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Oconto County · Wildlife area
Hunting at Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area
Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area, 2,236 acres in Oconto County: raccoons, foxes and coyotes, zones and tags, property rules, county harvest and the land nearby.
Photo: wackybadger (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area
Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area on one card
Hunters reach Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area in Oconto County; it is a DNR state wildlife area. This is northeast Wisconsin, in the DNR Northeast Region. Day-to-day it is in the hands of the Wisconsin DNR. Measured at 2,236 acres, it comes in 73rd of 285 state wildlife areas. Suring is the nearest town with a guide on this site, about 7 miles away; the land lies north of it. Below are the 1 units it contains.
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 Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area
Zones that take in Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area
Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area is Central Farmland deer country, unit Oconto. Antlerless quota, 2026: 7,000. The Zone C bear quota for 2026 is 875, spread over 4,465 drawn permits. Zone 5 turkey numbers for 2025: 12,008 spring tags, 20% success. Wild deer with CWD have been confirmed in Oconto County. Leave the corn at home; Oconto County bans deer baiting.
Antlerless tags near Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area
| Unit | Zone | Quota 2026 | Bonus, public | Bonus, private | Farmland tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oconto Central Farmland | Central Farmland | 7,000 | 490 | 1,291 | 3 |
Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area: 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 5 | 12,008 spring tags (2025) | 20% success | 2,446 gobblers | — |
| Ruffed grouse A | Sep 12–Jan 3 | 5 a day | ||
| Duck zone | Northern | Sep 26–Nov 24 | ||
| Canada goose | Northern | Sep 16–Dec 16 | ||
| Wolf 4 | 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 Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area
The managing agency's own text.
Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area is a 2,373-acre property in Oconto County. Approximately two-thirds of the property is Peshtigo Brook Meadow and Woods State Natural Area. This area has extensive, unique native sedge meadows interspersed with dry oak, pine, and aspen forests. It provides excellent remote hunting, trapping, and wildlife-viewing recreation. The property is north of Suring and south of Highway 64. Take Hawthorn Road from Pipeline Road to a parking area on the property's southwest corner.
A single parking lot is provided.
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
What Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area requires of hunters
Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area access terms
Public hunting and trapping run on the statewide calendar; refuges and closed areas are posted, and the NR 45 code covers everything else.
The rule book on Peshtigo Brook Wildlife 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 Peshtigo Brook Wildlife 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.
The parts of Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area
1 units sit inside Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area, 477 acres in total.
| Name | Kind | Counties | Acres | Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peshtigo Brook Meadow and Woods | State natural area | Oconto | 477 | — |
What hunters pursue at Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area
Species the agency lists here: raccoons, foxes and coyotes.
Furbearers
Unlisted species follow the Oconto 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.
Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area: opening and closing days
From bear baiting in September to the last spring turkey period, 47 season segments apply to Peshtigo Brook Wildlife 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, Oconto | 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 B | Sep 9, 2026 | Sep 15, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone C/F | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone B | Sep 16, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone B | Oct 7, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall turkey | Turkey Zone 5/2 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 5/2 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 5/2 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 5/2 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 5/2 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 5/2 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 5/2 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 5/2 | 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 | |
| Ducks | Regular duck (split 1) | Southern Duck Zone | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 11, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Regular duck | Open Water Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 15, 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 | Northern Goose Zone | Sep 16, 2026 | Dec 16, 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.
Oconto County harvest near Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area
Deer registered in the Oconto County unit, 2025: 7,277. The decade peaked at 8,496 in 2022 and bottomed at 6,978 in 2016. Through Oct. 19, 2026: 336 antlered and 363 antlerless in Oconto Central Farmland (preliminary). CWD year 2025 brought 168 Oconto County samples and 2 positives. Running total since 1999: 2,426 tested. The 2025 bear count for Oconto County was 181. No harvest is published for Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area itself, so the county unit is the finest level.
Registered deer in the Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area county unit
| Year | Antlered | Antlerless | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3,429 | 3,848 | 7,277 |
| 2024 | 4,101 | 4,106 | 8,207 |
| 2023 | 3,833 | 3,432 | 7,265 |
| 2022 | 4,266 | 4,230 | 8,496 |
| 2021 | 4,109 | 3,799 | 7,908 |
| 2020 | 3,795 | 4,057 | 7,852 |
CWD tests in Oconto County
| CWD year | Wild deer sampled | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 3 | 1 |
| 2025 | 168 | 2 |
| 2024 | 179 | 1 |
| 2023 | 157 | 0 |
| 2022 | 194 | 0 |
| 2021 | 190 | 1 |
Bear numbers near Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area
| Year | Total | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 166 | 83 | 83 |
| 2025 | 181 | 95 | 86 |
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 Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area: more places to hunt
The big marker is Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area. Smaller ones are its 10 closest neighbours. The neighbours add 17,604 acres between them.
| Nearby | Kind | Acres | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Branch Oconto River | Fishery area | 582 | 6.8 mi | southwest |
| Montana Lake | Fishery area | 98 | 11 mi | east |
| North Branch Beaver Creek | Fishery area | 1,138 | 13 mi | northeast |
| Thunder River Rearing Station | Fishery area | 136 | 13 mi | north |
| Kirby Lake Hardwoods | State natural area | 111 | 14 mi | northeast |
| Johnson Falls | State natural area | 210 | 16 mi | northeast |
| Wolf River Woods | State natural area | 403 | 17 mi | west |
| Governor Thompson | State park | 2,945 | 17 mi | north |
| Lakewood Rearing Station | Fishery area | 195 | 19 mi | northwest |
| Governor Earl Peshtigo River | State forest | 11,786 | 19 mi | north |
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.
Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area: nearby towns and businesses
Town pages first, then shops, processors and DNR desks.
| Base town | County | Away | Residents | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suring | Oconto | 6.6 mi | 519 | 28,377 |
| Oconto Falls | Oconto | 18 mi | 3,024 | 8,956 |
| Crivitz | Marinette | 18 mi | 1,118 | 15,689 |
| Keshena | Menominee | 20 mi | — | 696 |
County-level hunting pages: Oconto County.
Shops a short drive from Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area
DNR desks closest to Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area
Service center for Oconto County business: DNR Green Bay 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.
Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area: nearest ranges
About 22 miles separates Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area from Machickanee Shooting Range, the nearest public map range. Nearby rod and gun clubs round out the list.
rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire, muzzleloader on file
rifle, smallbore rimfire, handgun, shotgun, archery on file
sporting clays, shotgun on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
Shooting light at Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area by date
At Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area the offset is 4 minutes (Zone B). 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 | 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 88.33 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
What people ask about hunting Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area
Which agency sets the rules on Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area?
The Wisconsin DNR treats it as a DNR state wildlife area.
What is inside Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area?
1 part, each linked above.
Where do Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area hunters spend the night?
Start from Suring; the land is 7 miles off, in Oconto County.
What acreage is listed for Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area?
Roughly 2,236 acres.
Which DMU takes in Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area?
Deer unit Oconto; zone Central Farmland. The 2026 antlerless quota is 7,000 (Oconto Central Farmland); use a public-access antlerless tag here.
Which species are hunted on Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area?
Listed: raccoons, foxes and coyotes.
Which turkey zone is Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area in?
Zone 5, one bird per spring authorization.
Which bear management zone holds Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area?
Bear Zone C. Zone C took 2 preference points in 2026.
Is deer baiting legal near Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area?
No: Oconto County bans deer baiting and feeding. Wild deer with CWD are documented in Oconto County.
What are the waterfowl zones for Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area?
It sits in the Northern duck and Northern goose zones. In the Northern Zone the regular duck split begins Sep 26.
How do I register a deer from Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area?
Through GameReg (online, phone or a station) by 5 p.m. the day after recovery.
Do I need blaze orange at Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area?
In any open firearm deer season, wear blaze orange or pink on at least half your coat and cap.
If Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area is full, where next?
Within a short drive: South Branch Oconto River Fishery Area (7 miles), Montana Lake Fishery Area (11 miles) and North Branch Beaver Creek (13 miles).
Check Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area once more
Refuges, closed areas and park windows at Peshtigo Brook Wildlife Area can shift mid-season; the property page and the DNR map have the current picture.
Sources for this page: DNR: Peshtigobrook · DNR GIS · DNR: alpha; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: The Hidden Hide with Ray (CC BY 2.0); USFWS/Southeast (Public domain).