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DNR property · West Central region
Plum Creek Watershed for Wisconsin hunters
A hunter's summary of Plum Creek Watershed in Pierce County: zones and quota, rules, CWD numbers and local help.
Photo: wackybadger (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Plum Creek Watershed
Plum Creek Watershed: record card
Plum Creek Watershed: a DNR-managed property, located in Pierce County. Region on record: the DNR West Central Region. The Wisconsin DNR writes the rules on the ground. The 748 acres on record put it 2nd of the 6 DNR properties we list. Base town: Arkansaw, some 10 miles away.
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 Plum Creek Watershed
Plum Creek Watershed deer unit, quota and game zones
The deer unit is Pierce, in the Central Farmland zone. The 2026 antlerless quota for that unit is 4,500. For black bear this is Zone E, with no hound hunting; 2,628 permits for 2026. Turkey hunting falls under Zone 4, which had 34,997 spring permits in 2025. The DNR counts Pierce County among its CWD-affected counties. Pierce County sits under the DNR deer baiting and feeding ban.
The deer unit around Plum Creek Watershed
| DMU | Deer zone | Antlerless quota | Public-land bonus | Private-land bonus | Free tags per license |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pierce | Central Farmland | 4,500 | 299 | 1,396 | 2 |
Bear, turkey and bird zones at Plum Creek Watershed
| Zone | Rule | Numbers | Extra | 2025 result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear E | Bait only | 185 target, 2,628 permits | 1 point | 128 bears in 2025 |
| Wild turkey 4 | 34,997 spring tags (2025) | 24% success | 8,472 gobblers | 1,500 fall bonus |
| Grouse zone A | Sep 12–Jan 3 | 5 a day | ||
| Ducks | Northern | Sep 26–Nov 24 | ||
| Geese | Northern | Sep 16–Dec 16 | ||
| 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 Plum Creek Watershed
Entry terms for Plum Creek Watershed
Only the parcels shown open on the DNR map can be hunted; there, state seasons and NR 45 apply.
Wisconsin rules that follow you to Plum Creek Watershed
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.
Plum Creek Watershed: licenses and tags
Go Wild carries every license. For antlerless deer on public ground, use a public-access tag for the right DMU.
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 Plum Creek Watershed
With no species list from the source, read it this way: every open Wisconsin season applies here under the property rules.
Use the Pierce County season list (47 rows) below.
Species from the property record (No species list published for this property; open seasons follow statewide/zone regulations where hunting is allowed.); bag limits from the DNR regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Every Plum Creek Watershed 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 | Metro sub-unit gun | Metro sub-unit: Hudson | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 9, 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: Pierce | 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 | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall turkey | Turkey Zone 4 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 4 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 4 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 4 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 4 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 4 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 4 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 4 | 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 | |
| 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 | 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 (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 1) | Mississippi River Zone | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 11, 2026 | |
| Geese | Regular goose (split 2) | Southern Goose Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Geese | Regular goose (split 2) | Mississippi River Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Jan 5, 2027 | |
| 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.
Harvest numbers for the country around Plum Creek Watershed
2025 in Pierce County: 1,950 bucks, 2,416 antlerless, 4,366 in all. Range since 2016: 3,718 to 4,534 deer a year. Early 2026 registrations (archery, crossbow, youth hunt): Pierce 315. The DNR sampled 123 deer from Pierce County in 2025; 2 had CWD. 4 positives overall, from 1,247 deer. In 2025, Pierce County produced 7 registered bears. Figures are for the whole county unit, not Plum Creek Watershed alone; the DNR does not report harvest by property.
Pierce County unit harvest
| Season | Bucks | Does and fawns | Registered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,950 | 2,416 | 4,366 |
| 2024 | 1,753 | 2,013 | 3,766 |
| 2023 | 1,553 | 2,165 | 3,718 |
| 2022 | 1,841 | 2,446 | 4,287 |
| 2021 | 1,740 | 2,133 | 3,873 |
| 2020 | 1,963 | 2,571 | 4,534 |
CWD samples, Pierce County
| Year | Tested | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 9 | 0 |
| 2025 | 123 | 2 |
| 2024 | 140 | 2 |
| 2023 | 57 | 0 |
| 2022 | 59 | 0 |
| 2021 | 72 | 0 |
Bears registered in Pierce County
| Season | Bears | Boars | Sows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| 2025 | 7 | 5 | 2 |
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 Plum Creek Watershed
Where to sleep, where to buy shells, where to drop off a deer.
| Town | County | Miles | Population | Public land nearby |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansaw | Pepin | 10 mi | — | 12,768 |
| Ellsworth | Pierce | 13 mi | 3,341 | 595 |
| Durand | Pepin | 13 mi | 1,873 | 14,689 |
| Downsville | Dunn | 16 mi | — | 8,528 |
Season and zone pages by county: Pierce County.
Who processes a deer from Plum Creek Watershed
Where to ask about Plum Creek Watershed
Licenses and questions for Pierce County go through the DNR Eau Claire 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.
Plum Creek Watershed and nearby public ground
Plum Creek Watershed at the big pin; the nearest 10 public places around it. Combined, 3,284 acres are on record.
| Public land | Type | Acres | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plum Creek Woods | State natural area | 79 | 2.9 mi | southeast |
| Morgan Coulee Prairie | State natural area | 58 | 6.5 mi | southwest |
| Rush River Delta | State natural area | 400 | 9.6 mi | southwest |
| Pine Creek | Fishery area | — | 9.9 mi | south |
| Pine Creek (Remnant) | Fishery area | 107 | 10.0 mi | south |
| Bay City Mine | State natural area | 48 | 12 mi | southwest |
| Maiden Rock Bluff | State natural area | 263 | 13 mi | south |
| Lake Pepin | Wildlife area | 250 | 14 mi | south |
| Tiffany Bottoms | State natural area | 718 | 14 mi | southeast |
| Nine Mile Island | State natural area | 1,361 | 15 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) (point inside polygon (centroid falls outside))). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Shooting-hour table for Plum Creek Watershed
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 | 6:15 a.m. to 7:47 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 7:46 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Pheasant and duck dates | 6:59 a.m. to 6:41 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 6:44 p.m. |
| Nov 1, 2026 | Early November | 6:20 a.m. to 5:17 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 5:21 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer opener | 6:48 a.m. to 4:54 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| Dec 1, 2026 | Muzzleloader week | 7:00 a.m. to 4:48 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 4:55 p.m. |
| Dec 24, 2026 | Holiday Hunt opener | 7:19 a.m. to 4:50 p.m. | 7:13 a.m. to 4:58 p.m. |
| Jan 3, 2027 | Archery close (most units) | 7:21 a.m. to 4:59 p.m. | 7:15 a.m. to 5:06 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 F offset of 20 minutes for longitude 92.22 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Plum Creek Watershed: nearest ranges
About 11 miles separates Plum Creek Watershed from Pierce County Public Range, the nearest public map range. Club ranges within 30 miles are included.
sporting clays, 5-stand, shotgun on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
Before-the-trip answers for Plum Creek Watershed
What deer tags work on Plum Creek Watershed?
It is in Pierce (Central Farmland). This year the antlerless quota is 4,500.
How hard is a bear permit for Plum Creek Watershed?
Zone E; hounds may not be used there.
Which zone do I apply for to hunt turkeys at Plum Creek Watershed?
Zone 4. Success in 2025 was 24%.
Which goose zone is Plum Creek Watershed in?
Ducks follow the Northern zone, Canada geese the Northern zone. Opening day for Northern Zone ducks is Sep 26.
Can I bait deer at Plum Creek Watershed?
No bait or feed in Pierce County. The county list for CWD includes Pierce County.
When does orange apply at Plum Creek Watershed?
Pink counts the same as orange: 50% above the waist in firearm deer seasons.
Does a Plum Creek Watershed 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 Plum Creek Watershed need?
Gun deer ($24), archer ($24) or small game ($18) for residents; nonresident gun deer is $200.
Which public land sits closest to Plum Creek Watershed?
Plum Creek Woods State Natural Area (3 miles), Morgan Coulee Prairie State Natural Area (6 miles) and Rush River Delta State Natural Area (10 miles), each with a page here.
Is Plum Creek Watershed DNR, county or federal ground?
A DNR-managed property; the manager is the Wisconsin DNR.
Is Plum Creek Watershed a big property?
748 acres in the source data.
Which town works as a base for Plum Creek Watershed?
Pierce County; Arkansaw, the nearest town we cover, is 10 miles away.
Can I hunt any species on Plum Creek Watershed?
Every open Wisconsin season applies under the property rules; no list narrows it.
Signing off on Plum Creek Watershed
Gates, refuges and open areas at Plum Creek Watershed are the manager's call; confirm them before opening day.
Sources for this page: DNR GIS · DNR: county; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: ShenandoahNPS (Public domain); USFWS/Southeast (Public domain).