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Polk County, Wisconsin
Steffan Waterfowl Production Area: the hunter's file
Deer unit Polk, bear and turkey zones, closures, licenses and the nearest towns and services.
Photo: aarongunnar (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Steffan Waterfowl Production Area
Key facts for Steffan Waterfowl Production Area
Steffan Waterfowl Production Area is a federal waterfowl production area in Polk County. The DNR files it under its Northern Region (the Northwoods). Management sits with the Fish and Wildlife Service. Acreage: 46, which places it 88th of 103 waterfowl production areas. The closest covered town is Osceola, around 5 miles off as the crow flies. It belongs to St. Croix Wetland Management District.
From the source page (FWS Realty GIS acres (SUM_GISACRES) for the unit); region from the DNR county layer. Checked October 19, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Steffan Waterfowl Production Area
Steffan Waterfowl Production Area by zone and unit
Deer: Central Farmland zone, Polk. 11,200 antlerless deer: the 2026 quota for the unit. Bear hunters here apply for Zone D: 6,847 applied for 2026 and 3,855 permits went out. In Zone 4 turkey hunters held 34,997 spring tags in 2025 (spring 2027 levels are not out yet). CWD-positive deer have been recorded in Polk County; free testing is offered statewide. Baiting and feeding deer are banned in Polk County.
DMU figures for Steffan Waterfowl Production Area
| Unit | Deer zone | Quota | Public-access bonus | Private bonus | Farmland per license |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polk Central Farmland | Central Farmland | 11,200 | 987 | 5,191 | 2 |
Steffan Waterfowl Production Area zone table
| Zone | Setting | Data | Also | Last season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear zone D | Dogs OK | 1,100 target, 3,855 permits | 2 points | 931 bears in 2025 |
| Turkey 4 | 34,997 spring tags (2025) | 24% success | 8,472 gobblers | 1,500 fall bonus |
| Ruffed grouse A | Sep 12–Jan 3 | 5 a day | ||
| Duck | Northern | Sep 26–Nov 24 | ||
| Goose | Northern | Sep 16–Dec 16 | ||
| Wolf 6 | No hunt | Endangered status |
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.
Access, closures and licenses for Steffan Waterfowl Production Area
Steffan Waterfowl Production Area: open to whom, and how
Waterfowl production areas are open in state seasons for waterfowl, upland game and deer, and for trapping, unless posted. Gear such as boats, decoys, blinds, stands and cameras comes out each day. St. Croix district exceptions: closed zones on St. Croix Prairie and Prairie Flats-South, and deer-only fall hunting at Oak Ridge.
Orange, stands and GameReg at Steffan Waterfowl Production Area
Bowhunters too: when a gun deer season is on, 50% of the coat and hat must be orange or pink, unless you are hunting waterfowl. Use GameReg (online or 844-426-3734) before 5 p.m. the day after the harvest.
Tags and licenses for Steffan Waterfowl Production Area
Licenses sell on Go Wild. On public land, antlerless deer need a public-access authorization for the unit.
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.
Steffan Waterfowl Production Area: parent and sister units
St. Croix Wetland Management District is the parent; 45 more units share it.
More of St. Croix Wetland Management District
| Name | Kind | Counties | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rock Creek | WPA | Dunn | 672 |
| Oak Ridge | WPA | St. Croix | 632 |
| Ten Mile | WPA | St. Croix | 516 |
| Prairie Flats – South | WPA | St. Croix | 501 |
| Betterly | WPA | St. Croix | 485 |
| Erickson | WPA | St. Croix | 476 |
| Bass Lake | WPA | St. Croix | 423 |
| Stanton Prairie | WPA | St. Croix | 353 |
| Deer Park | WPA | St. Croix | 351 |
| Kostka | WPA | St. Croix | 350 |
| Red Cedar | WPA | Dunn | 336 |
| Star Prairie | WPA | St. Croix | 312 |
| Bierbrauer | WPA | St. Croix, Polk | 275 |
| Three Lakes | WPA | St. Croix | 249 |
| Clapp | WPA | St. Croix | 239 |
Which animals Steffan Waterfowl Production Area lists
Game on the record for Steffan Waterfowl Production Area: ducks and geese, whitetails, wild turkeys, pheasants, squirrels, cottontails and hares and raccoons, foxes and coyotes.
Ducks and geese
White-tailed deer
Wild turkey
Pheasant
Small game
Furbearers
Seasons not named here still apply if they are open in Polk County and the property rules allow.
Species from the property record (species named by the source); bag limits from the DNR regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Which seasons are open in Steffan Waterfowl Production Area
Deer dates are statewide in Wisconsin; bear, turkey, grouse, cottontail and waterfowl dates follow zone lines, so only the rows for Steffan Waterfowl Production Area are listed.
| Species | Season | Where it applies | Opens | Closes | 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, Polk | 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 D | Sep 9, 2026 | Sep 15, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone D | Sep 16, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone D | Oct 7, 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 | |
| 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 | |
| Teal | Early teal | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 9, 2026 | |
| Geese | Regular goose | Northern Goose Zone | Sep 16, 2026 | Dec 16, 2026 | |
| 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.
Steffan Waterfowl Production Area: county harvest and CWD tests
Hunters registered 8,091 deer in the Polk County unit in 2025: 3,702 bucks and 4,389 antlerless. High year on the chart: 2016 at 9,066; low year: 2023 at 7,275. Preliminary 2026 count to Oct. 19: 763 in Polk Central Farmland. Polk County CWD testing (2025): 2 positives out of 340 samples. Cumulative total 5 positives in 3,006 tests. Polk County bear harvest, 2025: 149. Harvest and CWD figures cover Polk County as a whole.
Polk County deer by year
| Year | Buck | Antlerless | Deer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3,702 | 4,389 | 8,091 |
| 2024 | 3,564 | 4,408 | 7,972 |
| 2023 | 3,266 | 4,009 | 7,275 |
| 2022 | 3,874 | 5,155 | 9,029 |
| 2021 | 3,584 | 4,434 | 8,018 |
| 2020 | 3,759 | 5,074 | 8,833 |
Testing for CWD, Polk County
| Year | Deer tested | CWD positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 32 | 0 |
| 2025 | 340 | 2 |
| 2024 | 265 | 2 |
| 2023 | 252 | 1 |
| 2022 | 174 | 0 |
| 2021 | 170 | 0 |
Bears by year, Polk County
| Year | Bears | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 187 | 84 | 103 |
| 2025 | 149 | 91 | 58 |
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.
Steffan Waterfowl Production Area pinned among its neighbours
Map of Steffan Waterfowl Production Area and the 10 nearest public places. That is 2,961 acres of public ground.
| Area | Category | Acreage | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Osceola Creek | Wildlife area | 9 | 5.6 mi | north |
| Apple River Canyon | State natural area | 183 | 7.0 mi | southwest |
| St. Croix Islands | State natural area | 852 | 7.1 mi | southwest |
| Osceola Hatchery | Fishery area | 344 | 7.1 mi | north |
| St. Croix Islands | Wildlife area | 1,244 | 7.2 mi | southwest |
| Osceola Bedrock Glades | State natural area | 24 | 7.4 mi | north |
| East (Lotus) Lake | Fishery area | 36 | 7.6 mi | northeast |
| Behning Creek | Fishery area | 131 | 7.9 mi | northeast |
| Wagon Landing Statewide Spring Pond | Fishery area | 69 | 8.5 mi | east |
| Bierbrauer | Habitat area | 69 | 9.2 mi | east |
Points from the DNR managed lands, SNA, county forest, FWS realty, USFS, NPS and DoD layers (FWS National Realty FWSInterest_Simplified_Authoritative (unit centroid) (polygon centroid)). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Towns, processors and DNR desks near Steffan Waterfowl Production Area
Start with a town, then line up a cooler, a butcher and a mount.
| Town | County | Miles off | People | Public acres (10 mi) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Osceola | Polk | 5.4 mi | 2,880 | 5,877 |
| Somerset | St. Croix | 8.2 mi | 3,382 | 12,025 |
| St. Croix Falls | Polk | 12 mi | 2,310 | 3,497 |
| Houlton | St. Croix | 14 mi | — | 6,454 |
For the wider county picture: Polk County.
Venison, mounts and ammo near Steffan Waterfowl Production Area
Steffan Waterfowl Production Area: agency contacts
County service center: DNR Spooner Service Center (715-635-2101).
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.
Steffan Waterfowl Production Area: nearest ranges
Hudson Rod Gun and Archery Club in St. Croix County is the nearest DNR-map range, 17 miles out. Two nearby club ranges follow.
rifle, handgun, archery, trap, skeet on file
trap, handgun, smallbore rimfire, archery, shotgun on file
trap, rifle, archery, 3D archery, shotgun on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
First and last legal minute at Steffan Waterfowl Production Area
Deer, bear, elk, small game and fall turkey: 30 minutes before sunrise until 20 minutes after sunset. Ducks, geese, doves and spring turkey: same start, done at sunset.
| Date | Season moment | 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 92.66 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Questions hunters raise about Steffan Waterfowl Production Area
How many turkey permits go to the Steffan Waterfowl Production Area zone?
Turkey Zone 4. 34,997 spring tags were issued there in 2025.
What waterfowl dates apply at Steffan Waterfowl Production Area?
Duck zone: Northern; goose zone: Northern. Northern Zone ducks open Sep 26, 2026-27.
Can I put out corn for deer at Steffan Waterfowl Production Area?
Not here: Polk County is under the ban. CWD has been found in wild deer in Polk County.
How much orange do I wear at Steffan Waterfowl Production Area?
During any firearm deer season: 50% of your outer clothing above the waist and 50% of any cap, blaze orange or pink. Waterfowl hunters are exempt.
When must I register a turkey from Steffan Waterfowl Production Area?
Deer: online, phone or station by 5 p.m. next day. Turkeys: online or phone only.
Which tags work on Steffan Waterfowl Production Area?
No special permit for most of it; buy the license on Go Wild and carry public-access antlerless tags.
Is there other public ground around Steffan Waterfowl Production Area?
By straight-line distance: Osceola Creek State Habitat Area (6 miles), Apple River Canyon State Natural Area (7 miles) and St. Croix Islands State Natural Area (7 miles).
What is the parent of Steffan Waterfowl Production Area?
St. Croix Wetland Management District holds it.
What type of property is Steffan Waterfowl Production Area on the record?
It is a federal waterfowl production area, managed by the Fish and Wildlife Service.
What size is Steffan Waterfowl Production Area on the record?
About 46 acres.
What is the nearest town to Steffan Waterfowl Production Area?
Base in Osceola, 5 miles away; the ground is in Polk County.
Which game is named for Steffan Waterfowl Production Area?
The property record lists ducks and geese, whitetails, wild turkeys, pheasants, squirrels, cottontails and hares and raccoons, foxes and coyotes.
What is the antlerless quota at Steffan Waterfowl Production Area?
Polk, part of the Central Farmland zone. Antlerless goal for 2026: 11,200.
Steffan Waterfowl Production Area: one more look before the drive
Signs on the ground beat any web page. Read the posted boundaries at Steffan Waterfowl Production Area when you arrive.
Sources for this page: FWS realty layer · USFWS: hunting · USFWS: st croix wetland management district · eCFR: section 32.68; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: born1945 (CC BY 2.0); Viktor Rucký (CC0 1.0).