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Wildlife area, south-central Wisconsin
Rome Pond Wildlife Area hunting notes
2,289 acres of wildlife area in Jefferson County, with 2026-27 zones, quotas, rules, CWD testing and a map.
Photo: Wanderer 86 (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Rome Pond Wildlife Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Rome Pond Wildlife Area
- Parking areaParking · 0.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 1.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.8 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.
Rome Pond Wildlife Area, by its record
Count Rome Pond Wildlife Area among the state wildlife areas of Jefferson County. It falls in the DNR South Central Region, south-central Wisconsin. The Wisconsin DNR manages the land. By size (2,289 acres) it is number 68 among 285 state wildlife areas on our list. Head east from Rome for about 3 miles. 1 smaller unit sit inside it, each with its own page.
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 Rome Pond Wildlife Area
Zone lines at Rome Pond Wildlife Area
Deer rules follow the Southern Farmland zone and Jefferson. For 2026 the antlerless quota stands at 3,000. In Bear Zone F the DNR drew 764 permits for a target of 50 bears; drawn hunters needed 1 point. Turkey Zone 2: 51,056 spring authorizations in 2025 and 22% hunter success. Jefferson County is on the CWD list: a positive wild deer has been found. Deer may not be baited or fed in Jefferson County.
Rome Pond Wildlife Area deer management units
| DMU | Zone | 2026 antlerless | Public bonus | Private bonus | Free per license |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson | Southern Farmland | 3,000 | 700 | 2,500 | 3 |
Bear, turkey, grouse and waterfowl lines through Rome Pond Wildlife Area
| Zone | Setting | Data | Also | Last season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear F | No hound hunting | 50 target, 764 permits | 1 point | 27 bears in 2025 |
| Turkey 2 | 51,056 spring tags (2025) | 22% success | 11,024 gobblers | 2,500 fall bonus |
| Grouse B | Oct 17–Dec 8 | 2 a day | ||
| Ducks | Southern | Oct 3–Oct 11 Oct 17–Dec 6 | ||
| Canada geese | Southern | Sep 16–Oct 11 Oct 17–Dec 6 Dec 19–Jan 2 | ||
| Wolf zone 6 | Closed | Federal protection |
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.
Hunting Rome Pond Wildlife Area within the rules
Who may hunt Rome Pond Wildlife Area
It works like other DNR wildlife ground: statewide seasons, regular licenses, posted closures and NR 45 property rules.
Statewide rules that reach Rome Pond Wildlife Area
Wisconsin asks for 50% blaze orange or fluorescent pink above the waist in firearm deer seasons, archers included, waterfowlers not. Ground blinds on DNR land in a firearm deer season show at least 144 square inches of solid orange or pink, visible from all sides. Unattended stands carry your name or customer ID; they may be left out north of State Hwy. 64 (up to two per county), never south of it. Registration through GameReg closes at 5 p.m. on the day after recovery.
Rome Pond Wildlife Area license list
Residents often take the Conservation Patron, which bundles the hunting licenses. Antlerless tags on public land must be public-access tags.
Upland extras at Rome Pond Wildlife Area
Pheasant stocking for 2026 is set at 380 birds across 700 acres. Managed dove fields listed for 2026: 1.
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.
Rome Pond Wildlife Area: the game on record
The source names whitetails, wild turkeys, ducks and geese, pheasants, mourning doves, squirrels, cottontails and hares and raccoons, foxes and coyotes for Rome Pond Wildlife Area.
White-tailed deer
Wild turkey
Ducks and geese
Pheasant
Mourning dove
Small game
Furbearers
Every other open season that reaches Jefferson County applies too, within the property rules.
Species from the property record (species named by the source); bag limits from the DNR regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Rome Pond Wildlife Area hunting dates, fall 2026 to spring 2027
20 species and 41 segments reach Rome Pond Wildlife Area. The last column compares each one with today.
| Quarry | Season | Zone | From | To | Status 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: Jefferson | 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 F | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall turkey | Turkey Zone 2 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 2 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 2 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 2 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 2 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 2 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 2 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 2 | May 26, 2027 | Jun 1, 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.
The land at Rome Pond Wildlife Area
This is the agency description, quoted.
Rome Pond Wildlife Area consists of approximately 2,300 acres of public land. Its central feature is a large, open-water cattail marsh surrounded by rolling hills of upland hardwoods like oak and hickory. Texas Island Woods State Natural Area features a mature hardwood forest on an "island" within an extensive complex of marsh, meadow, and shrub swamp. Interspersed in the uplands are agricultural fields and areas restored to prairie or savanna. The wildlife area provides habitat for migrating waterfowl as well as nesting areas for many wetland species like black terns.
There are excellent opportunities for waterfowl, pheasant, deer, and dove hunting, as well as wildlife watching. The wildlife area is found immediately east of the Village of Rome in Jefferson County on County Road F. Approximately 1 mile east of Rome is a park (managed by Jefferson County Parks) with a picnic area, pit toilet, boat launch and easy access to the wildlife area. From this park, there is also access to a 1.5-mile gravel-topped hiking trail that meanders south through the property to another parking lot on Rome Oak Hill Road.
The hunting sentence for Rome Pond Wildlife Area
- Hunting (noted for waterfowl, pheasant, deer, turkey and small game)
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
Rome Pond Wildlife Area, unit by unit
The 1 parts of Rome Pond Wildlife Area total 71 acres.
| Page | Type | County | Acres | Listed game |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas Island Woods | State natural area | Jefferson | 71 | — |
Deer, bears and CWD around Rome Pond Wildlife Area
Last full season (2025) the Jefferson County unit gave up 3,843 deer. Since 2016 the yearly total has ranged from 2,451 (2017) to 3,843 (2025). So far in 2026 (preliminary, Oct. 19): Jefferson 310 deer. In CWD year 2025, 191 Jefferson County deer were tested and 16 came back positive. Since 1999: 8,499 sampled, 69 positive. Property-level harvest does not exist for Rome Pond Wildlife Area; county numbers stand in.
Deer table, Jefferson County
| Season | Antlered | Antlerless | All deer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,772 | 2,071 | 3,843 |
| 2024 | 1,757 | 2,059 | 3,816 |
| 2023 | 1,647 | 1,932 | 3,579 |
| 2022 | 1,459 | 1,895 | 3,354 |
| 2021 | 1,440 | 1,627 | 3,067 |
| 2020 | 1,500 | 2,093 | 3,593 |
CWD results near Rome Pond Wildlife Area
| CWD year | Sampled | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 20 | 0 |
| 2025 | 191 | 16 |
| 2024 | 170 | 12 |
| 2023 | 175 | 10 |
| 2022 | 167 | 4 |
| 2021 | 150 | 6 |
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.
Where Rome Pond Wildlife Area hunters stay and shop
Every town listed has a hunting guide of its own on this site.
| Town | County | Distance | Population | Public ground (10 mi) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rome | Jefferson | 2.5 mi | — | 20,288 |
| Helenville | Jefferson | 5.7 mi | — | 11,180 |
| Hebron | Jefferson | 6.0 mi | — | 26,966 |
| Palmyra | Jefferson | 6.6 mi | 1,719 | 33,877 |
County hunting overviews: Jefferson County.
Rome Pond Wildlife Area: businesses in the area
Offices that answer for Rome Pond Wildlife Area
Jefferson County is served by the DNR Janesville 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.
The closest public land to Rome Pond Wildlife Area
Rome Pond Wildlife Area is the large pin, with 10 neighbours around it. Their acreage adds up to 32,854.
| Property | Type | Acres | Straight line | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paradise Valley | Wildlife area | 1,782 | 3.9 mi | northeast |
| Golden Lake (Remnant) | Fishery area | 34 | 5.0 mi | northeast |
| Princes Point | Wildlife area | 3,976 | 6.5 mi | southwest |
| Ottawa Lake Fen | State natural area | 45 | 6.5 mi | east |
| Scuppernong Prairie | State natural area | 173 | 6.9 mi | southeast |
| Kettle Moraine Low Prairie | State natural area | 250 | 7.2 mi | southeast |
| Jefferson Marsh | Wildlife area | 3,323 | 7.4 mi | west |
| Jefferson Tamarack Swamp | State natural area | 1,629 | 7.6 mi | west |
| Kettle Moraine State Forest Southern Unit | State forest | 21,534 | 7.9 mi | south |
| Ottawa SIATA | Ice Age Trail area | 108 | 8.3 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.
DNR shooting hours for Rome Pond Wildlife Area
Wisconsin prints its shooting hours as tables. For deer, bear, elk, small game and fall turkey the day runs from 30 minutes before sunrise to 20 minutes after sunset; migratory birds and spring turkey stop at sunset.
| When | Event | North | South |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 88.60 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Rome Pond Wildlife Area: nearest ranges
McMiller Sports Center in Waukesha County is the nearest DNR-map range, 9 miles out. Nearby club or private ranges are shown too.
rifle, handgun, archery, trap, sporting clays on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
Rome Pond Wildlife Area: the questions that come up
What turkey tag do I need for Rome Pond Wildlife Area?
Your spring tag must be for Zone 2 and a period A-F.
What are the bear rules around Rome Pond Wildlife Area?
It is in Bear Zone F, target 50 bears in 2026.
Does the baiting ban cover Rome Pond Wildlife Area?
Banned in Jefferson County. Jefferson County has had CWD-positive wild deer.
Which duck and goose zones cover Rome Pond Wildlife Area?
Use the Southern duck dates and the Southern goose dates. Regular duck hunting in the Southern Zone starts Oct 3.
Is there a check station for Rome Pond Wildlife Area?
Use GameReg online or call 844-426-3734 by 5 p.m. the day after.
What does the orange rule mean at Rome Pond Wildlife Area?
Yes, 50% orange or pink above the waist from the youth deer hunt through the Holiday Hunt.
Which properties are close to Rome Pond Wildlife Area?
Nearest on the list: Paradise Valley Wildlife Area (4 miles), Golden Lake Fishery Area (Remnant) (5 miles) and Princes Point Wildlife Area (6 miles).
How do I get permission to hunt Rome Pond Wildlife Area?
A regular Wisconsin license from Go Wild (gun deer $24 for residents); antlerless deer need a public-access tag.
Whose property is Rome Pond Wildlife Area?
The Wisconsin DNR oversees this DNR state wildlife area.
Does Rome Pond Wildlife Area have separate units?
1 unit, including Texas Island Woods State Natural Area.
In which Wisconsin county is Rome Pond Wildlife Area?
Rome is closest (3 miles); the property is in Jefferson County.
How many acres does Rome Pond Wildlife Area cover?
2,289 acres, per WI DNR Managed Lands GIS ACRES field, sum of parcels open to hunting.
Can I shoot antlerless deer on Rome Pond Wildlife Area?
Southern Farmland zone; unit Jefferson. 3,000 antlerless deer is the 2026 quota.
Rome Pond Wildlife Area: confirm on the ground
A last look before the drive: the Rome Pond Wildlife Area map, your Go Wild licenses and any posted closures.
Sources for this page: DNR: rome · DNR GIS · DNR: alpha · DNR GIS · DNR GIS; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); Dave Williss (CC BY 2.0).