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Washington County · Wildlife area
Hunting at Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area
Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area, 2,482 acres in Washington County: whitetails, wild turkeys, ducks and geese and pheasants, zones and tags, property rules, county harvest and the land nearby.
Photo: Joe K Gage (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area
- Parking areaParking · 0.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.7 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.
Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area on one card
Hunters reach Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area in Washington County; it is a DNR state wildlife area. This is southeast Wisconsin, in the DNR Southeast Region. Day-to-day it is in the hands of the Wisconsin DNR. Measured at 2,482 acres, it comes in 63rd of 285 state wildlife areas. Jackson is the nearest town with a guide on this site, about 3 miles away; the land lies northeast of it. Below are the 1 units it contains.
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 Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area
Zones that take in Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area
Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area is Southern Farmland deer country, unit Washington. Antlerless quota, 2026: 2,200. The Zone F bear quota for 2026 is 50, spread over 764 drawn permits. Zone 2 turkey numbers for 2025: 51,056 spring tags, 22% success. Wild deer with CWD have been confirmed in Washington County. Leave the corn at home; Washington County bans deer baiting.
Antlerless tags near Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area
| Unit | Zone | Quota 2026 | Bonus, public | Bonus, private | Farmland tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | Southern Farmland | 2,200 | 500 | 1,550 | 3 |
| Milwaukee Metro Sub-unit | Metro unit | With parent | — | — | — |
Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area: other game zones
| Zone | Detail | Numbers | More | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear zone F | No hounds | 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 zone | Southern | Oct 3–Oct 11 Oct 17–Dec 6 | ||
| Canada goose | Southern | Sep 16–Oct 11 Oct 17–Dec 6 Dec 19–Jan 2 | ||
| Wolf 6 | No harvest | Federal listing |
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.
How the DNR describes Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area
The managing agency's own text.
Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area is a 2,600-acre property located in eastern Washington County, northeast of the Village of Jackson. The property is comprised mostly of forested wetland (60%). The nearly 600-acre Jackson Marsh State Natural Area forms the property's core and includes remnant white cedar swamp and southern swamp hardwood communities. Uplands are primarily planted prairie grasses and hardwood forests.
Hunting notes printed for Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area
- Jackson Marsh was approved as a state Wildlife Area in 1952 because of its value for wildlife and potential for hunting opportunities.
- Grasslands are managed using periodic fire, mowing, and haying to provide nesting cover for mallard, blue-winged teal, and wild turkey and cover and forage for white-tailed deer, wild turkey, and ring-necked pheasants.
- Pheasants are stocked in upland grasslands throughout the pheasant hunting season.
- Hunting (noted for: white-tailed deer, waterfowl, pheasant and wild turkey) Archery and firearm hunting and trapping are allowed in the wildlife area.
- Pheasant hunting is prohibited after noon beginning the third day of the season through November 3.
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
What Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area requires of hunters
Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area access terms
Public hunting and trapping run on the statewide calendar; refuges and closed areas are posted, and the NR 45 code covers everything else.
- It is one of the properties with dog training.
The rule book on Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area
Half of your outer clothing above the waist, and half of your hat, must be blaze orange or pink whenever a firearm deer season is open (waterfowl hunters excepted). Ground blinds need a 144-square-inch orange or pink patch in gun deer seasons on DNR ground. Stands may not damage trees. North of Hwy. 64 they can stay overnight Sept. 1, 2026 to Jan. 31, 2027 (two per hunter per county); south of Hwy. 64 they come down daily. Deer and turkeys go into GameReg online or by phone by 5 p.m. the next day.
Go Wild shopping list for Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area
A gun deer or archery license comes with a buck authorization; antlerless deer on this land need a public-access authorization.
Restricted parts of Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area
The DNR closed-areas layer lists 1 zone on Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area.
| Area | What applies | Dates | Size | NR rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area | No Hunting or Trapping | Jan 1–Dec 31 | 9 | NR 11.20(7)(b) |
Stocked birds and dove fields, Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area
860 pheasants are on the 2026 stocking plan, for 1,100 acres of fields. Noon closure for pheasants on weekdays, October through Nov. 3.
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.
The parts of Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area
1 units sit inside Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area, 590 acres in total.
| Name | Kind | Counties | Acres | Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson Marsh | State natural area | Washington | 590 | — |
What hunters pursue at Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area
Species the agency lists here: whitetails, wild turkeys, ducks and geese, pheasants and raccoons, foxes and coyotes.
White-tailed deer
Wild turkey
Ducks and geese
Pheasant
Furbearers
Unlisted species follow the Washington County dates below, subject to the property rules.
Species from the property record (species named by the source); bag limits from the DNR regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area: opening and closing days
From bear baiting in September to the last spring turkey period, 42 season segments apply to Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area.
| Species | Hunt type | Zone or unit | Opening | Closing | 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 | 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.
Washington County harvest near Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area
Deer registered in the Washington County unit, 2025: 3,731. The decade peaked at 3,731 in 2025 and bottomed at 2,742 in 2017. Through Oct. 19, 2026: 46 antlered and 90 antlerless in Washington (preliminary). CWD year 2025 brought 172 Washington County samples and 0 positives. Running total since 1999: 1,827 tested. No harvest is published for Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area itself, so the county unit is the finest level.
Registered deer in the Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area county unit
| Year | Antlered | Antlerless | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
CWD tests in Washington County
| CWD year | Wild deer sampled | 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.
Around Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area: more places to hunt
The big marker is Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area. Smaller ones are its 10 closest neighbours. The neighbours add 59,911 acres between them.
| Nearby | Kind | Acres | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Creek Streambank Protection Area | Habitat area | 101 | 1.2 mi | southwest |
| Cedarburg Habitat Preservation | Wildlife area | 19 | 4.6 mi | east |
| Cedarburg Bog | State natural area | 1,757 | 6.2 mi | northeast |
| Kettle Moraine State Forest Pike Lake Unit | State forest | 781 | 10 mi | west |
| Kettle Moraine | State forest | 55,890 | 10 mi | west |
| Lucas | WPA | 41 | 11 mi | northeast |
| Allenton Marsh | Wildlife area | 1,159 | 11 mi | west |
| Ulao | WPA | 44 | 12 mi | east |
| Milwaukee River Floodplain Forest | State natural area | 77 | 12 mi | north |
| Kewaskum Maple-Oak Woods | State natural area | 42 | 12 mi | north |
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.
Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area: nearby towns and businesses
Town pages first, then shops, processors and DNR desks.
| Base town | County | Away | Residents | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson | Washington | 2.7 mi | 8,169 | 5,035 |
| West Bend | Washington | 6.3 mi | 32,149 | 9,587 |
| Cedarburg | Ozaukee | 7.1 mi | 13,011 | 2,691 |
| Richfield | Washington | 9.1 mi | 11,783 | 4,937 |
County-level hunting pages: Washington County.
Shops a short drive from Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area
DNR desks closest to Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area
Service center for Washington County business: DNR Waukesha 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.
Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area: nearest ranges
About 11 miles separates Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area from Bear Arms Boutique Shooting Range, the nearest public map range. Nearby rod and gun clubs round out the list.
rifle, handgun on file
rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire on file
trap, skeet, sporting clays, shotgun on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
Shooting light at Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area by date
At Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area the offset is 4 minutes (Zone B). The times below already include it for both DNR shooting-hours areas.
| Day | Season | North table | South table |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 88.12 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
What people ask about hunting Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area
Which agency sets the rules on Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area?
The Wisconsin DNR treats it as a DNR state wildlife area.
What is inside Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area?
1 part, each linked above.
Where do Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area hunters spend the night?
Start from Jackson; the land is 3 miles off, in Washington County.
What acreage is listed for Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area?
Roughly 2,482 acres.
Which DMU takes in Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area?
Deer unit Washington; zone Southern Farmland. The 2026 antlerless quota is 2,200 (Washington); use a public-access antlerless tag here.
Which species are hunted on Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area?
Listed: whitetails, wild turkeys, ducks and geese, pheasants and raccoons, foxes and coyotes.
Which turkey zone is Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area in?
Zone 2, one bird per spring authorization.
Which bear management zone holds Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area?
Bear Zone F. Zone F took 1 preference point in 2026.
Is deer baiting legal near Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area?
No: Washington County bans deer baiting and feeding. Wild deer with CWD are documented in Washington County.
What are the waterfowl zones for Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area?
It sits in the Southern duck and Southern goose zones. In the Southern Zone the regular duck split begins Oct 3.
How do I register a deer from Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area?
Through GameReg (online, phone or a station) by 5 p.m. the day after recovery.
Do I need blaze orange at Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area?
In any open firearm deer season, wear blaze orange or pink on at least half your coat and cap.
Is all of Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area open to hunting?
Yes, 1 of them, shown in the rules section.
Check Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area once more
Refuges, closed areas and park windows at Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area can shift mid-season; the property page and the DNR map have the current picture.
Sources for this page: DNR: jackson · DNR GIS · DNR: alpha · DNR GIS · DNR GIS; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: USFWS/Southeast (Public domain); Dave Williss (CC BY 2.0).