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Wildlife area · South Central region
Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County) for Wisconsin hunters
A hunter's summary of Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County) in Columbia County: zones and quota, rules, CWD numbers and local help.
Photo: Mobilus In Mobili (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County)
Parking, trailheads and gates near Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County)
- Parking areaParking · 1.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Wildlife Area Accessible ParkingParking · 3.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.5 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.
Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County): record card
Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County): a DNR state wildlife area, located in Columbia County. Region on record: the DNR South Central Region. The Wisconsin DNR writes the rules on the ground. The 2,277 acres on record put it 71st of the 285 state wildlife areas we list. Base town: Rio, some 4 miles away. 2 units or parcels make it up.
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 Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County)
Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County) deer unit, quota and game zones
The deer unit is Columbia, in the Southern Farmland zone. The 2026 antlerless quota for that unit is 8,800. For black bear this is Zone F, with no hound hunting; 764 permits for 2026. Turkey hunting falls under Zone 3, which had 55,612 spring permits in 2025. The DNR counts Columbia County among its CWD-affected counties. Columbia County sits under the DNR deer baiting and feeding ban.
The deer unit around Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County)
| DMU | Deer zone | Antlerless quota | Public-land bonus | Private-land bonus | Free tags per license |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | Southern Farmland | 8,800 | 1,000 | 4,000 | 4 |
Bear, turkey and bird zones at Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County)
| Zone | Rule | Numbers | Extra | 2025 result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear F | Bait only | 50 target, 764 permits | 1 point | 27 bears in 2025 |
| Wild turkey 3 | 55,612 spring tags (2025) | 22% success | 12,324 gobblers | 1,500 fall bonus |
| Grouse zone B | Oct 17–Dec 8 | 2 a day | ||
| Ducks | Southern | Oct 3–Oct 11 Oct 17–Dec 6 | ||
| Geese | Southern | Sep 16–Oct 11 Oct 17–Dec 6 Dec 19–Jan 2 | ||
| Wolf zone 6 | Closed | Federally 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.
Rules on the ground at Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County)
Entry terms for Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County)
Anyone licensed can hunt and trap here in season. Watch for posted refuges and closed areas, and follow NR 45.
Wisconsin rules that follow you to Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County)
During any firearm deer season, everyone hunting except waterfowlers wears blaze orange or fluorescent pink on at least half the clothing above the waist, and on half of any cap. DNR land rule: 144 sq in of solid orange or pink on any ground blind in gun season. Leave no stand overnight south of Hwy. 64. North of the highway, two per hunter per county may stay from Sept. 1 to Jan. 31. GameReg registration is due by 5 p.m. the day after you recover the animal.
Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County): licenses and tags
Go Wild carries every license. For antlerless deer on public ground, use a public-access tag for the right DMU.
Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County) closed zones
Closed or limited zones on Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County): 1. Most common exception: Except gun and muzzleloader deer, retrieval of legally killed or crippled game in posted zones.
| Closed area | Type | Period | Acres | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mud Lake | No entry wildlife refuge | SEP 1–NOV 30 | 135 | NR 11.07(2)(a) |
Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County) upland bird notes
Stocked rooster ground: 600 birds proposed for 2026 on 1,800 acres. It is a noon-closure property: weekdays, pheasant hunting stops at noon until 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.
Game and bag limits at Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County)
Whitetails, wild turkeys, ducks and geese, pheasants, squirrels, cottontails and hares, raccoons, foxes and coyotes and mourning doves, per the property record.
White-tailed deer
Wild turkey
Ducks and geese
Pheasant
Small game
Furbearers
Mourning dove
Other legal game follows the Columbia County season table below.
Species from the property record (species named by the source); bag limits from the DNR regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Every Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County) season on one table
Private and public land share these dates. A state park, refuge or Fort McCoy can close sooner, so read the property page before you go.
| Animal | Segment | Scope | Starts | Ends | Open 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: Columbia | Dec 24, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone F | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall turkey | Turkey Zone 3/1/2 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 3/1/2 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 3/1/2 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 3/1/2 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 3/1/2 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 3/1/2 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 3/1/2 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 3/1/2 | 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.
Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County) described by the DNR
Quoted as published; nothing here is our wording.
Mud Lake Wildlife Area is a 2,283-acre property located in Columbia County. Find it south of Rio, 1 mile on Highway C, then west on Drake Road 1 mile. The property consists of approximately 1,080 acres of wetland, 590 acres of upland and 613 acres of forested habitat. The Mud Lake area has long provided excellent habitat for a variety of wildlife and migratory birds. Action to acquire lands in and around the Mud Lake marsh commenced in 1948.
In 1940, a ditch to drain the marsh was constructed by private landowners. The Wisconsin Public Service Commission responded to complaints of the marsh drainage and ordered that normal water levels of Mud Lake be reestablished. The Wisconsin Conservation Department (now the Wisconsin DNR) constructed dikes and installed water control structures to manipulate water levels in the Mud Lake basin. In 1958, through the cooperation of the Rio Conservation Club, an artesian well was reopened on the south side of Mud Lake to allow continuous water flow into the marsh.
The amount of flow appears to be dependent on groundwater recharge.
Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County): hunting text as published
- Three flowages (about 50, 110, and 800 acres) have been developed and maintained for waterfowl and furbearer use, as well as to provide hunting, trapping and non-consumptive recreation opportunities.
- 30 except for deer hunting during the gun and muzzleloader seasons.
- Historically, the primary management objective for Mud Lake Wildlife Area was to provide hunting and other outdoor recreation opportunities.
- As lands were acquired, marginal farm fields were converted to prairie or grassland to complement the existing native prairie and grassland communities and provide additional wildlife habitat and hunting opportunities.
- Hunting (especially noted for deer, waterfowl, pheasant [noon closure rules apply], turkeys [Zone 3], squirrels, rabbits and furbearers)
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
Every unit of Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County)
Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County) lists 2 units with 247 acres between them.
| Unit | Type | County | Acres | Game listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mud Lake Forest and Ponds | State natural area | Columbia | 131 | — |
| Empire Prairies | State natural area | Columbia, Dane | 116 | — |
Harvest numbers for the country around Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County)
2025 in Columbia County: 3,299 bucks, 3,890 antlerless, 7,189 in all. Range since 2016: 5,828 to 7,440 deer a year. Early 2026 registrations (archery, crossbow, youth hunt): Columbia 571. The DNR sampled 616 deer from Columbia County in 2025; 169 had CWD. 824 positives overall, from 9,739 deer. Figures are for the whole county unit, not Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County) alone; the DNR does not report harvest by property.
Columbia County unit harvest
| Season | Bucks | Does and fawns | Registered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3,299 | 3,890 | 7,189 |
| 2024 | 3,317 | 3,859 | 7,176 |
| 2023 | 3,203 | 3,426 | 6,629 |
| 2022 | 3,219 | 3,658 | 6,877 |
| 2021 | 3,016 | 3,151 | 6,167 |
| 2020 | 3,357 | 4,083 | 7,440 |
CWD samples, Columbia County
| Year | Tested | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 44 | 14 |
| 2025 | 616 | 169 |
| 2024 | 595 | 129 |
| 2023 | 534 | 112 |
| 2022 | 477 | 93 |
| 2021 | 510 | 74 |
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.
Bed, fuel and a butcher near Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County)
Where to sleep, where to buy shells, where to drop off a deer.
| Town | County | Miles | Population | Public land nearby |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rio | Columbia | 3.8 mi | 1,126 | 13,789 |
| Wyocena | Columbia | 5.8 mi | 732 | 15,185 |
| Poynette | Columbia | 5.8 mi | 2,834 | 8,779 |
| Pardeeville | Columbia | 8.8 mi | 2,258 | 16,019 |
Season and zone pages by county: Columbia County.
Who processes a deer from Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County)
Where to ask about Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County)
Licenses and questions for Columbia County go through the DNR Fitchburg 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.
Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County) and nearby public ground
Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County) at the big pin; the nearest 10 public places around it. Combined, 3,807 acres are on record.
| Public land | Type | Acres | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rowe | WPA | 334 | 1.6 mi | northwest |
| Rocky Run | Fishery area | 740 | 4.1 mi | northwest |
| Schoeneberg Marsh | WPA | 735 | 4.2 mi | south |
| Rocky Run Oak Savanna | State natural area | 455 | 4.3 mi | northwest |
| Ludwig | WPA | 33 | 4.9 mi | northeast |
| Manthey | WPA | 352 | 5.4 mi | east |
| Roelke Creek | Fishery area | 40 | 5.8 mi | north |
| Hinkson Creek | WPA | 337 | 5.9 mi | west |
| Grassy Lake | Wildlife area | 700 | 5.9 mi | east |
| Vangen | WPA | 81 | 6.1 mi | east |
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.
Shooting-hour table for Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County)
Two tables cover the state, one for the Northern Area and one for the Southern Area, each for Zone A. West of 88 degrees you add 4 minutes per degree of longitude.
| Date | Why it matters | Northern Area | Southern Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 12, 2026 | Bow, turkey, grouse opener | 6:03 a.m. to 7:35 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 7:34 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Pheasant and duck dates | 6:47 a.m. to 6:29 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 6:32 p.m. |
| Nov 1, 2026 | Early November | 6:08 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer opener | 6:36 a.m. to 4:42 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. to 4:48 p.m. |
| Dec 1, 2026 | Muzzleloader week | 6:48 a.m. to 4:36 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 4:43 p.m. |
| Dec 24, 2026 | Holiday Hunt opener | 7:07 a.m. to 4:38 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 4:46 p.m. |
| Jan 3, 2027 | Archery close (most units) | 7:09 a.m. to 4:47 p.m. | 7:03 a.m. to 4:54 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 C offset of 8 minutes for longitude 89.29 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Mud Lake Wildlife Area: nearest ranges
About 5 miles separates Mud Lake Wildlife Area from Columbia County Shooting Range, the nearest public map range. Club ranges within 30 miles are included.
rifle, shotgun on file
archery, 3D archery on file
handgun on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
Before-the-trip answers for Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County)
Which goose zone is Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County) in?
Ducks follow the Southern zone, Canada geese the Southern zone. Opening day for Southern Zone ducks is Oct 3.
Can I bait deer at Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County)?
No bait or feed in Columbia County. The county list for CWD includes Columbia County.
When does orange apply at Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County)?
Pink counts the same as orange: 50% above the waist in firearm deer seasons.
Does a Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County) deer go into GameReg?
By 5 p.m. the following day, through GameReg; bears also go to a station or online the same way.
What paperwork does Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County) need?
Gun deer ($24), archer ($24) or small game ($18) for residents; nonresident gun deer is $200.
Are there restrictions inside Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County)?
Not all of it. The DNR layer lists 1 zone such as Mud Lake.
Which public land sits closest to Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County)?
Rowe Waterfowl Production Area (2 miles), Rocky Run Fishery Area (4 miles) and Schoeneberg Marsh Waterfowl Production Area (4 miles), each with a page here.
How many units does Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County) have?
2; the largest is Mud Lake Forest and Ponds State Natural Area.
Is Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County) DNR, county or federal ground?
A DNR state wildlife area; the manager is the Wisconsin DNR.
Is Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County) a big property?
2,277 acres in the source data.
Which town works as a base for Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County)?
Columbia County; Rio, the nearest town we cover, is 4 miles away.
Which species does the record give for Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County)?
Whitetails, wild turkeys, ducks and geese, pheasants, squirrels, cottontails and hares, raccoons, foxes and coyotes and mourning doves, plus any other season open in the county.
What deer tags work on Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County)?
It is in Columbia (Southern Farmland). This year the antlerless quota is 8,800.
Signing off on Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County)
Gates, refuges and open areas at Mud Lake Wildlife Area (Columbia County) are the manager's call; confirm them before opening day.
Sources for this page: DNR: MudLake · DNR GIS · DNR: alpha · DNR GIS · DNR GIS · DNR: Mud; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: born1945 (CC BY 2.0); Wesley Fryer (CC BY 2.0).