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Marquette County, Wisconsin
Fox River National Wildlife Refuge: the hunter's file
Deer unit Marquette, bear and turkey zones, closures, licenses and the nearest towns and services.
Photo: aarongunnar (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Fox River National Wildlife Refuge
Parking, trailheads and gates near Fox River National Wildlife Refuge
- Parking areaParking · 0.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 0.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 1.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 5.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 7.1 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.
Key facts for Fox River NWR
Fox River National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge with a hunt program in Marquette County. The DNR files it under its Northeast Region (northeast Wisconsin). Management sits with the Fish and Wildlife Service. Acreage: 1,054, which places it 5th of 7 refuges. The closest covered town is Endeavor, around 4 miles off as the crow flies.
From the source page (USFWS refuge page ("1,054 acres")); region from the DNR county layer. Checked October 19, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Fox River National Wildlife Refuge
Fox River NWR by zone and unit
Deer: Central Farmland zone, Marquette. 10,000 antlerless deer: the 2026 quota for the unit. Bear hunters here apply for Zone F: 764 applied for 2026 and 764 permits went out. In Zone 3 turkey hunters held 55,612 spring tags in 2025 (spring 2027 levels are not out yet). CWD-positive deer have been recorded in Marquette County; free testing is offered statewide. Baiting and feeding deer are banned in Marquette County.
DMU figures for Fox River NWR
| Unit | Deer zone | Quota | Public-access bonus | Private bonus | Farmland per license |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marquette | Central Farmland | 10,000 | 1,996 | 7,993 | 4 |
Fox River NWR zone table
| Zone | Setting | Data | Also | Last season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear zone F | No dogs | 50 target, 764 permits | 1 point | 27 bears in 2025 |
| Turkey 3 | 55,612 spring tags (2025) | 22% success | 12,324 gobblers | 1,500 fall bonus |
| Ruffed grouse B | Oct 17–Dec 8 | 2 a day | ||
| Duck | Southern | Oct 3–Oct 11 Oct 17–Dec 6 | ||
| Goose | Southern | Sep 16–Oct 11 Oct 17–Dec 6 Dec 19–Jan 2 | ||
| Wolf 6 | No hunt | Endangered status |
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.
Fox River NWR: the property description
Copied from the official listing.
Marquette County; Central Farmland deer zone.
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
Access, closures and licenses for Fox River NWR
Fox River NWR: open to whom, and how
Closed to the public except licensed deer hunters during designated archery and gun deer periods. State regulations, no refuge permit. Access 1 hour before to 1 hour after legal hours; foot travel only; designated parking; boats prohibited on the refuge (may be used on the Fox River to reach the west side); portable stands not left overnight. Prohibited: scouting, trail cameras, camping, fires, baiting, shining, drones. Temporary hunting closure on the northeast corner Sept. 1-Nov. 1, 2026 (whooping crane project).
Orange, stands and GameReg at Fox River NWR
Bowhunters too: when a gun deer season is on, 50% of the coat and hat must be orange or pink, unless you are hunting waterfowl. Use GameReg (online or 844-426-3734) before 5 p.m. the day after the harvest.
Tags and licenses for Fox River NWR
Licenses sell on Go Wild. On public land, antlerless deer need a public-access authorization for the unit.
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.
Which animals Fox River NWR lists
Game on the record for Fox River NWR: whitetails.
White-tailed deer
Seasons not named here still apply if they are open in Marquette County and the property rules allow.
Species from the property record (species named by the source); bag limits from the DNR regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Which seasons are open in Fox River NWR
Deer dates are statewide in Wisconsin; bear, turkey, grouse, cottontail and waterfowl dates follow zone lines, so only the rows for Fox River NWR are listed.
| Species | Season | Where it applies | Opens | Closes | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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: Marquette | 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/C | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall turkey | Turkey Zone 3 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 3 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 3 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 3 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 3 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 3 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 3 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 3 | 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.
Fox River NWR: county harvest and CWD tests
Hunters registered 7,790 deer in the Marquette County unit in 2025: 3,204 bucks and 4,586 antlerless. High year on the chart: 2025 at 7,790; low year: 2017 at 5,998. Preliminary 2026 count to Oct. 19: 720 in Marquette. Marquette County CWD testing (2025): 45 positives out of 559 samples. Cumulative total 99 positives in 5,015 tests. Marquette County bear harvest, 2025: 3. Harvest and CWD figures cover Marquette County as a whole.
Marquette County deer by year
| Year | Buck | Antlerless | Deer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3,204 | 4,586 | 7,790 |
| 2024 | 3,410 | 4,334 | 7,744 |
| 2023 | 2,848 | 3,702 | 6,550 |
| 2022 | 2,827 | 4,396 | 7,223 |
| 2021 | 2,795 | 3,782 | 6,577 |
| 2020 | 2,808 | 4,276 | 7,084 |
Testing for CWD, Marquette County
| Year | Deer tested | CWD positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 26 | 6 |
| 2025 | 559 | 45 |
| 2024 | 568 | 26 |
| 2023 | 578 | 6 |
| 2022 | 515 | 5 |
| 2021 | 504 | 8 |
Bears by year, Marquette County
| Year | Bears | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 2025 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
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.
Fox River NWR pinned among its neighbours
Map of Fox River NWR and the 10 nearest public places. That is 6,253 acres of public ground.
| Area | Category | Acreage | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterfowl Production Area 1 | WPA | 89 | 0.6 mi | west |
| Muir | WPA | 124 | 0.8 mi | northeast |
| French Creek North | State natural area | 1,417 | 3.4 mi | southeast |
| Observatory Hill | State natural area | 177 | 3.5 mi | east |
| French Creek | Wildlife area | 3,759 | 4.8 mi | south |
| French Creek Fen | State natural area | 219 | 5.3 mi | south |
| Duffy's Marsh | WPA | 182 | 6.7 mi | northeast |
| Laing Creek (Remnant) | Fishery area | 111 | 7.9 mi | north |
| Andrew Krakow Public Access and | Fishery area | 23 | 7.9 mi | northeast |
| Becker Lake | WPA | 152 | 8.9 mi | southeast |
Points from the DNR managed lands, SNA, county forest, FWS realty, USFS, NPS and DoD layers (FWS National Realty FWSInterest_Simplified_Authoritative (centroid of Wisconsin portion) (polygon centroid)). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Towns, processors and DNR desks near Fox River NWR
Start with a town, then line up a cooler, a butcher and a mount.
| Town | County | Miles off | People | Public acres (10 mi) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Endeavor | Marquette | 3.5 mi | 433 | 7,232 |
| Packwaukee | Marquette | 5.8 mi | — | 6,025 |
| Montello | Marquette | 8.1 mi | 1,437 | 13,678 |
| Portage | Columbia | 10 mi | 9,975 | 15,283 |
For the wider county picture: Marquette County.
Venison, mounts and ammo near Fox River NWR
Fox River NWR: agency contacts
County service center: DNR Oshkosh Service Center (920-424-3050).
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.
Fox River National Wildlife Refuge: nearest ranges
Columbia County Shooting Range in Columbia County is the nearest DNR-map range, 25 miles out. Two nearby club ranges follow.
rifle, shotgun on file
sporting clays, rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire, shotgun on file
5-stand, sporting clays, trap, skeet, shotgun on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
First and last legal minute at Fox River NWR
Deer, bear, elk, small game and fall turkey: 30 minutes before sunrise until 20 minutes after sunset. Ducks, geese, doves and spring turkey: same start, done at sunset.
| Date | Season moment | 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 89.41 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Questions hunters raise about Fox River NWR
What waterfowl dates apply at Fox River NWR?
Duck zone: Southern; goose zone: Southern. Southern Zone ducks open Oct 3, 2026-27.
Can I put out corn for deer at Fox River NWR?
Not here: Marquette County is under the ban. CWD has been found in wild deer in Marquette County.
How much orange do I wear at Fox River NWR?
During any firearm deer season: 50% of your outer clothing above the waist and 50% of any cap, blaze orange or pink. Waterfowl hunters are exempt.
When must I register a turkey from Fox River NWR?
Deer: online, phone or station by 5 p.m. next day. Turkeys: online or phone only.
Which tags work on Fox River NWR?
No special permit for most of it; buy the license on Go Wild and carry public-access antlerless tags.
Is there other public ground around Fox River NWR?
By straight-line distance: Waterfowl Production Area 1 Waterfowl Production Area (1 mile), Muir Waterfowl Production Area (1 mile) and French Creek North State Natural Area (3 miles).
What type of property is Fox River NWR on the record?
The Fish and Wildlife Service manages it; the land is a national wildlife refuge with a hunt program.
What size is Fox River NWR on the record?
About 1,054 acres.
What is the nearest town to Fox River NWR?
Base in Endeavor, 4 miles away; the ground is in Marquette County.
Which game is named for Fox River NWR?
The property record lists whitetails.
What is the antlerless quota at Fox River NWR?
Marquette, part of the Central Farmland zone. Antlerless goal for 2026: 10,000.
Which bear permit zone holds Fox River NWR?
F. You need a Class A license from the drawing.
How many turkey permits go to the Fox River NWR zone?
Turkey Zone 3. 55,612 spring tags were issued there in 2025.
Fox River NWR: one more look before the drive
Signs on the ground beat any web page. Read the posted boundaries at Fox River NWR when you arrive.
Sources for this page: USFWS: hunting · USFWS: fox river · eCFR: section 32.68 · FWS realty layer; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain); USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0).