Home › Wisconsin › Public land › Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit
Sheboygan County · State forest
Hunting at Kettle Moraine State Forest – Northern Unit
Kettle Moraine State Forest – Northern Unit, 30,258 acres in Sheboygan, Fond du Lac and Washington counties: pheasants, zones and tags, property rules, county harvest and the land nearby.
Photo: wackybadger (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Kettle Moraine State Forest – Northern Unit
Parking, trailheads and gates near Kettle Moraine State Forest – Northern Unit
- Parking areaParking · 0.9 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
- Parking areaParking · 1.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 1.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 1.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 2.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.5 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.
Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit on one card
Hunters reach Kettle Moraine State Forest – Northern Unit in Sheboygan, Fond du Lac and Washington counties; it is a Wisconsin state forest. This is southeast Wisconsin, in the DNR Southeast Region. Day-to-day it is in the hands of the Wisconsin DNR. Measured at 30,258 acres, it comes in 8th of 16 state forests. Greenbush is the nearest town with a guide on this site, about 9 miles away; the land lies south of it. It sits within Kettle Moraine State Forest. Below are the 12 units it contains.
From the source page (WI DNR Managed Lands GIS ACRES field, parcels open to hunting); region from the DNR county layer. Checked October 19, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Kettle Moraine State Forest – Northern Unit
Zones that take in Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit
Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit is Central Farmland and Southern Farmland deer country, unit Sheboygan, Fond du Lac and Washington. Antlerless quota, 2026: 3,100, 3,500 and 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 Sheboygan, Fond du Lac and Washington counties. Leave the corn at home; Sheboygan, Fond du Lac and Washington counties bans deer baiting.
Antlerless tags near Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit
| Unit | Zone | Quota 2026 | Bonus, public | Bonus, private | Farmland tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sheboygan | Central Farmland | 3,100 | 371 | 595 | 2 |
| Fond du Lac | Central Farmland | 3,500 | 1,158 | 1,486 | 2 |
| Washington | Southern Farmland | 2,200 | 500 | 1,550 | 3 |
| Sheboygan County Metro Sub-Unit | Metro unit | With parent | 100 | 100 | 2 |
Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit: 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.
What Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit requires of hunters
Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit access terms
Open to public hunting in state seasons with the required licenses, except in campgrounds, picnic areas and other posted special-use areas.
The rule book on Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit
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 Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit
A gun deer or archery license comes with a buck authorization; antlerless deer on this land need a public-access authorization.
Restricted parts of Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit
The DNR closed-areas layer lists 3 zones on Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit. Exception printed most often: No exceptions.
| Area | What applies | Dates | Size | NR rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mauthe Lake | Year-round game refuge | Jan 1–Dec 31 | 1,088 | NR 11.02(1) |
| Kettle Moraine State Forest-Northern Unit-Iansr | Closed to hunting and trapping | Jan 1–Dec 31 | 2 | NR 23.09(2)(d) |
| Kettle Moraine State Forest-Northern Unit-Iansr | Closed to Public Access | Jan 1–Dec 31 | 144 | NR 23.09(10) |
Stocked birds and dove fields, Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit
2,360 pheasants are on the 2026 stocking plan, for 5,200 acres of fields.
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.
Where Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit sits in the larger property
Kettle Moraine State Forest takes in Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit and 4 other units.
Sibling pages of Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit
| Unit | Category | County | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle Moraine State Forest Southern Unit | State forest | Waukesha, Walworth | 21,534 |
| Kettle Moraine State Forest Loew Lake Unit | State forest | Washington | 1,230 |
| Kettle Moraine State Forest Mukwonago River Unit | State forest | Waukesha, Walworth | 985 |
| Kettle Moraine State Forest Pike Lake Unit | State forest | Washington | 781 |
12 units sit inside Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit, 2,493 acres in total.
| Name | Kind | Counties | Acres | Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee River and Swamp | State natural area | Fond du Lac | 828 | — |
| Milwaukee River Tamarack Lowlands & Dundee Kame | State natural area | Fond du Lac | 511 | — |
| Crooked Lake Wetlands | State natural area | Sheboygan, Fond du Lac | 288 | — |
| Kettle Moraine Red Oaks | State natural area | Sheboygan | 241 | — |
| Butler Lake and Flynn's Spring | State natural area | Sheboygan | 163 | — |
| Spruce Lake Bog | State natural area | Fond du Lac | 145 | — |
| Kettle Hole Woods | State natural area | Sheboygan | 77 | — |
| Milwaukee River Floodplain Forest | State natural area | Washington | 77 | — |
| Haskell Noyes Woods | State natural area | Fond du Lac | 62 | — |
| Spring Lake | State natural area | Fond du Lac | 48 | — |
| Kewaskum Maple-Oak Woods | State natural area | Washington | 42 | — |
| Johnson Hill Kame | State natural area | Sheboygan | 11 | — |
What hunters pursue at Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit
Species the agency lists here: pheasants.
Pheasant
Unlisted species follow the Sheboygan 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.
Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit: opening and closing days
From bear baiting in September to the last spring turkey period, 43 season segments apply to Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit.
| 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: Sheboygan | 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 | Open Water Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 15, 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.
Sheboygan County harvest near Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit
Deer registered in the Sheboygan County unit, 2025: 3,562. The decade peaked at 3,562 in 2025 and bottomed at 2,885 in 2017. Through Oct. 19, 2026: 120 antlered and 189 antlerless in Sheboygan and 46 antlered and 90 antlerless in Washington (preliminary). CWD year 2025 brought 154 Sheboygan County samples and 2 positives. Running total since 1999: 2,417 tested. No harvest is published for Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit itself, so the county unit is the finest level.
Registered deer in the Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit county unit
| Year | Antlered | Antlerless | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,684 | 1,878 | 3,562 |
| 2024 | 1,664 | 1,872 | 3,536 |
| 2023 | 1,617 | 1,634 | 3,251 |
| 2022 | 1,489 | 1,929 | 3,418 |
| 2021 | 1,379 | 1,550 | 2,929 |
| 2020 | 1,508 | 1,991 | 3,499 |
CWD tests in Sheboygan County
| CWD year | Wild deer sampled | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 7 | 0 |
| 2025 | 154 | 2 |
| 2024 | 177 | 0 |
| 2023 | 170 | 0 |
| 2022 | 170 | 1 |
| 2021 | 217 | 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 Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit: more places to hunt
The big marker is Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit. Smaller ones are its 10 closest neighbours. The neighbours add 3,910 acres between them.
| Nearby | Kind | Acres | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle Moraine | WPA | 303 | 1.6 mi | southeast |
| Batavia | WPA | 228 | 5.8 mi | southeast |
| Nichols Creek Cedars and Springs | State natural area | 71 | 6.0 mi | northeast |
| Nichols Creek | Wildlife area | 659 | 6.1 mi | northeast |
| Nichols Creek East Cedars | State natural area | 120 | 6.4 mi | east |
| Boltonville | WPA | 182 | 6.6 mi | south |
| Areas-Onion River (Remnant) | Fishery area | 50 | 6.6 mi | northeast |
| Lake Ellen | Fishery area | 40 | 6.7 mi | east |
| White (Sheboygan County) | WPA | 13 | 6.9 mi | south |
| Mullet Creek | Wildlife area | 2,244 | 7.1 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) (polygon centroid)). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit: nearby towns and businesses
Town pages first, then shops, processors and DNR desks.
| Base town | County | Away | Residents | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenbush | Sheboygan | 9.1 mi | — | 22,624 |
| Kewaskum | Washington | 10 mi | 4,564 | 21,697 |
| Glenbeulah | Sheboygan | 11 mi | 453 | 19,264 |
| Mount Calvary | Fond du Lac | 13 mi | 488 | 9,930 |
County-level hunting pages: Sheboygan County, Fond du Lac County, Washington County.
Shops a short drive from Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit
DNR desks closest to Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit
Service center for Sheboygan County business: 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.
Where to sight in near Kettle Moraine State Forest – Northern Unit
About 15 miles separates Kettle Moraine State Forest – Northern Unit from Izaak Walton League/ A.D. Sutherland Chapter, the nearest public map range. Nearby rod and gun clubs round out the list.
rifle, handgun on file
trap, archery, 3D archery, shotgun on file
trap, rifle, shotgun on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
Shooting light at Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit by date
At Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit 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 88.15 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
What people ask about hunting Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit
Which agency sets the rules on Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit?
The Wisconsin DNR treats it as a Wisconsin state forest.
Which property holds Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit?
The parent is Kettle Moraine State Forest.
Where do Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit hunters spend the night?
Start from Greenbush; the land is 9 miles off, in Sheboygan, Fond du Lac and Washington counties.
What acreage is listed for Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit?
Roughly 30,258 acres.
Which DMU takes in Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit?
Deer unit Sheboygan, Fond du Lac and Washington; zone Central Farmland and Southern Farmland. The 2026 antlerless quota is 3,100 (Sheboygan), 3,500 (Fond du Lac) and 2,200 (Washington); use a public-access antlerless tag here.
Which species are hunted on Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit?
Listed: pheasants.
Which turkey zone is Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit in?
Zone 2, one bird per spring authorization.
Which bear management zone holds Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit?
Bear Zone F. Zone F took 1 preference point in 2026.
Is deer baiting legal near Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit?
No: Sheboygan, Fond du Lac and Washington counties ban deer baiting and feeding. Wild deer with CWD are documented in Sheboygan, Fond du Lac and Washington counties.
What are the waterfowl zones for Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit?
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 Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit?
Through GameReg (online, phone or a station) by 5 p.m. the day after recovery.
Do I need blaze orange at Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit?
In any open firearm deer season, wear blaze orange or pink on at least half your coat and cap.
Is all of Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit open to hunting?
Yes, 3 of them, shown in the rules section.
Check Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit once more
Refuges, closed areas and park windows at Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit can shift mid-season; the property page and the DNR map have the current picture.
Sources for this page: DNR GIS · DNR GIS · DNR GIS; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: USFWS Mountain-Prairie (CC BY 2.0); USFWS/Southeast (Public domain).