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2026-27 · Wildlife area
Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground, a hunter's guide
Who runs it, which deer unit and bear zone cover it, what it holds (whitetails, wild turkeys, ducks and geese and pheasants), and the public land and towns around it in Dodge County.
Photo: IIP Photo Archive (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground
Parking, trailheads and gates near Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground
- Parking areaParking · 2.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 2.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 2.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 3.5 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.
What the record says about Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground
On paper it is a DNR state wildlife area; on the map it is in Dodge County. DNR staff of the South Central Region cover this part of south-central Wisconsin. Manager: the Wisconsin DNR. Its 300 acres rank 167th of the 285 Wisconsin state wildlife areas with an acreage on file. From Juneau, our closest town page, it is roughly 4 miles to the east.
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 Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground
Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground in the agency's words
Unedited text from the official page.
Sinissippi Wildlife Area (350 acres) primarily consists of wetland and open water habitat. The main cover type is emergent wetland dominated by cattail. Uplands constitute about 1/4 of the property and are a mix of grassland (60 acres) and forest (30 acres). Forest stands include a mix of maple, basswood, aspen, oak, and hickory. Sinissippi is open to hunting, fishing, trapping, hiking, paddling, gathering wild edibles (i.e., nuts, berries & mushrooms), and more. Pheasant hunting is particularly popular, but there are also opportunities for deer, turkey, waterfowl, and small game hunting.
Pheasants are stocked at Sinissippi during the pheasant hunting season. The best access is from Horicon: east 1 mile on Highway 33, then south 2 miles on County TW, then west 1.2 miles on County S and south 1 mile to the main parking lot on East Horseshoe Road. This property adjoins Lake Sinnissippi along the north shore.
Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground hunting wording
- Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground
- The Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground offers many recreational opportunities:
- Hunting (noted for deer, pheasant, turkey and waterfowl)
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground rules and licenses
Access rules at Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground
Buy the license, hunt in season, and respect posted refuges and the NR 45 code.
State law on Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground
Orange or pink, 50% above the waist and 50% of the head covering, is the rule while gun deer seasons run; duck and goose hunters are exempt. Gun-season ground blinds on DNR property display 144 sq in of orange or pink from every direction. No screw-in steps or cut shooting lanes on DNR land. Overnight stands are legal north of Hwy. 64 from Sept. 1 to Jan. 31; south of it, remove them every day. By 5 p.m. the following day, register the deer on GameReg (online, phone or station).
Which licenses Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground needs
Get licenses on Go Wild or at an agent. Antlerless tags are unit-specific and labelled public or private land.
Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground: birds put out or planted for
It is a stocked property: 80 birds in the 2026 plan, 320 acres suitable.
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.
Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground: DMU, bear zone and turkey zone
Deer management: Dodge, Southern Farmland zone. The Natural Resources Board set 4,500 antlerless deer as the 2026 quota there. Bear Zone F has a 2026 harvest target of 50 with 764 Class A permits drawn; it took 1 preference point to win one. Spring turkey tags are sold for Zone 2; the DNR issued 51,056 there in 2025, the newest level published. Chronic wasting disease has turned up in wild deer in Dodge County; DNR testing is free and voluntary statewide. The deer baiting ban covers Dodge County.
Deer units that cover Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground
| Deer unit | Zone | Antlerless goal | Public tags left | Private tags left | Included tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dodge | Southern Farmland | 4,500 | 200 | 2,500 | 2 |
Zones beyond deer for Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground
| Zone | Setting | Data | Also | Last season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear F | Dogs barred | 50 target, 764 permits | 1 point | 27 bears in 2025 |
| Turkey zone 2 | 51,056 spring tags (2025) | 22% success | 11,024 gobblers | 2,500 fall bonus |
| Grouse zone B | Oct 17–Dec 8 | 2 a day | ||
| Duck zone | Southern | Oct 3–Oct 11 Oct 17–Dec 6 | ||
| Goose zone | Southern | Sep 16–Oct 11 Oct 17–Dec 6 Dec 19–Jan 2 | ||
| Wolf zone 6 | No season | Listed 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.
Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground: species with bag limits
Listed game at Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground: whitetails, wild turkeys, ducks and geese, pheasants, squirrels, cottontails and hares and raccoons, foxes and coyotes.
White-tailed deer
Wild turkey
Ducks and geese
Pheasant
Small game
Furbearers
The Dodge County calendar below covers the rest.
Species from the property record (species named by the source); bag limits from the DNR regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Season dates that cover Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground
Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground sits in the Southern Farmland deer zone. These 41 rows are the dated hunting segments the DNR schedule puts there, from the September archery opener into spring turkey.
| Game | Season | Applies in | Begins | Through | Right 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: Dodge | 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.
Public property near Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground
The large pin is Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground; the others are the 10 closest public properties. Together they hold 51,125 acres.
| Name | Type | Size (ac) | Away | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horicon Marsh | Wildlife area | 11,172 | 6.7 mi | north |
| Stenaas | WPA | 85 | 9.2 mi | north |
| Pieper | WPA | 81 | 10 mi | northwest |
| Shaw Marsh | Wildlife area | 918 | 10 mi | west |
| Horicon | Wildlife refuge | 22,000 | 12 mi | north |
| Theresa Marsh | Wildlife area | 5,758 | 13 mi | northeast |
| Robbins Shorebird | WPA | 132 | 13 mi | northwest |
| Trenton | WPA | 514 | 14 mi | northwest |
| Allenton Marsh | Wildlife area | 1,159 | 15 mi | east |
| Waterloo | Wildlife area | 9,306 | 15 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) (polygon centroid)). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
How the land around Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground hunts, by the numbers
Dodge County hunters registered 5,477 deer in 2025, 2,707 of them bucks. Totals swing between 3,951 and 5,477 across the years charted. 2026 so far, still changing: Dodge, 446. CWD sampling in Dodge County, CWD year 2025: 215 wild deer sampled, 8 positive. Overall: 3,380 samples and 25 positives. The DNR reports deer by unit, not by property: read these as the Dodge County picture.
Dodge County bucks and antlerless
| Year | Bucks | Antlerless | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,707 | 2,770 | 5,477 |
| 2024 | 2,741 | 2,497 | 5,238 |
| 2023 | 2,377 | 2,175 | 4,552 |
| 2022 | 2,275 | 2,162 | 4,437 |
| 2021 | 2,039 | 2,084 | 4,123 |
| 2020 | 2,265 | 2,400 | 4,665 |
Dodge County CWD sampling
| Year | Sampled | Positives |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 20 | 1 |
| 2025 | 215 | 8 |
| 2024 | 169 | 4 |
| 2023 | 136 | 4 |
| 2022 | 113 | 3 |
| 2021 | 123 | 0 |
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.
Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground: nearest ranges
No range sits on Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground; the nearest on the DNR public range map is Milford Hills Hunt Club, about 20 miles away. Nearby club or private ranges are shown too.
rifle, handgun, trap, sporting clays, shotgun on file
trap, rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire, shotgun on file
archery, 3D archery on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
Home bases for a Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground trip
Closest towns, measured as the crow flies, then the businesses around them.
| Town | County | Straight line | 2024 pop. | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Juneau | Dodge | 4.1 mi | 2,699 | 15,892 |
| Iron Ridge | Dodge | 4.5 mi | 918 | 13,354 |
| Kekoskee | Dodge | 7.2 mi | 880 | 36,301 |
| Burnett | Dodge | 8.6 mi | — | 34,595 |
Read up on the county: Dodge County.
Taxidermy and supplies for Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground hunters
Phone numbers for Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground questions
The DNR service center listed for Dodge County is DNR Waukesha Service Center, 262-574-2100.
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.
Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground: legal shooting time, table by date
Big game and small game hunters get 20 minutes after sunset in Wisconsin, not 30. Waterfowl and spring gobbler hunters quit at sunset.
| Date | Hunt | Northern Area hours | Southern Area hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 88.62 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Straight answers on Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground
What is Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground hunted for?
The agency names whitetails, wild turkeys, ducks and geese, pheasants, squirrels, cottontails and hares and raccoons, foxes and coyotes; other legal game follows the county dates.
Which deer management unit holds Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground?
The Southern Farmland zone, Dodge. Quota for 2026: 4,500 antlerless.
Is bear hunting possible at Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground?
Zone F; hound hunting is not allowed there.
Can I turkey hunt Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground in spring?
Zone 2; 2025 saw 11,024 birds registered in the zone.
When can I hunt ducks at Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground?
Southern for ducks, Southern for geese. The regular Southern Zone duck season opens Oct 3.
Has CWD turned up in the county around Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground?
The deer baiting ban applies in Dodge County. CWD: yes, in Dodge County.
Is blaze pink legal at Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground?
Orange or pink, half of the upper clothing, whenever a gun deer season runs (not for waterfowl).
Where do I register game taken on Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground?
Register on GameReg by 5 p.m. the next day; the confirmation number starts with W.
Is there a separate permit for Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground?
The standard license for your game; no landowner permission on public ground.
Which public properties lie near Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground?
Three to try: Horicon Marsh Wildlife Area (7 miles), Stenaas Waterfowl Production Area (9 miles) and Pieper Waterfowl Production Area (10 miles).
How is Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground classified?
DNR state wildlife area, under the Wisconsin DNR.
How much land is in Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground?
It covers 300 acres by the recorded figure.
Where in the state does Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground lie?
Dodge County holds it, 4 miles from Juneau.
Last checks on Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground before you go
Treat this page as a starting point: the manager of Sinnissippi Public Hunting Ground has the final say on closures and maps.
Sources for this page: DNR: Sinnissippi · DNR GIS · DNR: alpha · DNR GIS; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: USFWS Mountain-Prairie (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Viktor Rucký (CC0 1.0).