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Hunting at Necedah National Wildlife Refuge
Necedah National Wildlife Refuge, 45,000 acres in Juneau County: whitetails, wild turkeys, ducks and geese and ruffed grouse, zones and tags, property rules, county harvest and the land nearby.
Photo: Joshua Mayer from Madison, WI, USA (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Necedah National Wildlife Refuge
Parking, trailheads and gates near Necedah National Wildlife Refuge
- Parking areaParking · 7.2 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.
Necedah NWR on one card
Hunters reach Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in Juneau County; it is a national wildlife refuge with a hunt program. This is west-central Wisconsin, in the DNR West Central Region. Day-to-day it is in the hands of the Fish and Wildlife Service. Measured at 45,000 acres, it comes in 2nd of 7 refuges. Necedah is the nearest town with a guide on this site, about 9 miles away; the land lies northwest of it.
From the source page (USFWS hunting page ("the 45,000-acre refuge")); region from the DNR county layer. Checked October 19, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Necedah National Wildlife Refuge
Zones that take in Necedah NWR
Necedah NWR is Central Forest deer country, unit DMU 206. Antlerless quota, 2026: 400. The Zone C bear quota for 2026 is 875, spread over 4,465 drawn permits. Zone 1 turkey numbers for 2025: 64,574 spring tags, 21% success. Wild deer with CWD have been confirmed in Juneau County. Leave the corn at home; Juneau County bans deer baiting.
Antlerless tags near Necedah NWR
| Unit | Zone | Quota 2026 | Bonus, public | Bonus, private | Farmland tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 206 | Central Forest | 400 | 0 | 940 | — |
Necedah NWR: other game zones
| Zone | Detail | Numbers | More | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear zone C | No hounds | 875 target, 4,465 permits | 2 points | 663 bears in 2025 |
| Turkey 1 | 64,574 spring tags (2025) | 21% success | 13,813 gobblers | 1,500 fall bonus |
| Ruffed grouse A | Sep 12–Jan 3 | 5 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 | ||
| Elk | Central (Black River Elk Range) | 6 bull and 6 antlerless | Public land nearly 70% | |
| Wolf 5 | 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 Fish and Wildlife Service describes Necedah NWR
The managing agency's own text.
Largest public hunting area near Madison and Milwaukee; as many as 2,000 deer hunters on opening day. Juneau County.
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
What Necedah NWR requires of hunters
Necedah NWR access terms
Hunting areas are signed 1, 2 and 3 (Safety Zone 1 is closed). Waterfowl and other migratory birds in Hunt Area 2 only. Nearly the entire refuge opens for the deer firearms season; Area 3 opens for the regular gun, muzzleloader and late archery seasons. Enter no earlier than 1 hour before and leave within 1 hour after shooting hours; no hunting within 50 feet of road centerlines. Prohibited: wolf, coyote, bobcat and bear hunting, night hunting, baiting, trail cameras, drones, permanent stands, lead shot, dog training; trapping only by special use permit.
The rule book on Necedah NWR
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). Deer and turkeys go into GameReg online or by phone by 5 p.m. the next day.
Go Wild shopping list for Necedah NWR
A gun deer or archery license comes with a buck authorization; antlerless deer on this land need a public-access authorization.
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.
What hunters pursue at Necedah NWR
Species the agency lists here: whitetails, wild turkeys, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse, squirrels, cottontails and hares, woodcock, mourning doves and snipe and rails.
White-tailed deer
Wild turkey
Ducks and geese
Ruffed grouse
Small game
Woodcock
Mourning dove
Snipe and rails
Unlisted species follow the Juneau 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.
Necedah NWR: opening and closing days
From bear baiting in September to the last spring turkey period, 43 season segments apply to Necedah NWR.
| 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 | 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, Juneau | 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 C/E | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Elk | Elk, all weapons | Central Elk Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall turkey | Turkey Zone 1 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 1 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 1 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 1 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 1 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 1 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 1 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 1 | May 26, 2027 | Jun 1, 2027 | |
| Ruffed Grouse | Ruffed grouse | Grouse Zone A | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 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.
Juneau County harvest near Necedah NWR
Deer registered in the Juneau County unit, 2025: 4,295. The decade peaked at 4,858 in 2024 and bottomed at 3,790 in 2019. Through Oct. 19, 2026: 30 antlered and 17 antlerless in DMU 206 (preliminary). CWD year 2025 brought 370 Juneau County samples and 61 positives. Running total since 1999: 4,925 tested. The 2025 bear count for Juneau County was 8. No harvest is published for Necedah NWR itself, so the county unit is the finest level.
Registered deer in the Necedah NWR county unit
| Year | Antlered | Antlerless | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,902 | 2,393 | 4,295 |
| 2024 | 2,517 | 2,341 | 4,858 |
| 2023 | 2,393 | 2,079 | 4,472 |
| 2022 | 2,558 | 2,268 | 4,826 |
| 2021 | 2,282 | 2,050 | 4,332 |
| 2020 | 2,377 | 2,408 | 4,785 |
CWD tests in Juneau County
| CWD year | Wild deer sampled | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 39 | 3 |
| 2025 | 370 | 61 |
| 2024 | 360 | 56 |
| 2023 | 322 | 35 |
| 2022 | 299 | 24 |
| 2021 | 326 | 17 |
Bear numbers near Necedah NWR
| Year | Total | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 22 | 16 | 6 |
| 2025 | 8 | 4 | 4 |
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 Necedah NWR: more places to hunt
The big marker is Necedah NWR. Smaller ones are its 10 closest neighbours. The neighbours add 121,824 acres between them.
| Nearby | Kind | Acres | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meadow Valley Barrens | State natural area | 631 | 5.1 mi | southwest |
| Suk Cerney Peatlands | State natural area | 3,611 | 5.5 mi | southwest |
| Meadow Valley | Wildlife area | 58,071 | 5.6 mi | west |
| Cranberry Creek Mound Group | State natural area | 675 | 6.0 mi | northeast |
| Blueberry Trail | State natural area | 251 | 7.6 mi | southwest |
| Kingston Pines | State natural area | 535 | 8.1 mi | northwest |
| Wood | County forest | 37,826 | 11 mi | north |
| Wood County | Wildlife area | 19,240 | 12 mi | north |
| Yellow River Oxbows | State natural area | 898 | 12 mi | southeast |
| Yellow River Floodplain Forest | State natural area | 86 | 13 mi | north |
Points from the DNR managed lands, SNA, county forest, FWS realty, USFS, NPS and DoD layers (FWS National Realty FWSInterest_Simplified_Authoritative (centroid of Wisconsin portion) (polygon centroid)). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Necedah NWR: nearby towns and businesses
Town pages first, then shops, processors and DNR desks.
| Base town | County | Away | Residents | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Necedah | Juneau | 8.9 mi | 914 | 50,600 |
| Babcock | Wood | 13 mi | — | 85,496 |
| Ceex Haci | Wood | 15 mi | — | 30,121 |
| Oakdale | Monroe | 15 mi | 303 | 18,411 |
County-level hunting pages: Juneau County.
Shops a short drive from Necedah NWR
DNR desks closest to Necedah NWR
Service center for Juneau County business: DNR La Crosse 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.
Necedah National Wildlife Refuge: nearest ranges
About 17 miles separates Necedah National Wildlife Refuge from M&M Sportshop & Shooting Range, the nearest public map range. Nearby rod and gun clubs round out the list.
archery on file
trap, shotgun on file
sporting clays, shotgun on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
Shooting light at Necedah NWR by date
At Necedah NWR the offset is 12 minutes (Zone D). 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 | 6:07 a.m. to 7:39 p.m. | 6:09 a.m. to 7:38 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Pheasant and duck dates | 6:51 a.m. to 6:33 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 6:36 p.m. |
| Nov 1, 2026 | Early November | 6:12 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. | 6:09 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer opener | 6:40 a.m. to 4:46 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. to 4:52 p.m. |
| Dec 1, 2026 | Muzzleloader week | 6:52 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. | 6:47 a.m. to 4:47 p.m. |
| Dec 24, 2026 | Holiday Hunt opener | 7:11 a.m. to 4:42 p.m. | 7:05 a.m. to 4:50 p.m. |
| Jan 3, 2027 | Archery close (most units) | 7:13 a.m. to 4:51 p.m. | 7:07 a.m. to 4:58 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 D offset of 12 minutes for longitude 90.17 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
What people ask about hunting Necedah NWR
Which Wisconsin license covers Necedah NWR?
Go Wild sells everything needed; antlerless tags on public land must be public-access tags.
How do I register a deer from Necedah NWR?
Through GameReg (online, phone or a station) by 5 p.m. the day after recovery.
Which agency sets the rules on Necedah NWR?
The Fish and Wildlife Service treats it as a national wildlife refuge with a hunt program.
If Necedah NWR is full, where next?
Within a short drive: Meadow Valley Barrens State Natural Area (5 miles), Suk Cerney Peatlands State Natural Area (5 miles) and Meadow Valley Wildlife Area (6 miles).
Where do Necedah NWR hunters spend the night?
Start from Necedah; the land is 9 miles off, in Juneau County.
What acreage is listed for Necedah NWR?
Roughly 45,000 acres.
Which DMU takes in Necedah NWR?
Deer unit DMU 206; zone Central Forest. The 2026 antlerless quota is 400 (DMU 206); use a public-access antlerless tag here.
Which species are hunted on Necedah NWR?
Listed: whitetails, wild turkeys, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse, squirrels, cottontails and hares, woodcock, mourning doves and snipe and rails.
Which turkey zone is Necedah NWR in?
Zone 1, one bird per spring authorization.
Which bear management zone holds Necedah NWR?
Bear Zone C. Zone C took 2 preference points in 2026.
Is deer baiting legal near Necedah NWR?
No: Juneau County bans deer baiting and feeding. Wild deer with CWD are documented in Juneau County.
What are the waterfowl zones for Necedah NWR?
It sits in the Southern duck and Southern goose zones. In the Southern Zone the regular duck split begins Oct 3.
Do I need blaze orange at Necedah NWR?
In any open firearm deer season, wear blaze orange or pink on at least half your coat and cap.
Check Necedah NWR once more
Refuges, closed areas and park windows at Necedah NWR can shift mid-season; the property page and the DNR map have the current picture.
Sources for this page: USFWS: hunting · USFWS: rules policies · USFWS: necedah · eCFR: section 32.68 · FWS realty layer; 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); Dana Beveridge (CC BY 2.0).