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Wildlife area, west-central Wisconsin
Tom Lawin Wildlife Area hunting notes
2,281 acres of wildlife area in Chippewa County, with 2026-27 zones, quotas, rules, CWD testing and a map.
Photo: U.S. Department of Agriculture (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Tom Lawin Wildlife Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Tom Lawin Wildlife Area
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 2.3 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.
Tom Lawin Wildlife Area, by its record
Count Tom Lawin Wildlife Area among the state wildlife areas of Chippewa County. It falls in the DNR West Central Region, west-central Wisconsin. The Wisconsin DNR manages the land. By size (2,281 acres) it is number 70 among 285 state wildlife areas on our list. Head southeast from Jim Falls for about 2 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 Tom Lawin Wildlife Area
Zone lines at Tom Lawin Wildlife Area
Deer rules follow the Central Farmland zone and Chippewa. For 2026 the antlerless quota stands at 5,000. In Bear Zone C the DNR drew 4,465 permits for a target of 875 bears; drawn hunters needed 2 points. Turkey Zone 4: 34,997 spring authorizations in 2025 and 24% hunter success. Chippewa County is on the CWD list: a positive wild deer has been found. Deer may not be baited or fed in Chippewa County.
Tom Lawin Wildlife Area deer management units
| DMU | Zone | 2026 antlerless | Public bonus | Private bonus | Free per license |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chippewa Central Farmland | Central Farmland | 5,000 | 592 | 3,178 | 2 |
Bear, turkey, grouse and waterfowl lines through Tom Lawin Wildlife Area
| Zone | Setting | Data | Also | Last season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear C | No hound hunting | 875 target, 4,465 permits | 2 points | 663 bears in 2025 |
| Turkey 4 | 34,997 spring tags (2025) | 24% success | 8,472 gobblers | 1,500 fall bonus |
| Grouse A | Sep 12–Jan 3 | 5 a day | ||
| Ducks | Northern | Sep 26–Nov 24 | ||
| Canada geese | Northern | Sep 16–Dec 16 | ||
| 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 Tom Lawin Wildlife Area within the rules
Who may hunt Tom Lawin Wildlife Area
It works like other DNR wildlife ground: statewide seasons, regular licenses, posted closures and NR 45 property rules.
Statewide rules that reach Tom Lawin 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.
Tom Lawin 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 Tom Lawin Wildlife Area
Pheasant stocking for 2026 is set at 1,000 birds across 3,200 acres. Hens count toward the bag on this hen-and-rooster ground.
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.
Tom Lawin Wildlife Area: the game on record
The source names whitetails, wild turkeys, ducks and geese, pheasants and raccoons, foxes and coyotes for Tom Lawin Wildlife Area.
White-tailed deer
Wild turkey
Ducks and geese
Pheasant
Furbearers
Every other open season that reaches Chippewa 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.
Tom Lawin Wildlife Area hunting dates, fall 2026 to spring 2027
20 species and 42 segments reach Tom Lawin 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 | Metro sub-unit gun | Metro sub-unit: Eau Claire | 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, Chippewa | 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/A | Sep 9, 2026 | Sep 15, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone C/E | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone D/A | Sep 16, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone D/A | 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.
The land at Tom Lawin Wildlife Area
This is the agency description, quoted.
Tom Lawin Wildlife Area is a 2,282-acre property located 2 miles southeast of Jim Falls in Central Chippewa County. The property consists of a diverse mixture of grasslands, wetlands, and forested habitat. This diversity offers quality habitat for waterfowl, pheasants, deer, turkey, furbearers, and other grassland-dependent birds like bobolink, meadowlarks, and sedge wrens. The Blanding's turtle also calls the wetlands and grasslands on this property home. The property lies within the Forest Transition ecological landscape and features elements of both southern and northern Wisconsin.
This is especially evident in the Lawin Sedge Meadow State Natural Area that is embedded within the wildlife area. This natural area is an undisturbed expansive sedge meadow that harbors several plant species of greatest conservation need. Tom Lawin is a hen-rooster pheasant-hunting property and stocked with pheasants during the pheasant season. Other great hunting opportunities include deer, waterfowl, and turkey. The property is also an eBird birding hotspot and offers the opportunity to see a variety of different species in its diverse habitats.
The hunting sentence for Tom Lawin Wildlife Area
- Hunting is allowed in the Lawin Sedge Meadow State Natural Area of the property.
- Originally called the Jim Falls Wildlife Area, the DNR leased hunting rights on 5,000 acres of private lands beginning in the 1950s.
- The management goal for this property is to provide quality grassland and wetland habitat for grassland-dependent game species like waterfowl and pheasant, along with nongame species like bobolink, meadowlarks, shorebirds, and turtles.
- Hunting (noted for pheasant, deer, turkey and waterfowl)
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
Tom Lawin Wildlife Area, unit by unit
The 1 parts of Tom Lawin Wildlife Area total 261 acres.
| Page | Type | County | Acres | Listed game |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawin Sedge Meadow | State natural area | Chippewa | 261 | — |
Deer, bears and CWD around Tom Lawin Wildlife Area
Last full season (2025) the Chippewa County unit gave up 6,315 deer. Since 2016 the yearly total has ranged from 4,095 (2016) to 6,783 (2022). So far in 2026 (preliminary, Oct. 19): Chippewa Central Farmland 519 deer. In CWD year 2025, 162 Chippewa County deer were tested and 0 came back positive. Since 1999: 2,024 sampled, 1 positive. Bear hunters registered 127 bears in Chippewa County in 2025. Property-level harvest does not exist for Tom Lawin Wildlife Area; county numbers stand in.
Deer table, Chippewa County
| Season | Antlered | Antlerless | All deer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,776 | 3,539 | 6,315 |
| 2024 | 3,070 | 3,552 | 6,622 |
| 2023 | 2,615 | 3,007 | 5,622 |
| 2022 | 3,201 | 3,582 | 6,783 |
| 2021 | 3,000 | 3,171 | 6,171 |
| 2020 | 2,940 | 3,533 | 6,473 |
CWD results near Tom Lawin Wildlife Area
| CWD year | Sampled | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 3 | 0 |
| 2025 | 162 | 0 |
| 2024 | 105 | 1 |
| 2023 | 115 | 0 |
| 2022 | 133 | 0 |
| 2021 | 174 | 0 |
Bear table, Chippewa County
| Season | Total bears | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 129 | 72 | 57 |
| 2025 | 127 | 65 | 62 |
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 Tom Lawin 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jim Falls | Chippewa | 2.4 mi | — | 6,843 |
| Cadott | Chippewa | 6.6 mi | 1,467 | 4,340 |
| Lake Wissota | Chippewa | 6.7 mi | — | 7,698 |
| Chippewa Falls | Chippewa | 9.1 mi | 15,075 | 6,178 |
County hunting overviews: Chippewa County.
Tom Lawin Wildlife Area: businesses in the area
Offices that answer for Tom Lawin Wildlife Area
Chippewa County is served by 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.
The closest public land to Tom Lawin Wildlife Area
Tom Lawin Wildlife Area is the large pin, with 10 neighbours around it. Their acreage adds up to 4,168.
| Property | Type | Acres | Straight line | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drywood | Wildlife area | 39 | 2.3 mi | east |
| Old Abe | State trail | 250 | 3.0 mi | north |
| Lake Wissota | State park | 1,057 | 4.1 mi | southwest |
| Town of Arthur | Wildlife area | 202 | 7.8 mi | northeast |
| Chippewa River | State trail | 306 | 11 mi | southwest |
| Bob Lake | Habitat area | 40 | 11 mi | north |
| Marsh Miller Cedars | State natural area | 88 | 12 mi | northwest |
| Brunet Island | State park | 1,140 | 12 mi | north |
| McCann Creek | Fishery area | 318 | 12 mi | northwest |
| Firth Lake | Ice Age Trail area | 728 | 12 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.
DNR shooting hours for Tom Lawin 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 | 6:11 a.m. to 7:43 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 7:42 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Pheasant and duck dates | 6:55 a.m. to 6:37 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 6:40 p.m. |
| Nov 1, 2026 | Early November | 6:16 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 5:17 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer opener | 6:44 a.m. to 4:50 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 4:56 p.m. |
| Dec 1, 2026 | Muzzleloader week | 6:56 a.m. to 4:44 p.m. | 6:51 a.m. to 4:51 p.m. |
| Dec 24, 2026 | Holiday Hunt opener | 7:15 a.m. to 4:46 p.m. | 7:09 a.m. to 4:54 p.m. |
| Jan 3, 2027 | Archery close (most units) | 7:17 a.m. to 4:55 p.m. | 7:11 a.m. to 5:02 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 E offset of 16 minutes for longitude 91.25 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Tom Lawin Wildlife Area: nearest ranges
Cornell Shooting Range in Chippewa County is the nearest DNR-map range, 10 miles out. Nearby club or private ranges are shown too.
rifle, handgun on file
rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire, air gun, action pistol on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
Tom Lawin Wildlife Area: the questions that come up
What turkey tag do I need for Tom Lawin Wildlife Area?
Your spring tag must be for Zone 4 and a period A-F.
What are the bear rules around Tom Lawin Wildlife Area?
It is in Bear Zone C, target 875 bears in 2026.
Does the baiting ban cover Tom Lawin Wildlife Area?
Banned in Chippewa County. Chippewa County has had CWD-positive wild deer.
Which duck and goose zones cover Tom Lawin Wildlife Area?
Use the Northern duck dates and the Northern goose dates. Regular duck hunting in the Northern Zone starts Sep 26.
Is there a check station for Tom Lawin Wildlife Area?
Use GameReg online or call 844-426-3734 by 5 p.m. the day after.
What does the orange rule mean at Tom Lawin Wildlife Area?
Yes, 50% orange or pink above the waist from the youth deer hunt through the Holiday Hunt.
Which properties are close to Tom Lawin Wildlife Area?
Nearest on the list: Drywood Wildlife Area (2 miles), Old Abe State Trail (3 miles) and Lake Wissota State Park (4 miles).
How do I get permission to hunt Tom Lawin Wildlife Area?
A regular Wisconsin license from Go Wild (gun deer $24 for residents); antlerless deer need a public-access tag.
Whose property is Tom Lawin Wildlife Area?
The Wisconsin DNR oversees this DNR state wildlife area.
Does Tom Lawin Wildlife Area have separate units?
1 unit, including Lawin Sedge Meadow State Natural Area.
In which Wisconsin county is Tom Lawin Wildlife Area?
Jim Falls is closest (2 miles); the property is in Chippewa County.
How many acres does Tom Lawin Wildlife Area cover?
2,281 acres, per WI DNR Managed Lands GIS ACRES field, sum of parcels open to hunting.
Can I shoot antlerless deer on Tom Lawin Wildlife Area?
Central Farmland zone; unit Chippewa. 5,000 antlerless deer is the 2026 quota.
Tom Lawin Wildlife Area: confirm on the ground
A last look before the drive: the Tom Lawin Wildlife Area map, your Go Wild licenses and any posted closures.
Sources for this page: DNR: TomLawin · 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: Reiner Ehlers (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Mountain Prairie (CC BY 2.0).