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2026-27 · State park
Willow River State Park, a hunter's guide
Who runs it, which deer unit and bear zone cover it, what it holds (raccoons, foxes and coyotes), and the public land and towns around it in St. Croix County.
Photo: aarongunnar (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Willow River State Park
Parking, trailheads and gates near Willow River State Park
- Parking areaParking · 0.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 0.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.7 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 Willow River State Park
On paper it is a state park with hunting in its open areas; on the map it is in St. Croix County. DNR staff of the West Central Region cover this part of west-central Wisconsin. Manager: the Wisconsin DNR. Its 2,857 acres rank 8th of the 49 Wisconsin state parks with an acreage on file. From Hudson, our closest town page, it is roughly 4 miles to the northeast.
From the source page (WI DNR Managed Lands GIS ACRES field, whole property (hunting only in areas the property hunting map shows open)); region from the DNR county layer. Checked October 19, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Willow River State Park
Willow River State Park in the agency's words
Unedited text from the official page.
Hunting Willow River State Park Hunting and trapping are allowed in the open areas of the park during the Wisconsin state parks hunting and trapping time frame. Trapping is not permitted in closed areas as noted on the park hunting map or within 100 yards of any designated use area, including trails. Certain trap types are restricted on state park properties.
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
Willow River State Park rules and licenses
Access rules at Willow River State Park
The park time frame applies in open areas only: April 1 through the Tuesday nearest May 3, then Nov. 15-Dec. 15 (bows to the Sunday nearest Jan. 6). Buy the state park vehicle pass before you park.
State law on Willow River State Park
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 Willow River State Park needs
Get licenses on Go Wild or at an agent. Antlerless tags are unit-specific and labelled public or private land.
Closed and restricted areas inside Willow River State Park
1 closed or restricted area appear for Willow River State Park in the DNR layer. Usual exception: Hunting/trapping restrictions apply, check property map(s) at link provided.
| Name | Restriction | Closed | Acres | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Willow River State Park | Hunting/trapping Restrictions | See property map link provided | 2,860 | NR 29.089(1m)(b) |
Willow River State Park: its own time frame
| Game | Period | When | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| All open seasons | Spring | April 1 through the Tuesday nearest May 3 (gun and archery hunting, limited trapping, open areas only) | |
| All open seasons | Fall/Winter | Nov. 15-Dec. 15 (gun and archery hunting and trapping in open seasons); archery through the Sunday nearest Jan. 6 | Exceptions for Buckhorn, Big Bay, Blue Mound, Governor Dodge, Rock Island and Tower Hill state parks. |
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.
Willow River State Park: DMU, bear zone and turkey zone
Deer management: St Croix, Central Farmland zone. The Natural Resources Board set 3,500 antlerless deer as the 2026 quota there. Bear Zone E has a 2026 harvest target of 185 with 2,628 Class A permits drawn; it took 1 preference point to win one. Spring turkey tags are sold for Zone 4; the DNR issued 34,997 there in 2025, the newest level published. The deer baiting ban covers St. Croix County.
Deer units that cover Willow River State Park
| Deer unit | Zone | Antlerless goal | Public tags left | Private tags left | Included tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Croix | Central Farmland | 3,500 | 494 | 1,496 | 2 |
| St. Croix County Metro Sub-Unit | Metro sub-unit | Counted in parent | 150 | 300 | 2 |
Zones beyond deer for Willow River State Park
| Zone | Setting | Data | Also | Last season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear E | Dogs barred | 185 target, 2,628 permits | 1 point | 128 bears in 2025 |
| Turkey zone 4 | 34,997 spring tags (2025) | 24% success | 8,472 gobblers | 1,500 fall bonus |
| Grouse zone A | Sep 12–Jan 3 | 5 a day | ||
| Duck zone | Northern | Sep 26–Nov 24 | ||
| Goose zone | Northern | Sep 16–Dec 16 | ||
| 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.
Willow River State Park: species with bag limits
Listed game at Willow River State Park: raccoons, foxes and coyotes.
Furbearers
The St. Croix 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 Willow River State Park
Willow River State Park sits in the Central Farmland deer zone. These 42 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 | Metro sub-unit gun | Metro sub-unit: Hudson | 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: St. Croix | 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 E | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 13, 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.
Public property near Willow River State Park
The large pin is Willow River State Park; the others are the 10 closest public properties. Together they hold 2,625 acres.
| Name | Type | Size (ac) | Away | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simon Prairie State Habitat Area-Western Prairie Habitat Restoration Area | Habitat area | 7 | 3.8 mi | northeast |
| Willow River | Habitat area | 818 | 4.1 mi | east |
| Clapp | WPA | 239 | 4.7 mi | southeast |
| White (St. Croix County) | WPA | 56 | 5.0 mi | north |
| Weiss | WPA | 36 | 5.0 mi | east |
| Bass Lake | WPA | 423 | 5.1 mi | northeast |
| Three Lakes | WPA | 249 | 5.3 mi | east |
| Ten Mile | WPA | 516 | 6.2 mi | northeast |
| Somerset | WPA | 65 | 6.7 mi | north |
| Ten Mile Creek State Habitat Area-Western Prairie Habitat Restoration Area | Habitat area | 216 | 7.1 mi | northeast |
Points from the DNR managed lands, SNA, county forest, FWS realty, USFS, NPS and DoD layers (WI DNR Managed Lands GIS (polygon centroid) (polygon centroid)). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
How the land around Willow River State Park hunts, by the numbers
St. Croix County hunters registered 4,858 deer in 2025, 2,261 of them bucks. Totals swing between 3,825 and 4,858 across the years charted. CWD sampling in St. Croix County, CWD year 2025: 132 wild deer sampled, 0 positive. Overall: 1,431 samples and 0 positives. St. Croix County: 31 bears in 2025. The DNR reports deer by unit, not by property: read these as the St. Croix County picture.
St. Croix County bucks and antlerless
| Year | Bucks | Antlerless | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,261 | 2,597 | 4,858 |
| 2024 | 1,922 | 2,280 | 4,202 |
| 2023 | 1,762 | 2,338 | 4,100 |
| 2022 | 2,051 | 2,604 | 4,655 |
| 2021 | 1,970 | 2,257 | 4,227 |
| 2020 | 2,083 | 2,632 | 4,715 |
St. Croix County CWD sampling
| Year | Sampled | Positives |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 7 | 0 |
| 2025 | 132 | 0 |
| 2024 | 119 | 0 |
| 2023 | 78 | 0 |
| 2022 | 94 | 0 |
| 2021 | 80 | 0 |
St. Croix County bears
| Year | Bears registered | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 20 | 14 | 6 |
| 2025 | 31 | 22 | 9 |
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.
Willow River State Park: nearest ranges
No range sits on Willow River State Park; the nearest on the DNR public range map is Hudson Rod Gun and Archery Club, about 3 miles away. Nearby club or private ranges are shown too.
rifle, handgun, archery, trap, skeet on file
sporting clays, shotgun on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
Home bases for a Willow River State Park trip
Closest towns, measured as the crow flies, then the businesses around them.
| Town | County | Straight line | 2024 pop. | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hudson | St. Croix | 4.3 mi | 15,031 | 6,712 |
| Houlton | St. Croix | 5.8 mi | — | 6,454 |
| Somerset | St. Croix | 7.4 mi | 3,382 | 12,025 |
| Osceola | Polk | 21 mi | 2,880 | 5,877 |
Read up on the county: St. Croix County.
Taxidermy and supplies for Willow River State Park hunters
Phone numbers for Willow River State Park questions
The DNR service center listed for St. Croix County is DNR Eau Claire Service Center, 715-839-3700.
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.
Willow River State Park: 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 | 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 92.69 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Straight answers on Willow River State Park
How is Willow River State Park classified?
State park with hunting in its open areas, under the Wisconsin DNR.
How much land is in Willow River State Park?
It covers 2,857 acres by the recorded figure.
Where in the state does Willow River State Park lie?
St. Croix County holds it, 4 miles from Hudson.
What is Willow River State Park hunted for?
The agency names raccoons, foxes and coyotes; other legal game follows the county dates.
Which deer management unit holds Willow River State Park?
The Central Farmland zone, St Croix. Quota for 2026: 3,500 antlerless.
Is bear hunting possible at Willow River State Park?
Zone E; hound hunting is not allowed there.
Can I turkey hunt Willow River State Park in spring?
Zone 4; 2025 saw 8,472 birds registered in the zone.
When can I hunt ducks at Willow River State Park?
Northern for ducks, Northern for geese. The regular Northern Zone duck season opens Sep 26.
Has CWD turned up in the county around Willow River State Park?
The deer baiting ban applies in St. Croix County. CWD has not been found in this county's wild deer.
Is blaze pink legal at Willow River State Park?
Orange or pink, half of the upper clothing, whenever a gun deer season runs (not for waterfowl).
Where do I register game taken on Willow River State Park?
Register on GameReg by 5 p.m. the next day; the confirmation number starts with W.
Is there a separate permit for Willow River State Park?
The standard license for your game; no landowner permission on public ground.
Is Willow River State Park open to hunting all season?
The park time frame applies: spring April 1-early May; fall Nov. 15-Dec. 15; archery to about Jan. 6.
Last checks on Willow River State Park before you go
Treat this page as a starting point: the manager of Willow River State Park has the final say on closures and maps.
Sources for this page: DNR: hunt · DNR: hunting · DNR: willowriver · DNR GIS · DNR GIS; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: xulescu_g (CC BY-SA 2.0); Joe Mabel (CC BY-SA 4.0).