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Jackson County · Fishery area
Hunting at North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area
North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area, 306 acres in Jackson County: whitetails, black bears, wild turkeys and squirrels, cottontails and hares, zones and tags, property rules, county harvest and the land nearby.
Photo: Aaron Volkening (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area
North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area on one card
Hunters reach North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area in Jackson County; it is a DNR fishery area that is open to hunting. This is west-central Wisconsin, in the DNR West Central Region. Day-to-day it is in the hands of the Wisconsin DNR. Measured at 306 acres, it comes in 65th of 245 fishery areas. Merrillan is the nearest town with a guide on this site, about 9 miles away; the land lies southwest of it.
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 North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area
Zones that take in North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area
North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area is Central Farmland deer country, unit Jackson. Antlerless quota, 2026: 5,000. The Zone E bear quota for 2026 is 185, spread over 2,628 drawn permits. Zone 1 turkey numbers for 2025: 64,574 spring tags, 21% success. Wild deer with CWD have been confirmed in Jackson County. Leave the corn at home; Jackson County bans deer baiting.
Antlerless tags near North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area
| Unit | Zone | Quota 2026 | Bonus, public | Bonus, private | Farmland tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson Central Farmland | Central Farmland | 5,000 | 0 | 1,481 | 2 |
North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area: other game zones
| Zone | Detail | Numbers | More | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear zone E | No hounds | 185 target, 2,628 permits | 1 point | 128 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 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.
How the DNR describes North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area
The managing agency's own text.
North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area is a class 1 and 2 trout stream that is considered "Areas of Special Natural Resource Interest" (ASNRI) and is designated an Exceptional Resource Waters (ERW). The property also includes lowland scrub wetland, forested wetland and cultural sites. Directions: North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area is located in Jackson County, Hixton and Garden Valley Townships; T 22N, R 5W, sections 4, 9, 16; T 23N, R 5W, sections 20, 28, 29, and 33.
Hunting notes printed for North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area
- Hunting – bear, deer, small game and turkey
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
What North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area requires of hunters
North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area access terms
Where the managed-lands map marks it open, this fishery land takes hunters and trappers in season (NR 45).
The rule book on North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area
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 North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area
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 North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area
Species the agency lists here: whitetails, black bears, wild turkeys, squirrels, cottontails and hares and raccoons, foxes and coyotes.
White-tailed deer
Black bear
Wild turkey
Small game
Furbearers
Unlisted species follow the Jackson 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.
North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area: opening and closing days
From bear baiting in September to the last spring turkey period, 42 season segments apply to North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area.
| 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, Jackson | 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 E/C | 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 1/3 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 1/3 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 1/3 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 1/3 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 1/3 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 1/3 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 1/3 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 1/3 | 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 | 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.
Jackson County harvest near North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area
Deer registered in the Jackson County unit, 2025: 4,911. The decade peaked at 6,250 in 2022 and bottomed at 4,911 in 2025. Through Oct. 19, 2026: 179 antlered and 215 antlerless in Jackson Central Farmland (preliminary). CWD year 2025 brought 198 Jackson County samples and 1 positives. Running total since 1999: 3,127 tested. The 2025 bear count for Jackson County was 47. No harvest is published for North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area itself, so the county unit is the finest level.
Registered deer in the North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area county unit
| Year | Antlered | Antlerless | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,333 | 2,578 | 4,911 |
| 2024 | 2,940 | 2,780 | 5,720 |
| 2023 | 2,884 | 2,403 | 5,287 |
| 2022 | 3,230 | 3,020 | 6,250 |
| 2021 | 3,143 | 2,533 | 5,676 |
| 2020 | 3,198 | 3,018 | 6,216 |
CWD tests in Jackson County
| CWD year | Wild deer sampled | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 19 | 0 |
| 2025 | 198 | 1 |
| 2024 | 213 | 1 |
| 2023 | 225 | 2 |
| 2022 | 204 | 0 |
| 2021 | 186 | 0 |
Bear numbers near North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area
| Year | Total | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 110 | 48 | 62 |
| 2025 | 47 | 25 | 22 |
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 North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area: more places to hunt
The big marker is North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area. Smaller ones are its 10 closest neighbours. The neighbours add 4,407 acres between them.
| Nearby | Kind | Acres | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S Branch Trempealeau River (Remnant) | Fishery area | 180 | 2.3 mi | northeast |
| Smith Pond | Fishery area | 96 | 2.6 mi | southwest |
| Tank Creek | Fishery area | 503 | 4.0 mi | southeast |
| Halls (Stockwell) Creek | Fishery area | 814 | 7.8 mi | north |
| Northfield Lakes (Beaver Creek) Fish Rearing Station | Fishery area | 575 | 9.0 mi | northwest |
| Vosse Coulee | State natural area | 99 | 9.2 mi | southwest |
| Albion Fish Rearing Station | Fishery area | 63 | 9.8 mi | south |
| Buffalo River | Fishery area | 1,578 | 10 mi | north |
| Catfish Eddy Terraces | State natural area | 75 | 11 mi | southeast |
| Trump Coulee Fish Rearing Station | Fishery area | 424 | 11 mi | southwest |
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) (point inside polygon (centroid falls outside))). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area: nearby towns and businesses
Town pages first, then shops, processors and DNR desks.
| Base town | County | Away | Residents | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merrillan | Jackson | 9.0 mi | 549 | 64,264 |
| Black River Falls | Jackson | 10.0 mi | 3,563 | 59,992 |
| Humbird | Clark | 11 mi | — | 77,004 |
| Mission | Jackson | 12 mi | — | 101,157 |
County-level hunting pages: Jackson County.
Shops a short drive from North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area
DNR desks closest to North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area
Service center for Jackson 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.
North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area: nearest ranges
About 31 miles separates North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area from Sherwood Shooting Range, the nearest public map range. Nearby rod and gun clubs round out the list.
rifle, trap, sporting clays, shotgun on file
trap, shotgun on file
trap, sporting clays, 5-stand, rifle, handgun on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
Shooting light at North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area by date
At North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area 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 91.00 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
What people ask about hunting North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area
What are the waterfowl zones for North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area?
It sits in the Southern duck and Southern goose zones. In the Southern Zone the regular duck split begins Oct 3.
Which turkey zone is North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area in?
Zone 1, one bird per spring authorization.
Do I need blaze orange at North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area?
In any open firearm deer season, wear blaze orange or pink on at least half your coat and cap.
Is deer baiting legal near North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area?
No: Jackson County bans deer baiting and feeding. Wild deer with CWD are documented in Jackson County.
Which Wisconsin license covers North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area?
Go Wild sells everything needed; antlerless tags on public land must be public-access tags.
How do I register a deer from North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area?
Through GameReg (online, phone or a station) by 5 p.m. the day after recovery.
Which agency sets the rules on North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area?
The Wisconsin DNR treats it as a DNR fishery area that is open to hunting.
If North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area is full, where next?
Within a short drive: S Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area (Remnant) (2 miles), Smith Pond Fishery Area (3 miles) and Tank Creek Fishery Area (4 miles).
Where do North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area hunters spend the night?
Start from Merrillan; the land is 9 miles off, in Jackson County.
What acreage is listed for North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area?
Roughly 306 acres.
Which DMU takes in North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area?
Deer unit Jackson; zone Central Farmland. The 2026 antlerless quota is 5,000 (Jackson Central Farmland); use a public-access antlerless tag here.
Which species are hunted on North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area?
Listed: whitetails, black bears, wild turkeys, squirrels, cottontails and hares and raccoons, foxes and coyotes.
Which bear management zone holds North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area?
Bear Zone E. Zone E took 1 preference point in 2026.
Check North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area once more
Refuges, closed areas and park windows at North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area can shift mid-season; the property page and the DNR map have the current picture.
Sources for this page: DNR: 1820northbrtrempealeauriver · DNR GIS · DNR: county; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Shenandoah National Park (Public Domain Mark 1.0); nugefishes (CC BY 2.0).