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Columbia County, Wisconsin
Vangen Waterfowl Production Area: the hunter's file
Deer unit Columbia, bear and turkey zones, closures, licenses and the nearest towns and services.
Photo: Mobilus In Mobili (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Vangen Waterfowl Production Area
Key facts for Vangen Waterfowl Production Area
Vangen Waterfowl Production Area is a federal waterfowl production area in Columbia County. The DNR files it under its South Central Region (south-central Wisconsin). Management sits with the Fish and Wildlife Service. Acreage: 81, which places it 73rd of 103 waterfowl production areas. The closest covered town is Rio, around 5 miles off as the crow flies. It belongs to Leopold 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 Vangen Waterfowl Production Area
Vangen Waterfowl Production Area by zone and unit
Deer: Southern Farmland zone, Columbia. 8,800 antlerless deer: the 2026 quota for the unit. Bear hunters here apply for Zone F: 764 applied for 2026 and 764 permits went out. In Zone 3 turkey hunters held 55,612 spring tags in 2025 (spring 2027 levels are not out yet). CWD-positive deer have been recorded in Columbia County; free testing is offered statewide. Baiting and feeding deer are banned in Columbia County.
DMU figures for Vangen Waterfowl Production Area
| Unit | Deer zone | Quota | Public-access bonus | Private bonus | Farmland per license |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | Southern Farmland | 8,800 | 1,000 | 4,000 | 4 |
Vangen Waterfowl Production Area zone table
| Zone | Setting | Data | Also | Last season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear zone F | No dogs | 50 target, 764 permits | 1 point | 27 bears in 2025 |
| Turkey 3 | 55,612 spring tags (2025) | 22% success | 12,324 gobblers | 1,500 fall bonus |
| Ruffed grouse B | Oct 17–Dec 8 | 2 a day | ||
| Duck | Southern | Oct 3–Oct 11 Oct 17–Dec 6 | ||
| Goose | Southern | Sep 16–Oct 11 Oct 17–Dec 6 Dec 19–Jan 2 | ||
| 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 Vangen Waterfowl Production Area
Vangen 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. Dogs must be under immediate control, and ground blinds in gun deer season need 144 square inches of blaze orange or pink. Blue Wing and Wilcox WPAs are closed.
Orange, stands and GameReg at Vangen 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 Vangen 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.
Vangen Waterfowl Production Area: parent and sister units
Leopold Wetland Management District is the parent; 56 more units share it.
More of Leopold Wetland Management District
| Name | Kind | Counties | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uihlein | WPA | Winnebago | 2,436 |
| Baraboo River | WPA | Columbia | 950 |
| Schoeneberg Marsh | WPA | Columbia | 735 |
| Harvey's Marsh | WPA | Dane, Rock | 681 |
| Trenton | WPA | Dodge | 514 |
| Oakfield | WPA | Fond du Lac | 430 |
| Becker | WPA | Columbia | 357 |
| Manthey | WPA | Columbia | 352 |
| New Chester | WPA | Adams | 343 |
| Hinkson Creek | WPA | Columbia | 337 |
| Rowe | WPA | Columbia | 334 |
| Kettle Moraine | WPA | Sheboygan | 303 |
| Schwengel | WPA | Ozaukee | 302 |
| Severson | WPA | Columbia | 251 |
| Island Lake | WPA | Dane | 245 |
Which animals Vangen Waterfowl Production Area lists
Game on the record for Vangen 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 Columbia 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 Vangen Waterfowl Production Area
Deer dates are statewide in Wisconsin; bear, turkey, grouse, cottontail and waterfowl dates follow zone lines, so only the rows for Vangen 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: Columbia | Dec 24, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone F | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall turkey | Turkey Zone 3/1/2 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 3/1/2 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 3/1/2 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 3/1/2 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 3/1/2 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 3/1/2 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 3/1/2 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 3/1/2 | 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.
Vangen Waterfowl Production Area: county harvest and CWD tests
Hunters registered 7,189 deer in the Columbia County unit in 2025: 3,299 bucks and 3,890 antlerless. High year on the chart: 2020 at 7,440; low year: 2017 at 5,828. Preliminary 2026 count to Oct. 19: 571 in Columbia. Columbia County CWD testing (2025): 169 positives out of 616 samples. Cumulative total 824 positives in 9,739 tests. Harvest and CWD figures cover Columbia County as a whole.
Columbia County deer by year
| Year | Buck | Antlerless | Deer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3,299 | 3,890 | 7,189 |
| 2024 | 3,317 | 3,859 | 7,176 |
| 2023 | 3,203 | 3,426 | 6,629 |
| 2022 | 3,219 | 3,658 | 6,877 |
| 2021 | 3,016 | 3,151 | 6,167 |
| 2020 | 3,357 | 4,083 | 7,440 |
Testing for CWD, Columbia County
| Year | Deer tested | CWD positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 44 | 14 |
| 2025 | 616 | 169 |
| 2024 | 595 | 129 |
| 2023 | 534 | 112 |
| 2022 | 477 | 93 |
| 2021 | 510 | 74 |
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.
Vangen Waterfowl Production Area pinned among its neighbours
Map of Vangen Waterfowl Production Area and the 10 nearest public places. That is 9,993 acres of public ground.
| Area | Category | Acreage | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grassy Lake | Wildlife area | 700 | 2.0 mi | north |
| Grassy Lake | State natural area | 292 | 2.1 mi | north |
| Empire Prairies | State natural area | 116 | 4.5 mi | west |
| Mud Lake Forest and Ponds | State natural area | 131 | 5.4 mi | west |
| Jennings Creek | Wildlife area | 531 | 5.5 mi | north |
| Mud Lake (Columbia County) | Wildlife area | 2,277 | 6.1 mi | west |
| Roelke Creek | Fishery area | 40 | 7.5 mi | northwest |
| Paradise Marsh | Wildlife area | 1,594 | 7.8 mi | northeast |
| Peter Helland | Wildlife area | 3,572 | 9.5 mi | north |
| Rocky Run | Fishery area | 740 | 9.6 mi | northwest |
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 Vangen 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rio | Columbia | 5.3 mi | 1,126 | 13,789 |
| Wyocena | Columbia | 9.5 mi | 732 | 15,185 |
| Cambria | Columbia | 11 mi | 768 | 8,055 |
| Poynette | Columbia | 12 mi | 2,834 | 8,779 |
For the wider county picture: Columbia County.
Venison, mounts and ammo near Vangen Waterfowl Production Area
Vangen Waterfowl Production Area: agency contacts
County service center: DNR Fitchburg Service Center (608-275-3266).
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.
Vangen Waterfowl Production Area: nearest ranges
Columbia County Shooting Range in Columbia County is the nearest DNR-map range, 5 miles out. Two nearby club ranges follow.
rifle, shotgun on file
trap, archery, shotgun on file
handgun on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
First and last legal minute at Vangen 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 | 6:03 a.m. to 7:35 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 7:34 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Pheasant and duck dates | 6:47 a.m. to 6:29 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 6:32 p.m. |
| Nov 1, 2026 | Early November | 6:08 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer opener | 6:36 a.m. to 4:42 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. to 4:48 p.m. |
| Dec 1, 2026 | Muzzleloader week | 6:48 a.m. to 4:36 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 4:43 p.m. |
| Dec 24, 2026 | Holiday Hunt opener | 7:07 a.m. to 4:38 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 4:46 p.m. |
| Jan 3, 2027 | Archery close (most units) | 7:09 a.m. to 4:47 p.m. | 7:03 a.m. to 4:54 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 C offset of 8 minutes for longitude 89.17 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Questions hunters raise about Vangen Waterfowl Production Area
What is the antlerless quota at Vangen Waterfowl Production Area?
Columbia, part of the Southern Farmland zone. Antlerless goal for 2026: 8,800.
Which bear permit zone holds Vangen Waterfowl Production Area?
F. You need a Class A license from the drawing.
How many turkey permits go to the Vangen Waterfowl Production Area zone?
Turkey Zone 3. 55,612 spring tags were issued there in 2025.
What waterfowl dates apply at Vangen Waterfowl Production Area?
Duck zone: Southern; goose zone: Southern. Southern Zone ducks open Oct 3, 2026-27.
Can I put out corn for deer at Vangen Waterfowl Production Area?
Not here: Columbia County is under the ban. CWD has been found in wild deer in Columbia County.
How much orange do I wear at Vangen 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 Vangen Waterfowl Production Area?
Deer: online, phone or station by 5 p.m. next day. Turkeys: online or phone only.
Which tags work on Vangen 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 Vangen Waterfowl Production Area?
By straight-line distance: Grassy Lake Wildlife Area (2 miles), Grassy Lake State Natural Area (2 miles) and Empire Prairies State Natural Area (5 miles).
What is the parent of Vangen Waterfowl Production Area?
Leopold Wetland Management District holds it.
What type of property is Vangen Waterfowl Production Area on the record?
It is a federal waterfowl production area, managed by the Fish and Wildlife Service.
What size is Vangen Waterfowl Production Area on the record?
About 81 acres.
What is the nearest town to Vangen Waterfowl Production Area?
Base in Rio, 5 miles away; the ground is in Columbia County.
Vangen Waterfowl Production Area: one more look before the drive
Signs on the ground beat any web page. Read the posted boundaries at Vangen Waterfowl Production Area when you arrive.
Sources for this page: FWS realty layer · USFWS: hunting · USFWS: leopold · eCFR: section 32.68; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Shiva Shenoy (CC BY 2.0); nugefishes (CC BY 2.0).