6:32 a.m. to 4:38 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 4:44 p.m. |
| Dec 1, 2026 | Muzzleloader week | 6:44 a.m. to 4:32 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 4:39 p.m. |
| Dec 24, 2026 | Holiday Hunt opener | 7:03 a.m. to 4:34 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 4:42 p.m. |
| Jan 3, 2027 | Archery close (most units) | 7:05 a.m. to 4:43 p.m. | 6:59 a.m. to 4:50 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 B offset of 4 minutes for longitude 88.77 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
What people ask about hunting DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands
Is deer baiting legal near DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands?
No: Jefferson, Barron, Dunn and Columbia counties ban deer baiting and feeding. Wild deer with CWD are documented in Jefferson, Dunn, Columbia and Sheboygan counties.
What are the waterfowl zones for DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands?
It sits in the Southern, Northern and Open Water (500 feet from mainland shore) duck and Southern and Northern goose zones. In the Southern Zone the regular duck split begins Oct 3.
How do I register a deer from DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands?
Through GameReg (online, phone or a station) by 5 p.m. the day after recovery.
Do I need blaze orange at DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands?
In any open firearm deer season, wear blaze orange or pink on at least half your coat and cap.
If DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands is full, where next?
Within a short drive: Jefferson Tamarack Swamp State Natural Area (2 miles), Jefferson Marsh Wildlife Area (2 miles) and Aztalan State Park (6 miles).
Which Wisconsin license covers DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands?
Go Wild sells everything needed; antlerless tags on public land must be public-access tags.
What acreage is listed for DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands?
Roughly 6,228 acres.
Which agency sets the rules on DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands?
The Wisconsin DNR treats it as a DNR habitat area.
What game is legal on DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands?
Any species in an open season, as long as you follow the property rules.
Where do DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands hunters spend the night?
Start from Jefferson; the land is 2 miles off, in Jefferson, Barron, Dunn, Columbia and 8 more counties. Distance taken from the county centre, as the record has no coordinates.
Which bear management zone holds DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands?
Bear Zone D/E/F. Zone D took 2 preference points in 2026.
Which DMU takes in DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands?
Deer unit Jefferson, Barron and Dunn; zone Southern Farmland and Central Farmland. The 2026 antlerless quota is 3,000 (Jefferson), 4,500 (Barron), 15,000 (Dunn), 8,800 (Columbia), 3,100 (Sheboygan) and 3,500 (Rock); use a public-access antlerless tag here.
Which turkey zone is DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands in?
Zone 2, one bird per spring authorization.
Check DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands once more
Refuges, closed areas and park windows at DNR Extensive Wildlife Habitat Lands can shift mid-season; the property page and the DNR map have the current picture.
Sources for this page: DNR GIS; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Russ (CC BY 2.0); USFWS/Southeast (Public domain).