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Germania Marsh Wildlife Area hunting guide
Everything we could verify about Germania Marsh Wildlife Area: acreage, zones, property rules, harvest around it and nearby ground.
Photo: aarongunnar (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Germania Marsh Wildlife Area
The short version on Germania Marsh Wildlife Area
In Marquette County you will find Germania Marsh Wildlife Area, a DNR state wildlife area. On the DNR map it belongs to the Northeast Region. The managing body is the Wisconsin DNR. At 2,413 acres it sits 66th by area in a field of 285 state wildlife areas. About 5 miles southwest of Neshkoro. Inside it are 1 separate record.
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 Germania Marsh Wildlife Area
Germania Marsh Wildlife Area, as the managers tell it
Word for word from the property page.
Germania Marsh Wildlife Area is a 2,400-acre property in north-central Marquette County. Find it approximately 5 miles west of the city of Neshkoro on County Highway N, or approximately 12 miles south of the city of Wautoma, just east of State Highway 22 on Eagle Road. The property consists of open marsh/wet meadow, swamp hardwoods/tamarack swamp, upland prairie/oak savannah and shrub carr. This property offers various outdoor recreational opportunities. Small game, waterfowl, and deer are among the most popular game that hunters pursue.
All these species are abundant throughout the wildlife area. Additional user groups visit the property to hike, gather edible plants, wildlife views and canoe/kayak. Note : There is a wildlife refuge located on the eastern portion of the property. There is no entry of any sort from September 1-November 30, except for deer hunting during gun deer and muzzleloader seasons. The refuge is clearly posted with yellow DNR signs. Please refer to a map for the refuge locations.
What the Germania Marsh Wildlife Area page says about hunting
- Current management programs include wetland restoration and water level manipulation in the impoundments, along with upland dry prairie restoration to promote Karner blue butterflies and other grassland-related wildlife, oak savannah restoration, and mourning dove habitat manipulation for banding and hunting opportunities.
- Hunting (There is no entry of any sort from September 1-November 30, except for deer hunting during gun deer and muzzleloader seasons)
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
Germania Marsh Wildlife Area: what is allowed
How access works on Germania Marsh Wildlife Area
State seasons and Wisconsin licenses are all you need, except in posted refuges and closed zones; NR 45 governs use of the property.
Germania Marsh Wildlife Area: rules from the regulations
From the October youth hunt through the Holiday Hunt, blaze orange or pink covers half of your upper clothing and cap. Mark a ground blind with 144 square inches of blaze orange or pink while firearm deer seasons run. Tree stands: no tree damage, ID on unattended stands, overnight only north of Hwy. 64 during Sept. 1-Jan. 31. Register deer, turkeys and bears through GameReg by 5 p.m. the day after recovery.
What Germania Marsh Wildlife Area costs in licenses
Buy through Go Wild; the free Farmland tags and bonus tags are marked public-access or private-land, and only public-access ones work here.
Posted closures at Germania Marsh Wildlife Area
1 row of closures apply to Germania Marsh Wildlife Area. Exception: Except gun and muzzleloader deer, retrieval of legally killed or crippled game in posted zones.
| Closed area | Type | Period | Acres | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germania Marsh Wildlife Area | No entry wildlife refuge | SEP 1–NOV 30 | 406 | NR 11.07(10)(a) |
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.
Tags and zones for Germania Marsh Wildlife Area
For deer it lies in the Central Farmland zone (Marquette). This season the unit quota is 10,000 antlerless deer. Zone F bear permits took 1 preference point in 2026; the target is 50 bears. The 2025 spring level for Turkey Zone 3 was 55,612 authorizations; 12,324 birds were registered. Marquette County: CWD found in wild deer, and a CWD-positive deer earns a replacement authorization. No deer bait or feed: Marquette County is a ban county.
Germania Marsh Wildlife Area: antlerless quota and bonus tags
| Deer unit | Zone | 2026 quota | Public bonus left | Private bonus left | Free farmland tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marquette | Central Farmland | 10,000 | 1,996 | 7,993 | 4 |
Every other zone Germania Marsh Wildlife Area touches
| Zone | Detail | Figures | Points or note | Taken |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black bear F | Hounds barred | 50 target, 764 permits | 1 point | 27 bears in 2025 |
| Turkey zone 3 | 55,612 spring tags (2025) | 22% success | 12,324 gobblers | 1,500 fall bonus |
| Grouse 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 | ||
| Gray wolf zone 6 | No season | Federally listed |
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.
Quarry and limits, Germania Marsh Wildlife Area
The list for Germania Marsh Wildlife Area reads: whitetails, ducks and geese, mourning doves, squirrels, cottontails and hares and raccoons, foxes and coyotes.
White-tailed deer
Ducks and geese
Mourning dove
Small game
Furbearers
The list is what the agency names, not a limit: other Marquette County seasons apply under the same rules.
Species from the property record (species named by the source); bag limits from the DNR regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Germania Marsh Wildlife Area season calendar, 2026-27
Archery, the nine-day gun hunt, muzzleloader, bear, turkey, upland birds, rabbits, furbearers and the duck and goose splits for Germania Marsh Wildlife Area.
| Game | Hunt | Zone | First day | Last day | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Germania Marsh Wildlife Area: the units it holds
102 acres across 1 unit make up the listed parts of Germania Marsh Wildlife Area.
| Name | Type | County | Acreage | Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germania Wet Prairie | State natural area | Marquette | 102 | — |
Nearest public ground to Germania Marsh Wildlife Area, mapped
10 more properties lie close to Germania Marsh Wildlife Area, shown with smaller pins. Acres across them: 18,314.
| Neighbour | Type | Acres | Miles off | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Comstock Bog-Meadow | State natural area | 655 | 1.9 mi | southwest |
| Mecan River Pine Oak Forest | State natural area | 142 | 4.9 mi | northwest |
| Wedde Creek Savanna | State natural area | 38 | 6.4 mi | northwest |
| Bass Lake Fen | State natural area | 97 | 6.9 mi | north |
| White River Prairie/Tamaracks | State natural area | 748 | 7.2 mi | northeast |
| Andrew Krakow Public Access and | Fishery area | 23 | 8.4 mi | south |
| White River Sedge Meadow | State natural area | 3,103 | 8.5 mi | east |
| Lunch Creek Wetlands | State natural area | 608 | 8.8 mi | north |
| White River Marsh | Wildlife area | 12,692 | 8.9 mi | east |
| John A Lawton Fishery | Fishery area | 208 | 10.0 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) (polygon centroid)). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Registered deer and bears near Germania Marsh Wildlife Area
The 2025 registered deer total for the Marquette County unit was 7,790 (3,204 antlered). 2025 was the busiest year shown (7,790 deer) and 2017 the leanest (5,998). The 2026 season to date shows 720 deer in Marquette; the DNR calls it preliminary. 559 samples, 45 positive: that is Marquette County in CWD year 2025. All years combined: 99 of 5,015. 3 bears came out of Marquette County in 2025. These numbers describe the county around Germania Marsh Wildlife Area, not the property alone.
Deer registered near Germania Marsh Wildlife Area
| Year | Bucks registered | Antlerless registered | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Marquette County CWD by year
| CWD year | Samples | Positives |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 26 | 6 |
| 2025 | 559 | 45 |
| 2024 | 568 | 26 |
| 2023 | 578 | 6 |
| 2022 | 515 | 5 |
| 2021 | 504 | 8 |
Marquette County bear harvest
| Year | Bear harvest | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Germania Marsh Wildlife Area: nearest ranges
About 13 miles separates Germania Marsh Wildlife Area from Wautoma Shooting Range, the nearest public map range. Closer club options sit beside it.
rifle, handgun, shotgun on file
sporting clays, rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire, shotgun on file
sporting clays, 5-stand, archery, 3D archery, muzzleloader on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
Towns, offices and services around Germania Marsh Wildlife Area
Towns, then services in this county and the next one over.
| Town | County | Distance | People | Public acres, 10 mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neshkoro | Marquette | 5.1 mi | 410 | 23,536 |
| Harrisville | Marquette | 6.9 mi | — | 10,739 |
| Montello | Marquette | 8.1 mi | 1,437 | 13,678 |
| Princeton | Green Lake | 8.2 mi | 1,270 | 17,836 |
Our county write-ups: Marquette County.
Butchers, mounts and gun counters near Germania Marsh Wildlife Area
Service centers near Germania Marsh Wildlife Area
For Marquette County, the DNR points to its DNR Oshkosh 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.
When the shooting day opens and closes at Germania Marsh Wildlife Area
The DNR tables are worked out for Zone A in the east; Germania Marsh Wildlife Area lies in longitude Zone C, so add 8 minutes to each table time.
| Day | Reason | Northern table | Southern table |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 89.27 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Germania Marsh Wildlife Area in questions and answers
Is Germania Marsh Wildlife Area forest or farmland deer country?
Marquette in the Central Farmland zone. The unit quota stands at 10,000 antlerless deer this year.
Which game does Germania Marsh Wildlife Area list?
The source lists whitetails, ducks and geese, mourning doves, squirrels, cottontails and hares and raccoons, foxes and coyotes. Other open seasons apply too, within the property rules.
Is Germania Marsh Wildlife Area good turkey ground?
Apply for Zone 3; spring periods A-F run in 2027 from April 21.
Are hounds allowed for bear at Germania Marsh Wildlife Area?
Bear Zone F: 764 permits drawn for 2026.
What are the CWD and bait rules for Germania Marsh Wildlife Area?
Deer bait is illegal in Marquette County. Marquette County: CWD-positive deer on record.
Is Germania Marsh Wildlife Area in the northern or southern duck zone?
Southern duck zone and Southern goose zone. First regular duck day in the Southern Zone: Oct 3.
How fast must I register a kill on Germania Marsh Wildlife Area?
GameReg by 5 p.m. the day after you recover the animal.
Can pink replace orange at Germania Marsh Wildlife Area?
Yes while gun deer seasons are open; half your upper clothing and hat in orange or fluorescent pink.
What parts of Germania Marsh Wildlife Area are posted closed?
1 posted restrictions apply; check the table above.
Is a permit required for Germania Marsh Wildlife Area?
Your Wisconsin license is enough; residents pay $24 for gun deer, $18 for small game.
What pages sit under Germania Marsh Wildlife Area?
It has 1 units with their own pages.
What neighbours Germania Marsh Wildlife Area?
Closest first: Comstock Bog-Meadow State Natural Area (2 miles), Mecan River Pine Oak Forest State Natural Area (5 miles) and Wedde Creek Savanna State Natural Area (6 miles).
How large is Germania Marsh Wildlife Area, in acres?
Acreage on record: 2,413.
Germania Marsh Wildlife Area, final notes
Print the Germania Marsh Wildlife Area map, carry your tags, and check the manager page the week you go.
Sources for this page: DNR: Germania · DNR GIS · DNR: alpha · DNR GIS; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Cindy Sue Causey (CC BY 2.0); Department of the Interior. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. National Conservation Training Center. 10/1997-8888 (Public domain).