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Wildlife area · South Central region
Footville Wildlife Area for Wisconsin hunters
A hunter's summary of Footville Wildlife Area in Rock County: zones and quota, rules, CWD numbers and local help.
Photo: lisalampley (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Footville Wildlife Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Footville Wildlife Area
- Parking areaParking · 3.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.1 mi from the centreDirections
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- Parking areaParking · 3.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.6 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.
Footville Wildlife Area: record card
Footville Wildlife Area: a DNR state wildlife area, located in Rock County. Region on record: the DNR South Central Region. The Wisconsin DNR writes the rules on the ground. The 476 acres on record put it 154th of the 285 state wildlife areas we list. Base town: Orfordville, some 7 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 Footville Wildlife Area
Footville Wildlife Area deer unit, quota and game zones
The deer unit is Rock, in the Southern Farmland zone. The 2026 antlerless quota for that unit is 3,500. For black bear this is Zone F, with no hound hunting; 764 permits for 2026. Turkey hunting falls under Zone 2, which had 51,056 spring permits in 2025. The DNR counts Rock County among its CWD-affected counties. Rock County sits under the DNR deer baiting and feeding ban.
The deer unit around Footville Wildlife Area
| DMU | Deer zone | Antlerless quota | Public-land bonus | Private-land bonus | Free tags per license |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rock | Southern Farmland | 3,500 | 700 | 1,100 | 3 |
| Rock County Metro Sub-Unit | Metro sub-unit | Parent unit | 100 | 300 | 5 |
Bear, turkey and bird zones at Footville Wildlife Area
| Zone | Rule | Numbers | Extra | 2025 result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear F | Bait only | 50 target, 764 permits | 1 point | 27 bears in 2025 |
| Wild turkey 2 | 51,056 spring tags (2025) | 22% success | 11,024 gobblers | 2,500 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 Footville Wildlife Area
Entry terms for Footville 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 Footville 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.
Footville 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.
Footville Wildlife Area upland bird notes
Stocked rooster ground: 1,300 birds proposed for 2026 on 2,300 acres. Dove hunters get 2 planted fields here in 2026.
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 Footville Wildlife Area
Whitetails, wild turkeys, ducks and geese, pheasants, mourning doves, squirrels, cottontails and hares and raccoons, foxes and coyotes, per the property record.
White-tailed deer
Wild turkey
Ducks and geese
Pheasant
Mourning dove
Small game
Furbearers
Other legal game follows the Rock 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 Footville 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 | Metro sub-unit gun | Metro sub-unit: Rock | 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: Rock | Dec 24, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Extended archery and crossbow | Metro sub-unit | 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.
Footville Wildlife Area described by the DNR
Quoted as published; nothing here is our wording.
Footville Wildlife Area consists of 481 acres of state-owned land scattered throughout the greater Footville area of Rock County. Additionally, thousands of acres of privately leased land are open to the public through the Voluntary Public Access Program (VPA), which covers state-owned parcels. For more details, please refer to the Voluntary Public Access webpage. The wildlife area's habitat is dominated by native upland prairie, wetlands, woodlands, and cropland. VPA parcels are primarily cropland, but also offer native prairie plantings, wetlands, and wooded acres.
Together, these properties provide public access for hunting, trapping, wildlife viewing, and other recreational opportunities. Common game species include pheasants, mourning doves, turkeys, waterfowl, deer, and other small game species.
Footville Wildlife Area: hunting text as published
- Footville Wildlife Area started out as a leased Public Hunting Ground (PHG) area in the late 1940s, thanks to the gracious efforts of private landowners offering their land for public use.
- The Rock River Valley chapter of Pheasants Forever donated 365 acres to the department and continues to partner and assist with management efforts by providing prescribed burning, brushing, and invasive species control.
- Hunting (noted for: pheasant, mourning dove, turkey, deer)
- Explore nearby leased private properties for hunting: Rock County Voluntary Public Access .
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
Harvest numbers for the country around Footville Wildlife Area
2025 in Rock County: 1,316 bucks, 1,351 antlerless, 2,667 in all. Range since 2016: 1,847 to 2,667 deer a year. Early 2026 registrations (archery, crossbow, youth hunt): Rock 161. The DNR sampled 195 deer from Rock County in 2025; 45 had CWD. 312 positives overall, from 9,347 deer. Figures are for the whole county unit, not Footville Wildlife Area alone; the DNR does not report harvest by property.
Rock County unit harvest
| Season | Bucks | Does and fawns | Registered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,316 | 1,351 | 2,667 |
| 2024 | 1,197 | 1,304 | 2,501 |
| 2023 | 1,178 | 1,290 | 2,468 |
| 2022 | 1,099 | 1,251 | 2,350 |
| 2021 | 1,069 | 1,137 | 2,206 |
| 2020 | 1,190 | 1,412 | 2,602 |
CWD samples, Rock County
| Year | Tested | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 28 | 4 |
| 2025 | 195 | 45 |
| 2024 | 161 | 32 |
| 2023 | 153 | 31 |
| 2022 | 118 | 15 |
| 2021 | 104 | 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.
Bed, fuel and a butcher near Footville Wildlife Area
Where to sleep, where to buy shells, where to drop off a deer.
| Town | County | Miles | Population | Public land nearby |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orfordville | Rock | 7.3 mi | 1,598 | 5,722 |
| Brodhead | Green | 11 mi | 3,229 | 6,448 |
| Janesville | Rock | 12 mi | 66,428 | 1,147 |
| Oregon | Dane | 15 mi | 11,895 | 10,083 |
Season and zone pages by county: Rock County.
Who processes a deer from Footville Wildlife Area
Where to ask about Footville Wildlife Area
Licenses and questions for Rock County go through the 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.
Footville Wildlife Area and nearby public ground
Footville Wildlife Area at the big pin; the nearest 10 public places around it. Combined, 3,859 acres are on record.
| Public land | Type | Acres | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evansville Wildlife Area and Allen Creek Stream Bank Protection Area | Wildlife area | 838 | 3.1 mi | northwest |
| Allen Creek Streambank Protection Area | Habitat area | 220 | 3.6 mi | west |
| Lund | WPA | 175 | 8.0 mi | north |
| Kessler Railroad Prairie | State natural area | 13 | 8.7 mi | southeast |
| Liberty Creek | Wildlife area | 564 | 8.8 mi | west |
| Harvey's Marsh | WPA | 681 | 9.1 mi | northwest |
| Badfish Creek Wet Prairie and Spring Seeps | State natural area | 101 | 9.3 mi | north |
| Badfish Creek | Wildlife area | 1,154 | 9.5 mi | north |
| Sheepskin Marsh | WPA | 21 | 9.6 mi | northeast |
| Albany Sand Prairie and Oak Savanna | State natural area | 92 | 10 mi | west |
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.
Shooting-hour table for Footville 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 89.24 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Footville Wildlife Area: nearest ranges
The DNR-map range closest to Footville Wildlife Area is Izaak Walton League – Beloit Chapter (17 miles). Club ranges within 30 miles are included.
archery, trap, shotgun, 5-stand on file
archery, 3D archery on file
sporting clays, trap, shotgun on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
Before-the-trip answers for Footville Wildlife Area
Is Footville Wildlife Area DNR, county or federal ground?
A DNR state wildlife area; the manager is the Wisconsin DNR.
Is Footville Wildlife Area a big property?
476 acres in the source data.
Which town works as a base for Footville Wildlife Area?
Rock County; Orfordville, the nearest town we cover, is 7 miles away.
Which species does the record give for Footville Wildlife Area?
Whitetails, wild turkeys, ducks and geese, pheasants, mourning doves, squirrels, cottontails and hares and raccoons, foxes and coyotes, plus any other season open in the county.
What deer tags work on Footville Wildlife Area?
It is in Rock (Southern Farmland). This year the antlerless quota is 3,500.
How hard is a bear permit for Footville Wildlife Area?
Zone F; hounds may not be used there.
Which zone do I apply for to hunt turkeys at Footville Wildlife Area?
Zone 2. Success in 2025 was 22%.
Which goose zone is Footville Wildlife Area 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 Footville Wildlife Area?
No bait or feed in Rock County. The county list for CWD includes Rock County.
When does orange apply at Footville Wildlife Area?
Pink counts the same as orange: 50% above the waist in firearm deer seasons.
Does a Footville 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 Footville 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 Footville Wildlife Area?
Evansville Wildlife Area and Allen Creek Stream Bank Protection Area (3 miles), Allen Creek Streambank Protection Area (4 miles) and Lund Waterfowl Production Area (8 miles), each with a page here.
Signing off on Footville Wildlife Area
Gates, refuges and open areas at Footville Wildlife Area are the manager's call; confirm them before opening day.
Sources for this page: DNR: Footville · DNR GIS · DNR: alpha · DNR GIS · DNR GIS; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain); Flappy Pigeon (CC BY-SA 4.0).