Home › Wisconsin › Public land › Lyons Wildlife Area
Walworth County, Wisconsin
Lyons Wildlife Area: the hunter's file
Deer unit Walworth, bear and turkey zones, closures, licenses and the nearest towns and services.
Photo: Chris Rycroft from Madison, Wisconsin, United States (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Lyons Wildlife Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Lyons Wildlife Area
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 0.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.7 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.
Key facts for Lyons Wildlife Area
Lyons Wildlife Area is a DNR state wildlife area in Walworth County. The DNR files it under its Southeast Region (southeast Wisconsin). Management sits with the Wisconsin DNR. Acreage: 134, which places it 204th of 285 state wildlife areas. The closest covered town is Elkhorn, around 8 miles off as the crow flies.
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 Lyons Wildlife Area
Lyons Wildlife Area by zone and unit
Deer: Southern Farmland zone, Walworth. 1,900 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 Walworth County; free testing is offered statewide. Baiting and feeding deer are banned in Walworth County.
DMU figures for Lyons Wildlife Area
| Unit | Deer zone | Quota | Public-access bonus | Private bonus | Farmland per license |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walworth | Southern Farmland | 1,900 | 900 | 1,000 | 2 |
Lyons 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.
Lyons Wildlife Area: the property description
Copied from the official listing.
Lyons Wildlife Area is a 135-acre property located 2 miles north of Lake Geneva off Buckby Road in Walworth County. It consists of a mix of upland restored prairie, sedge meadow, and open marshlands with intermixed lowland brush and oak/aspen forest. The White River and Como Creek run along the southern end of the property. Seasonally maintained access lanes provide an intermediate difficulty path around the grasslands and adjacent to the forests and wetlands. Birding opportunities are great on this property and hunting opportunities for deer and small game are plentiful.
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
Access, closures and licenses for Lyons Wildlife Area
Lyons 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 Lyons 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 Lyons Wildlife Area
Licenses sell on Go Wild. On public land, antlerless deer need a public-access authorization for the unit.
Where you cannot hunt at Lyons Wildlife Area
Mind these 3 areas before you set up. The common carve-out: Except gun and muzzleloader deer, retrieval of legally killed or crippled game in posted zones.
| Area | Restriction | Dates | Acres | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peterkin Pond | Year-round game refuge | Jan 1–Dec 31 | 127 | NR 11.02(5)(a) |
| Peat Lake State Natural Area | No entry wildlife refuge | SEP 1–DEC 31 | 169 | NR 11.05(1)(a) |
| Dover | No entry wildlife refuge | SEP 1–DEC 31 | 86 | NR 11.05(3)(a) |
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 Lyons Wildlife Area lists
Game on the record for Lyons Wildlife Area: whitetails, squirrels, cottontails and hares and raccoons, foxes and coyotes.
White-tailed deer
Small game
Furbearers
Seasons not named here still apply if they are open in Walworth 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 Lyons Wildlife Area
Deer dates are statewide in Wisconsin; bear, turkey, grouse, cottontail and waterfowl dates follow zone lines, so only the rows for Lyons 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 | 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: Walworth | 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.
Lyons Wildlife Area: county harvest and CWD tests
Hunters registered 2,132 deer in the Walworth County unit in 2025: 1,114 bucks and 1,018 antlerless. High year on the chart: 2025 at 2,132; low year: 2017 at 1,199. Preliminary 2026 count to Oct. 19: 213 in Walworth. Walworth County CWD testing (2025): 27 positives out of 135 samples. Cumulative total 182 positives in 7,764 tests. Harvest and CWD figures cover Walworth County as a whole.
Walworth County deer by year
| Year | Buck | Antlerless | Deer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,114 | 1,018 | 2,132 |
| 2024 | 1,052 | 1,007 | 2,059 |
| 2023 | 1,030 | 851 | 1,881 |
| 2022 | 965 | 775 | 1,740 |
| 2021 | 811 | 750 | 1,561 |
| 2020 | 884 | 845 | 1,729 |
Testing for CWD, Walworth County
| Year | Deer tested | CWD positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 15 | 0 |
| 2025 | 135 | 27 |
| 2024 | 141 | 18 |
| 2023 | 120 | 18 |
| 2022 | 96 | 12 |
| 2021 | 96 | 12 |
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.
Lyons Wildlife Area pinned among its neighbours
Map of Lyons Wildlife Area and the 10 nearest public places. That is 4,024 acres of public ground.
| Area | Category | Acreage | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Como Lake | Habitat area | 183 | 3.1 mi | west |
| Big Foot Beach | State park | 268 | 4.1 mi | south |
| Bloomfield | Wildlife area | 1,264 | 4.4 mi | south |
| Peterkin Pond | Wildlife area | 131 | 6.9 mi | south |
| Honey Creek | Wildlife area | 1,341 | 7.1 mi | northeast |
| Karcher Springs | State natural area | 30 | 7.4 mi | east |
| Karcher | Wildlife area | 282 | 7.7 mi | east |
| Hackmatack | Wildlife refuge | 82 | 8.3 mi | south |
| Delavan Lake | Wildlife area | 11 | 8.5 mi | west |
| Burlington Habitat Areas | Wildlife area | 432 | 9.0 mi | northeast |
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.
Towns, processors and DNR desks near Lyons 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elkhorn | Walworth | 7.8 mi | 10,122 | 4,385 |
| Lauderdale Lakes | Walworth | 14 mi | — | 24,359 |
| Turtle Lake | Walworth | 16 mi | — | 14,164 |
| Mukwonago | Waukesha | 16 mi | 8,512 | 19,552 |
For the wider county picture: Walworth County.
Venison, mounts and ammo near Lyons Wildlife Area
Lyons Wildlife Area: agency contacts
County service center: DNR Janesville Service Center (608-743-4800).
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.
Lyons Wildlife Area: nearest ranges
McMiller Sports Center in Waukesha County is the nearest DNR-map range, 18 miles out. Two nearby club ranges follow.
rifle, handgun, archery, trap, sporting clays on file
archery, 3D archery on file
trap, rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire, archery on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
First and last legal minute at Lyons 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 88.40 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Questions hunters raise about Lyons Wildlife Area
When must I register a turkey from Lyons Wildlife Area?
Deer: online, phone or station by 5 p.m. next day. Turkeys: online or phone only.
Which tags work on Lyons Wildlife Area?
No special permit for most of it; buy the license on Go Wild and carry public-access antlerless tags.
Does Lyons Wildlife Area have a refuge?
No: 3 closed or restricted areas are listed, starting with Peterkin Pond.
Is there other public ground around Lyons Wildlife Area?
By straight-line distance: Como Lake State Habitat Area (3 miles), Big Foot Beach State Park (4 miles) and Bloomfield Wildlife Area (4 miles).
What type of property is Lyons Wildlife Area on the record?
It is a DNR state wildlife area, managed by the Wisconsin DNR.
What size is Lyons Wildlife Area on the record?
About 134 acres.
What is the nearest town to Lyons Wildlife Area?
Base in Elkhorn, 8 miles away; the ground is in Walworth County.
Which game is named for Lyons Wildlife Area?
The property record lists whitetails, squirrels, cottontails and hares and raccoons, foxes and coyotes.
What is the antlerless quota at Lyons Wildlife Area?
Walworth, part of the Southern Farmland zone. Antlerless goal for 2026: 1,900.
Which bear permit zone holds Lyons Wildlife Area?
F. You need a Class A license from the drawing.
How many turkey permits go to the Lyons Wildlife Area zone?
Turkey Zone 2. 51,056 spring tags were issued there in 2025.
What waterfowl dates apply at Lyons Wildlife Area?
Duck zone: Southern; goose zone: Southern. Southern Zone ducks open Oct 3, 2026-27.
Can I put out corn for deer at Lyons Wildlife Area?
Not here: Walworth County is under the ban. CWD has been found in wild deer in Walworth County.
Lyons Wildlife Area: one more look before the drive
Signs on the ground beat any web page. Read the posted boundaries at Lyons Wildlife Area when you arrive.
Sources for this page: DNR: Lyons · DNR GIS · DNR: alpha · DNR GIS; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: mbarrison (CC BY-SA 2.0); urbanwoodchuck (CC BY 2.0).