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2026-27 · Wildlife area
Greenwood Wildlife Area, a hunter's guide
Who runs it, which deer unit and bear zone cover it, what it holds (whitetails, wild turkeys, ducks and geese and squirrels, cottontails and hares), and the public land and towns around it in Waushara County.
Photo: wackybadger (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Greenwood Wildlife Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Greenwood Wildlife Area
- Parking areaParking · 0.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 2.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.7 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
- Parking areaParking · 3.1 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.
What the record says about Greenwood Wildlife Area
On paper it is a DNR state wildlife area; on the map it is in Waushara County. DNR staff of the Northeast Region cover this part of northeast Wisconsin. Manager: the Wisconsin DNR. Its 1,441 acres rank 97th of the 285 Wisconsin state wildlife areas with an acreage on file. From Hancock, our closest town page, it is roughly 3 miles to the southeast.
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 Greenwood Wildlife Area
Greenwood Wildlife Area in the agency's words
Unedited text from the official page.
Located in west-central Waushara County, one mile southeast of Hancock, the Greenwood State Wildlife Area lies on the edge of a pitted outwash plain. This creates a flat sandy topography and a wooded hilly moraine. Historically, the plains area was in agricultural practices and an important wintering area for a local population of giant Canada geese. In 1938, it was closed to goose hunting for the next ten years by designation as a state refuge. As the giant Canada goose population increased statewide, it became apparent the refuge was no longer needed.
In 1994, an effort to restore the area to native prairie and barrens habitat types began. Approximately 650 acres have been restored to prairie, and about 700 acres are dominated by oak forest community types. Recognition of the diversity of glacial formations within the wildlife area led to the designation of an alternate route of the Wisconsin Ice Age Trail route. The trail traverses along the southern and eastern borders, with a new segment through the grasslands.
Additionally, a snowmobile trail exists through a portion of the south of the property. There is ample parking on all sides of the wildlife area.
Greenwood Wildlife Area hunting wording
- The refuge status has been eliminated, and hunting is open during the appropriate seasons.
- * Hunting (noted for deer, turkey and small game)
- No special hunting regulations are in place; the trail corridor is open to hunting.
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
Greenwood Wildlife Area rules and licenses
Access rules at Greenwood Wildlife Area
Buy the license, hunt in season, and respect posted refuges and the NR 45 code.
State law on Greenwood Wildlife Area
Orange or pink, 50% above the waist and 50% of the head covering, is the rule while gun deer seasons run; duck and goose hunters are exempt. Gun-season ground blinds on DNR property display 144 sq in of orange or pink from every direction. No screw-in steps or cut shooting lanes on DNR land. Overnight stands are legal north of Hwy. 64 from Sept. 1 to Jan. 31; south of it, remove them every day. By 5 p.m. the following day, register the deer on GameReg (online, phone or station).
Which licenses Greenwood Wildlife Area needs
Get licenses on Go Wild or at an agent. Antlerless tags are unit-specific and labelled public or private land.
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.
Greenwood Wildlife Area: DMU, bear zone and turkey zone
Deer management: Waushara, Central Farmland zone. The Natural Resources Board set 7,000 antlerless deer as the 2026 quota there. Bear Zone F has a 2026 harvest target of 50 with 764 Class A permits drawn; it took 1 preference point to win one. Spring turkey tags are sold for Zone 3; the DNR issued 55,612 there in 2025, the newest level published. Chronic wasting disease has turned up in wild deer in Waushara County; DNR testing is free and voluntary statewide. The deer baiting ban covers Waushara County.
Deer units that cover Greenwood Wildlife Area
| Deer unit | Zone | Antlerless goal | Public tags left | Private tags left | Included tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waushara | Central Farmland | 7,000 | 984 | 1,489 | 3 |
Zones beyond deer for Greenwood Wildlife Area
| Zone | Setting | Data | Also | Last season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear F | Dogs 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 zone A | Sep 12–Jan 3 | 5 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 | ||
| Wolf zone 6 | No season | Listed 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.
Greenwood Wildlife Area: species with bag limits
Listed game at Greenwood Wildlife Area: whitetails, wild turkeys, ducks and geese, squirrels, cottontails and hares and raccoons, foxes and coyotes.
White-tailed deer
Wild turkey
Ducks and geese
Small game
Furbearers
The Waushara County calendar below covers the rest.
Species from the property record (species named by the source); bag limits from the DNR regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Season dates that cover Greenwood Wildlife Area
Greenwood Wildlife Area sits in the Central Farmland deer zone. These 42 rows are the dated hunting segments the DNR schedule puts there, from the September archery opener into spring turkey.
| Game | Season | Applies in | Begins | Through | Right 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: Waushara | 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 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 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.
Public property near Greenwood Wildlife Area
The large pin is Greenwood Wildlife Area; the others are the 10 closest public properties. Together they hold 17,715 acres.
| Name | Type | Size (ac) | Away | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mecan Springs | State natural area | 135 | 2.9 mi | south |
| Mecan River | Fishery area | 6,722 | 3.0 mi | south |
| Bohn Lake | State natural area | 92 | 3.1 mi | northeast |
| Carter Creek | Habitat area | 395 | 3.9 mi | west |
| Big Roche A Cri | Fishery area | 844 | 7.1 mi | northwest |
| Plainfield Tunnel Channel Lakes | State natural area | 192 | 7.6 mi | north |
| White River (Waushara County) | Fishery area | 3,457 | 8.6 mi | east |
| Colburn | Wildlife area | 5,062 | 8.7 mi | west |
| Lunch Creek Wetlands | State natural area | 608 | 9.8 mi | southeast |
| John A Lawton Fishery | Fishery area | 208 | 10 mi | south |
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.
How the land around Greenwood Wildlife Area hunts, by the numbers
Waushara County hunters registered 8,678 deer in 2025, 3,865 of them bucks. Totals swing between 5,395 and 8,678 across the years charted. 2026 so far, still changing: Waushara, 870. CWD sampling in Waushara County, CWD year 2025: 312 wild deer sampled, 2 positive. Overall: 3,288 samples and 6 positives. Waushara County: 6 bears in 2024. The DNR reports deer by unit, not by property: read these as the Waushara County picture.
Waushara County bucks and antlerless
| Year | Bucks | Antlerless | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3,865 | 4,813 | 8,678 |
| 2024 | 3,975 | 4,216 | 8,191 |
| 2023 | 3,184 | 3,220 | 6,404 |
| 2022 | 3,225 | 3,925 | 7,150 |
| 2021 | 3,084 | 3,385 | 6,469 |
| 2020 | 3,083 | 4,029 | 7,112 |
Waushara County CWD sampling
| Year | Sampled | Positives |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 38 | 0 |
| 2025 | 312 | 2 |
| 2024 | 318 | 3 |
| 2023 | 223 | 1 |
| 2022 | 201 | 0 |
| 2021 | 230 | 0 |
Waushara County bears
| Year | Bears registered | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 6 | 5 | 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.
Greenwood Wildlife Area: nearest ranges
No range sits on Greenwood Wildlife Area; the nearest on the DNR public range map is Wautoma Shooting Range, about 7 miles away. Nearby club or private ranges are shown too.
rifle, handgun, shotgun on file
rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire 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.
Home bases for a Greenwood Wildlife Area trip
Closest towns, measured as the crow flies, then the businesses around them.
| Town | County | Straight line | 2024 pop. | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hancock | Waushara | 2.9 mi | 398 | 14,070 |
| Coloma | Waushara | 4.5 mi | 452 | 16,062 |
| Plainfield | Waushara | 8.3 mi | 920 | 12,388 |
| Wautoma | Waushara | 10 mi | 2,371 | 15,214 |
Read up on the county: Waushara County.
Taxidermy and supplies for Greenwood Wildlife Area hunters
Phone numbers for Greenwood Wildlife Area questions
The DNR service center listed for Waushara County is 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.
Greenwood Wildlife Area: legal shooting time, table by date
Big game and small game hunters get 20 minutes after sunset in Wisconsin, not 30. Waterfowl and spring gobbler hunters quit at sunset.
| Date | Hunt | Northern Area hours | Southern Area hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 89.49 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Straight answers on Greenwood Wildlife Area
How much land is in Greenwood Wildlife Area?
It covers 1,441 acres by the recorded figure.
Where in the state does Greenwood Wildlife Area lie?
Waushara County holds it, 3 miles from Hancock.
What is Greenwood Wildlife Area hunted for?
The agency names whitetails, wild turkeys, ducks and geese, squirrels, cottontails and hares and raccoons, foxes and coyotes; other legal game follows the county dates.
Which deer management unit holds Greenwood Wildlife Area?
The Central Farmland zone, Waushara. Quota for 2026: 7,000 antlerless.
Is bear hunting possible at Greenwood Wildlife Area?
Zone F; hound hunting is not allowed there.
Can I turkey hunt Greenwood Wildlife Area in spring?
Zone 3; 2025 saw 12,324 birds registered in the zone.
When can I hunt ducks at Greenwood Wildlife Area?
Southern for ducks, Southern for geese. The regular Southern Zone duck season opens Oct 3.
Has CWD turned up in the county around Greenwood Wildlife Area?
The deer baiting ban applies in Waushara County. CWD: yes, in Waushara County.
Is blaze pink legal at Greenwood Wildlife Area?
Orange or pink, half of the upper clothing, whenever a gun deer season runs (not for waterfowl).
Where do I register game taken on Greenwood Wildlife Area?
Register on GameReg by 5 p.m. the next day; the confirmation number starts with W.
Is there a separate permit for Greenwood Wildlife Area?
The standard license for your game; no landowner permission on public ground.
Which public properties lie near Greenwood Wildlife Area?
Three to try: Mecan Springs State Natural Area (3 miles), Mecan River Fishery Area (3 miles) and Bohn Lake State Natural Area (3 miles).
How is Greenwood Wildlife Area classified?
DNR state wildlife area, under the Wisconsin DNR.
Last checks on Greenwood Wildlife Area before you go
Treat this page as a starting point: the manager of Greenwood Wildlife Area has the final say on closures and maps.
Sources for this page: DNR: Greenwood · DNR GIS · DNR: alpha; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: USFWS Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Intermountain Region US Forest Service (Public domain).