Home › Wisconsin › Public land › Hacker Drive Wildlife Area
Washington County, Wisconsin
Hacker Drive Wildlife Area: the hunter's file
Deer unit Washington, bear and turkey zones, closures, licenses and the nearest towns and services.
Photo: Joe K Gage (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Hacker Drive Wildlife Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Hacker Drive Wildlife Area
- Parking areaParking · 0.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 1.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 1.5 mi from the centreDirections
- GateGate · 1.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 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
- Water Spirit PreserveParking · 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.
Key facts for Hacker Drive Wildlife Area
Hacker Drive Wildlife Area is a DNR state wildlife area in Washington County. The DNR files it under its Southeast Region (southeast Wisconsin). Management sits with the Wisconsin DNR. Acreage: 29, which places it 255th of 285 state wildlife areas. Without a mapped point, this page uses the centre of Washington County for every distance (West Bend is nearest).
From the source page (DNR property page (29-acre)); region from the DNR county layer. Checked October 19, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Hacker Drive Wildlife Area
Hacker Drive Wildlife Area by zone and unit
Deer: Southern Farmland zone, Washington. 2,200 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 2 turkey hunters held 51,056 spring tags in 2025 (spring 2027 levels are not out yet). CWD-positive deer have been recorded in Washington County; free testing is offered statewide. Baiting and feeding deer are banned in Washington County.
DMU figures for Hacker Drive Wildlife Area
| Unit | Deer zone | Quota | Public-access bonus | Private bonus | Farmland per license |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | Southern Farmland | 2,200 | 500 | 1,550 | 3 |
| Milwaukee Metro Sub-unit | Metro sub-unit | In unit total | — | — | — |
Hacker Drive Wildlife Area zone table
| Zone | Setting | Data | Also | Last season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear zone F | No dogs | 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 |
| 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.
Hacker Drive Wildlife Area: the property description
Copied from the official listing.
Hacker Drive Wildlife Area is a 29-acre parcel that is entirely wetland. The property is located in West Bend Township (T.11N R.19E. Sec 20). From West Bend, travel west on Highway 33, turn south on County Road Z, then west on Hacker Drive. The property holds one of only 10 bogs in Washington County. It is a good-quality sphagnum bog bordered by sedge meadow, shallow marsh and shrub-carr. The property was purchased in 1995 to protect and enhance Gilbert Lake's warm-water fish spawning and nursing habitat in Gilbert Lake.
Since its purchase, the property has been managed to produce a cover that wildlife can utilize to provide hunting and wildlife viewing opportunities.
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
Access, closures and licenses for Hacker Drive Wildlife Area
Hacker Drive Wildlife Area: open to whom, and how
Open to public hunting and trapping in state seasons with the right Wisconsin licenses. Posted refuges and closed areas are off limits, and the NR 45 state land rules apply.
Orange, stands and GameReg at Hacker Drive Wildlife Area
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. A ground blind on DNR property needs 144 sq in of orange or pink during gun deer seasons. South of Hwy. 64 every stand and blind leaves with you; north of it, two portable stands per county may stay out Sept. 1-Jan. 31. Use GameReg (online or 844-426-3734) before 5 p.m. the day after the harvest.
Tags and licenses for Hacker Drive Wildlife Area
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 Hacker Drive Wildlife Area lists
Game on the record for Hacker Drive Wildlife Area: raccoons, foxes and coyotes.
Furbearers
Seasons not named here still apply if they are open in Washington 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 Hacker Drive Wildlife Area
Deer dates are statewide in Wisconsin; bear, turkey, grouse, cottontail and waterfowl dates follow zone lines, so only the rows for Hacker Drive Wildlife Area 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 | Metro sub-unit gun | Metro sub-unit: Milwaukee | 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: Washington | 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.
Hacker Drive Wildlife Area: county harvest and CWD tests
Hunters registered 3,731 deer in the Washington County unit in 2025: 1,656 bucks and 2,075 antlerless. High year on the chart: 2025 at 3,731; low year: 2017 at 2,742. Preliminary 2026 count to Oct. 19: 136 in Washington. Washington County CWD testing (2025): 0 positives out of 172 samples. Cumulative total 2 positives in 1,827 tests. Harvest and CWD figures cover Washington County as a whole.
Washington County deer by year
| Year | Buck | Antlerless | Deer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,656 | 2,075 | 3,731 |
| 2024 | 1,563 | 1,864 | 3,427 |
| 2023 | 1,412 | 1,560 | 2,972 |
| 2022 | 1,373 | 1,804 | 3,177 |
| 2021 | 1,247 | 1,593 | 2,840 |
| 2020 | 1,357 | 2,043 | 3,400 |
Testing for CWD, Washington County
| Year | Deer tested | CWD positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 2 | 0 |
| 2025 | 172 | 0 |
| 2024 | 142 | 0 |
| 2023 | 118 | 1 |
| 2022 | 146 | 0 |
| 2021 | 132 | 0 |
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.
Hacker Drive Wildlife Area pinned among its neighbours
No pin for Hacker Drive Wildlife Area: the DNR gives no point. Distances are from the middle of Washington County. That is 68,637 acres of public ground.
| Area | Category | Acreage | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allenton Marsh | Wildlife area | 1,159 | 4.9 mi | west |
| Jackson Marsh | State natural area | 590 | 6.8 mi | southeast |
| Jackson Marsh | Wildlife area | 2,482 | 6.8 mi | southeast |
| Kettle Moraine State Forest Pike Lake Unit | State forest | 781 | 6.8 mi | southwest |
| Kettle Moraine | State forest | 55,890 | 7.0 mi | southwest |
| Cedar Creek Streambank Protection Area | Habitat area | 101 | 7.0 mi | southeast |
| Milwaukee River Floodplain Forest | State natural area | 77 | 7.9 mi | north |
| Kewaskum Maple-Oak Woods | State natural area | 42 | 8.1 mi | north |
| Cedarburg Bog | State natural area | 1,757 | 11 mi | east |
| Theresa Marsh | Wildlife area | 5,758 | 11 mi | northwest |
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.
Towns, processors and DNR desks near Hacker Drive Wildlife Area
Start with a town, then line up a cooler, a butcher and a mount.
| Town | County | Miles off | People | Public acres (10 mi) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Bend | Washington | 3.2 mi | 32,149 | 9,587 |
| Allenton | Washington | 6.0 mi | — | 9,485 |
| Jackson | Washington | 6.0 mi | 8,169 | 5,035 |
| Kewaskum | Washington | 8.8 mi | 4,564 | 21,697 |
For the wider county picture: Washington County.
Venison, mounts and ammo near Hacker Drive Wildlife Area
Hacker Drive Wildlife Area: agency contacts
County service center: DNR Waukesha Service Center (262-574-2100).
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.
First and last legal minute at Hacker Drive Wildlife Area
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 | 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 88.23 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Questions hunters raise about Hacker Drive Wildlife Area
Which game is named for Hacker Drive Wildlife Area?
The property record lists raccoons, foxes and coyotes.
What is the antlerless quota at Hacker Drive Wildlife Area?
Washington, part of the Southern Farmland zone. Antlerless goal for 2026: 2,200.
Which bear permit zone holds Hacker Drive Wildlife Area?
F. You need a Class A license from the drawing.
How many turkey permits go to the Hacker Drive Wildlife Area zone?
Turkey Zone 2. 51,056 spring tags were issued there in 2025.
What waterfowl dates apply at Hacker Drive Wildlife Area?
Duck zone: Southern; goose zone: Southern. Southern Zone ducks open Oct 3, 2026-27.
Can I put out corn for deer at Hacker Drive Wildlife Area?
Not here: Washington County is under the ban. CWD has been found in wild deer in Washington County.
How much orange do I wear at Hacker Drive Wildlife Area?
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 Hacker Drive Wildlife Area?
Deer: online, phone or station by 5 p.m. next day. Turkeys: online or phone only.
Which tags work on Hacker Drive Wildlife Area?
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 Hacker Drive Wildlife Area?
By straight-line distance: Allenton Marsh Wildlife Area (5 miles), Jackson Marsh State Natural Area (7 miles) and Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area (7 miles).
What type of property is Hacker Drive Wildlife Area on the record?
It is a DNR state wildlife area, managed by the Wisconsin DNR.
What size is Hacker Drive Wildlife Area on the record?
About 29 acres.
What is the nearest town to Hacker Drive Wildlife Area?
Base in West Bend, 3 miles away; the ground is in Washington County. Counted from the middle of Washington County.
Hacker Drive Wildlife Area: one more look before the drive
Signs on the ground beat any web page. Read the posted boundaries at Hacker Drive Wildlife Area when you arrive.
Sources for this page: DNR: hacker · DNR: alpha · DNR GIS; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: The Hidden Hide with Ray (CC BY 2.0); Virginia State Parks staff (CC BY 2.0).