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Barron County, Wisconsin
New Auburn Wildlife Area: the hunter's file
Deer unit Barron, bear and turkey zones, closures, licenses and the nearest towns and services.
Photo: Joshua Mayer (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to New Auburn Wildlife Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near New Auburn Wildlife Area
- Parking areaParking · 0.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Truck ParkingParking · 0.9 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.
Key facts for New Auburn Wildlife Area
New Auburn Wildlife Area is a DNR state wildlife area in Barron County. The DNR files it under its Northern Region (the Northwoods). Management sits with the Wisconsin DNR. Acreage: 1,183, which places it 110th of 285 state wildlife areas. The closest covered town is Barron, around 17 miles off as the crow flies. It holds 1 listed unit, linked below.
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 New Auburn Wildlife Area
New Auburn Wildlife Area by zone and unit
Deer: Central Farmland zone, Barron. 4,500 antlerless deer: the 2026 quota for the unit. Bear hunters here apply for Zone D: 6,847 applied for 2026 and 3,855 permits went out. In Zone 4 turkey hunters held 34,997 spring tags in 2025 (spring 2027 levels are not out yet). Baiting and feeding deer are banned in Barron County.
DMU figures for New Auburn Wildlife Area
| Unit | Deer zone | Quota | Public-access bonus | Private bonus | Farmland per license |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barron | Central Farmland | 4,500 | 987 | 3,479 | 2 |
New Auburn Wildlife Area zone table
| Zone | Setting | Data | Also | Last season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear zone D | Dogs OK | 1,100 target, 3,855 permits | 2 points | 931 bears in 2025 |
| Turkey 4 | 34,997 spring tags (2025) | 24% success | 8,472 gobblers | 1,500 fall bonus |
| Ruffed grouse A | Sep 12–Jan 3 | 5 a day | ||
| Duck | Northern | Sep 26–Nov 24 | ||
| Goose | Northern | Sep 16–Dec 16 | ||
| Wolf 3 | 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.
New Auburn Wildlife Area: the property description
Copied from the official listing.
New Auburn Wildlife Area is a 1,176-acre property in Barron County consisting of marsh, prairie grass fields and forested upland. Find it by following Highway SS south of Chetek for 4.5 miles. The property is on the east side of the highway. Or, head north of New Auburn for 2 miles on 29th Street. Parking lots are located on the north, east and west sides of the wildlife area. This wildlife area provides great access to enjoy many activities such as wildlife viewing, hunting, and hiking.
Even with multiple parking lots around this property, people can still find places to recreate that are off the beaten path and rarely disturbed by human activity.
Hunting lines from the New Auburn Wildlife Area page
- Current use of the property centers around hunting, trapping and wildlife watching.
- Hunting (especially noted for deer, bear, ruffed grouse, pheasants, turkey and small game)
- Trapping (especially noted for beavers, muskrats and otters)
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
Access, closures and licenses for New Auburn Wildlife Area
New Auburn 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 New Auburn 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 New Auburn Wildlife Area
Licenses sell on Go Wild. On public land, antlerless deer need a public-access authorization for the unit.
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 New Auburn Wildlife Area is made of
Together its 1 units cover 317 acres.
| Unit | Category | County | Acres | Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Auburn Sedge Meadow | State natural area | Barron | 317 | — |
Which animals New Auburn Wildlife Area lists
Game on the record for New Auburn Wildlife Area: whitetails, black bears, wild turkeys, pheasants, ruffed grouse, squirrels, cottontails and hares and raccoons, foxes and coyotes.
White-tailed deer
Black bear
Wild turkey
Pheasant
Ruffed grouse
Small game
Furbearers
Seasons not named here still apply if they are open in Barron 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 New Auburn Wildlife Area
Deer dates are statewide in Wisconsin; bear, turkey, grouse, cottontail and waterfowl dates follow zone lines, so only the rows for New Auburn 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: Barron | Dec 24, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone D | Sep 9, 2026 | Sep 15, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone D | Sep 16, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone D | Oct 7, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall turkey | Turkey Zone 4/6 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 4/6 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 4/6 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 4/6 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 4/6 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 4/6 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 4/6 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 4/6 | May 26, 2027 | Jun 1, 2027 | |
| Ruffed Grouse | Ruffed grouse | Grouse Zone A | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| 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 | Northern cottontail zone | Sep 12, 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 | Northern Duck Zone | Sep 26, 2026 | Nov 24, 2026 | |
| Teal | Early teal | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 9, 2026 | |
| Geese | Regular goose | Northern Goose Zone | Sep 16, 2026 | Dec 16, 2026 | |
| 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.
New Auburn Wildlife Area: county harvest and CWD tests
Hunters registered 6,376 deer in the Barron County unit in 2025: 3,247 bucks and 3,129 antlerless. High year on the chart: 2022 at 7,098; low year: 2016 at 4,936. Preliminary 2026 count to Oct. 19: 676 in Barron. Barron County CWD testing (2025): 0 positives out of 155 samples. Cumulative total 0 positives in 2,338 tests. Barron County bear harvest, 2025: 140. Harvest and CWD figures cover Barron County as a whole.
Barron County deer by year
| Year | Buck | Antlerless | Deer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3,247 | 3,129 | 6,376 |
| 2024 | 2,810 | 2,979 | 5,789 |
| 2023 | 2,394 | 3,063 | 5,457 |
| 2022 | 3,070 | 4,028 | 7,098 |
| 2021 | 2,667 | 3,520 | 6,187 |
| 2020 | 2,847 | 4,076 | 6,923 |
Testing for CWD, Barron County
| Year | Deer tested | CWD positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 37 | 0 |
| 2025 | 155 | 0 |
| 2024 | 119 | 0 |
| 2023 | 136 | 0 |
| 2022 | 106 | 0 |
| 2021 | 119 | 0 |
Bears by year, Barron County
| Year | Bears | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 153 | 67 | 86 |
| 2025 | 140 | 88 | 52 |
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.
New Auburn Wildlife Area pinned among its neighbours
Map of New Auburn Wildlife Area and the 10 nearest public places. That is 6,203 acres of public ground.
| Area | Category | Acreage | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sand Creek (Chippewa and Dunn Counties) | Fishery area | 214 | 3.2 mi | south |
| Duncan Creek | Fishery area | 241 | 4.0 mi | southeast |
| Fish Lake | Wildlife area | 95 | 5.6 mi | northeast |
| Ten Mile Creek (Rusk County) | Wildlife area | 407 | 5.7 mi | northeast |
| Chippewa Moraine | Ice Age Trail area | 350 | 6.9 mi | east |
| North of North Shattuck Lake | State natural area | 603 | 7.1 mi | east |
| Ohmart Wetlands | State natural area | 717 | 7.5 mi | east |
| Red Cedar River Public Access (Remnant) | Fishery area | 9 | 7.6 mi | west |
| Chippewa Moraine | Recreation area | 3,551 | 9.1 mi | east |
| Long Lake | Wildlife area | 16 | 9.2 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.
Towns, processors and DNR desks near New Auburn 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barron | Barron | 17 mi | 3,674 | 1,365 |
| Jim Falls | Chippewa | 20 mi | — | 6,843 |
| Bruce | Rusk | 21 mi | 754 | 23,421 |
| Tainter Lake | Dunn | 22 mi | — | 4,589 |
For the wider county picture: Barron County.
Venison, mounts and ammo near New Auburn Wildlife Area
New Auburn Wildlife Area: agency contacts
County service center: DNR Spooner Service Center (715-635-2101).
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.
New Auburn Wildlife Area: nearest ranges
Cornell Shooting Range in Chippewa County is the nearest DNR-map range, 20 miles out. Two nearby club ranges follow.
rifle, handgun on file
rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire, archery, silhouette on file
rifle, handgun, trap, skeet, shotgun on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
First and last legal minute at New Auburn 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 | 6:11 a.m. to 7:43 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 7:42 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Pheasant and duck dates | 6:55 a.m. to 6:37 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 6:40 p.m. |
| Nov 1, 2026 | Early November | 6:16 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 5:17 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer opener | 6:44 a.m. to 4:50 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 4:56 p.m. |
| Dec 1, 2026 | Muzzleloader week | 6:56 a.m. to 4:44 p.m. | 6:51 a.m. to 4:51 p.m. |
| Dec 24, 2026 | Holiday Hunt opener | 7:15 a.m. to 4:46 p.m. | 7:09 a.m. to 4:54 p.m. |
| Jan 3, 2027 | Archery close (most units) | 7:17 a.m. to 4:55 p.m. | 7:11 a.m. to 5:02 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 E offset of 16 minutes for longitude 91.58 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Questions hunters raise about New Auburn Wildlife Area
How many turkey permits go to the New Auburn Wildlife Area zone?
Turkey Zone 4. 34,997 spring tags were issued there in 2025.
What waterfowl dates apply at New Auburn Wildlife Area?
Duck zone: Northern; goose zone: Northern. Northern Zone ducks open Sep 26, 2026-27.
Can I put out corn for deer at New Auburn Wildlife Area?
Not here: Barron County is under the ban. No positive wild deer recorded here.
How much orange do I wear at New Auburn Wildlife Area?
During any firearm deer season: 50% of your outer clothing above the waist and 50% of any cap, blaze orange or pink. Waterfowl hunters are exempt.
When must I register a turkey from New Auburn Wildlife Area?
Deer: online, phone or station by 5 p.m. next day. Turkeys: online or phone only.
Which tags work on New Auburn Wildlife Area?
No special permit for most of it; buy the license on Go Wild and carry public-access antlerless tags.
Is there other public ground around New Auburn Wildlife Area?
By straight-line distance: Sand Creek Fishery Area (Chippewa and Dunn Counties) (3 miles), Duncan Creek Fishery Area (4 miles) and Fish Lake State Habitat Area (6 miles).
How is New Auburn Wildlife Area divided?
1 listed units, such as New Auburn Sedge Meadow State Natural Area.
What type of property is New Auburn Wildlife Area on the record?
It is a DNR state wildlife area, managed by the Wisconsin DNR.
What size is New Auburn Wildlife Area on the record?
About 1,183 acres.
What is the nearest town to New Auburn Wildlife Area?
Base in Barron, 17 miles away; the ground is in Barron County.
Which game is named for New Auburn Wildlife Area?
The property record lists whitetails, black bears, wild turkeys, pheasants, ruffed grouse, squirrels, cottontails and hares and raccoons, foxes and coyotes.
What is the antlerless quota at New Auburn Wildlife Area?
Barron, part of the Central Farmland zone. Antlerless goal for 2026: 4,500.
New Auburn Wildlife Area: one more look before the drive
Signs on the ground beat any web page. Read the posted boundaries at New Auburn Wildlife Area when you arrive.
Sources for this page: DNR: NewAuburn · DNR GIS · DNR: alpha; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: USFWS Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Virginia State Parks staff (CC BY 2.0).