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2026-27 · Wildlife area
Hay River Wildlife Area, a hunter's guide
Who runs it, which deer unit and bear zone cover it, what it holds (whitetails, black bears, wild turkeys and ducks and geese), and the public land and towns around it in Dunn County.
Photo: USDAgov (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Getting to Hay River Wildlife Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Hay River Wildlife Area
- Parking areaParking · 1.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 1.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 2.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Prayer TrailTrailhead · 2.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.8 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.
What the record says about Hay River Wildlife Area
On paper it is a DNR state wildlife area; on the map it is in Dunn County. DNR staff of the West Central Region cover this part of west-central Wisconsin. Manager: the Wisconsin DNR. Its 121 acres rank 211th of the 285 Wisconsin state wildlife areas with an acreage on file. No parcel point is published, so distances on this page run from the Dunn County centre; Tainter Lake is the nearest covered town to it.
From the source page (DNR property page (121-acre)); region from the DNR county layer. Checked October 19, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Hay River Wildlife Area
Hay River Wildlife Area in the agency's words
Unedited text from the official page.
Hay River Wildlife Area is a 121-acre property approximately 1.5 miles east of Wheeler on State Highway 170. This property may be accessed through a parking area located on the south side of Highway 170. The Hay River flows through this property from northwest to southeast and along with the associated wetland/marsh, is the dominant feature on this wildlife area. The remaining portion of the property is primarily wooded. The Hay River may be travelled via canoe or kayak and can offer exceptional waterfowl hunting opportunities.
Hay River Wildlife Area hunting wording
- Hunting (noted for deer, bear, turkey, waterfowl and small game)
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
Hay River Wildlife Area rules and licenses
Access rules at Hay River Wildlife Area
Buy the license, hunt in season, and respect posted refuges and the NR 45 code.
State law on Hay River 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 Hay River 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.
Hay River Wildlife Area: DMU, bear zone and turkey zone
Deer management: Dunn, Central Farmland zone. The Natural Resources Board set 15,000 antlerless deer as the 2026 quota there. Spring turkey tags are sold for Zone 4; the DNR issued 34,997 there in 2025, the newest level published. Chronic wasting disease has turned up in wild deer in Dunn County; DNR testing is free and voluntary statewide. The deer baiting ban covers Dunn County.
Deer units that cover Hay River Wildlife Area
| Deer unit | Zone | Antlerless goal | Public tags left | Private tags left | Included tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dunn | Central Farmland | 15,000 | 492 | 2,993 | 3 |
Zones beyond deer for Hay River Wildlife Area
| Zone | Setting | Data | Also | Last season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey zone 4 | 34,997 spring tags (2025) | 24% success | 8,472 gobblers | 1,500 fall bonus |
| Grouse zone A | Sep 12–Jan 3 | 5 a day | ||
| Duck zone | Northern | Sep 26–Nov 24 | ||
| Goose zone | Northern | Sep 16–Dec 16 | ||
| 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.
Hay River Wildlife Area: species with bag limits
Listed game at Hay River Wildlife Area: whitetails, black bears, wild turkeys, ducks and geese, squirrels, cottontails and hares and raccoons, foxes and coyotes.
White-tailed deer
Black bear
Wild turkey
Ducks and geese
Small game
Furbearers
The Dunn 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 Hay River Wildlife Area
Hay River Wildlife Area sits in the Central Farmland deer zone. These 40 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: Dunn | Dec 24, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone D | Sep 9, 2026 | Sep 15, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone E | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone D | Sep 16, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone D | Oct 7, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall turkey | Turkey Zone 4 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 4 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 4 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 4 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 4 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 4 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 4 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 4 | May 26, 2027 | Jun 1, 2027 | |
| Ruffed Grouse | Ruffed grouse | Grouse Zone A | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| 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 | Northern cottontail zone | Sep 12, 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 | Northern Duck Zone | Sep 26, 2026 | Nov 24, 2026 | |
| Teal | Early teal | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 9, 2026 | |
| Geese | Regular goose | Northern Goose Zone | Sep 16, 2026 | Dec 16, 2026 | |
| 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 Hay River Wildlife Area
No map pin is possible for Hay River Wildlife Area. Miles are counted from the centre of Dunn County. Together they hold 5,427 acres.
| Name | Type | Size (ac) | Away | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Menomin | Fishery area | 26 | 1.5 mi | southeast |
| Tainter Lake Spawning Marsh (Remnant) | Wildlife area | 40 | 4.8 mi | northeast |
| Strehlau | WPA | 71 | 5.5 mi | southeast |
| Red Cedar | WPA | 336 | 5.8 mi | southeast |
| Hoffman Hills Recreation Area | Recreation area | 714 | 5.9 mi | east |
| Red Cedar River Savanna | State natural area | 181 | 6.4 mi | northeast |
| Cook's Pond | WPA | 140 | 6.5 mi | southeast |
| Otter Creek (Remnant) | Fishery area | 81 | 7.6 mi | north |
| Iron Creek | WPA | 47 | 8.0 mi | southeast |
| Muddy Creek | Wildlife area | 3,791 | 8.9 mi | southeast |
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.
How the land around Hay River Wildlife Area hunts, by the numbers
Dunn County hunters registered 9,118 deer in 2025, 3,858 of them bucks. Totals swing between 6,526 and 9,118 across the years charted. 2026 so far, still changing: Dunn, 790. CWD sampling in Dunn County, CWD year 2025: 357 wild deer sampled, 7 positive. Overall: 3,643 samples and 15 positives. Dunn County: 46 bears in 2025. The DNR reports deer by unit, not by property: read these as the Dunn County picture.
Dunn County bucks and antlerless
| Year | Bucks | Antlerless | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3,858 | 5,260 | 9,118 |
| 2024 | 3,540 | 4,279 | 7,819 |
| 2023 | 3,040 | 3,939 | 6,979 |
| 2022 | 3,492 | 4,590 | 8,082 |
| 2021 | 3,260 | 3,727 | 6,987 |
| 2020 | 3,547 | 4,586 | 8,133 |
Dunn County CWD sampling
| Year | Sampled | Positives |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 24 | 0 |
| 2025 | 357 | 7 |
| 2024 | 318 | 2 |
| 2023 | 274 | 1 |
| 2022 | 345 | 1 |
| 2021 | 333 | 1 |
Dunn County bears
| Year | Bears registered | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 51 | 30 | 21 |
| 2025 | 46 | 26 | 20 |
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.
Home bases for a Hay River Wildlife Area trip
Closest towns, measured as the crow flies, then the businesses around them.
| Town | County | Straight line | 2024 pop. | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tainter Lake | Dunn | 3.7 mi | — | 4,589 |
| Menomonie | Dunn | 4.1 mi | 16,709 | 6,014 |
| Elk Mound | Dunn | 12 mi | 1,094 | 8,100 |
| Downsville | Dunn | 12 mi | — | 8,528 |
Read up on the county: Dunn County.
Taxidermy and supplies for Hay River Wildlife Area hunters
Phone numbers for Hay River Wildlife Area questions
The DNR service center listed for Dunn County is DNR Eau Claire Service Center, 715-839-3700.
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.
Hay River 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 | 6:11 a.m. to 7:43 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 7:42 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Pheasant and duck dates | 6:55 a.m. to 6:37 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 6:40 p.m. |
| Nov 1, 2026 | Early November | 6:16 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 5:17 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer opener | 6:44 a.m. to 4:50 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 4:56 p.m. |
| Dec 1, 2026 | Muzzleloader week | 6:56 a.m. to 4:44 p.m. | 6:51 a.m. to 4:51 p.m. |
| Dec 24, 2026 | Holiday Hunt opener | 7:15 a.m. to 4:46 p.m. | 7:09 a.m. to 4:54 p.m. |
| Jan 3, 2027 | Archery close (most units) | 7:17 a.m. to 4:55 p.m. | 7:11 a.m. to 5:02 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 E offset of 16 minutes for longitude 91.90 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Straight answers on Hay River Wildlife Area
When can I hunt ducks at Hay River Wildlife Area?
Northern for ducks, Northern for geese. The regular Northern Zone duck season opens Sep 26.
Has CWD turned up in the county around Hay River Wildlife Area?
The deer baiting ban applies in Dunn County. CWD: yes, in Dunn County.
Is blaze pink legal at Hay River 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 Hay River Wildlife Area?
Register on GameReg by 5 p.m. the next day; the confirmation number starts with W.
Is there a separate permit for Hay River Wildlife Area?
The standard license for your game; no landowner permission on public ground.
Which public properties lie near Hay River Wildlife Area?
Three to try: Lake Menomin Fishery Area (1 mile), Tainter Lake Spawning Marsh Fishery Area (Remnant) (5 miles) and Strehlau Waterfowl Production Area (5 miles).
How is Hay River Wildlife Area classified?
DNR state wildlife area, under the Wisconsin DNR.
How much land is in Hay River Wildlife Area?
It covers 121 acres by the recorded figure.
Where in the state does Hay River Wildlife Area lie?
Dunn County holds it, 4 miles from Tainter Lake. That figure uses the Dunn County centre.
What is Hay River Wildlife Area hunted for?
The agency names whitetails, black bears, 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 Hay River Wildlife Area?
The Central Farmland zone, Dunn. Quota for 2026: 15,000 antlerless.
Can I turkey hunt Hay River Wildlife Area in spring?
Zone 4; 2025 saw 8,472 birds registered in the zone.
Last checks on Hay River Wildlife Area before you go
Treat this page as a starting point: the manager of Hay River Wildlife Area has the final say on closures and maps.
Sources for this page: DNR: Hayriver · DNR: alpha · DNR GIS; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: DaPuglet (CC BY-SA 2.0); USFWSmidwest (Public domain).