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Racine County · Fishery area
Hunting at Wind Lake Habitat Area
Wind Lake Habitat Area, 14 acres in Racine County: whitetails, wild turkeys, mourning doves and squirrels, cottontails and hares, zones and tags, property rules, county harvest and the land nearby.
Photo: Beige Alert (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Wind Lake Habitat Area
Wind Lake Habitat Area on one card
Hunters reach Wind Lake Habitat Area in Racine County; it is a DNR fishery area that is open to hunting. This is southeast Wisconsin, in the DNR Southeast Region. Day-to-day it is in the hands of the Wisconsin DNR. Measured at 14 acres, it comes in 197th of 245 fishery areas. Mukwonago is the nearest town with a guide on this site, about 9 miles away; the land lies east of it.
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 Wind Lake Habitat Area
Zones that take in Wind Lake Habitat Area
Wind Lake Habitat Area is Southern Farmland deer country, unit Racine. Antlerless quota, 2026: 500. The Zone F bear quota for 2026 is 50, spread over 764 drawn permits. Zone 2 turkey numbers for 2025: 51,056 spring tags, 22% success. Wild deer with CWD have been confirmed in Racine County. Leave the corn at home; Racine County bans deer baiting.
Antlerless tags near Wind Lake Habitat Area
| Unit | Zone | Quota 2026 | Bonus, public | Bonus, private | Farmland tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Racine | Southern Farmland | 500 | 400 | 350 | 1 |
Wind Lake Habitat Area: other game zones
| Zone | Detail | Numbers | More | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear zone F | No hounds | 50 target, 764 permits | 1 point | 27 bears in 2025 |
| Turkey 2 | 51,056 spring tags (2025) | 22% success | 11,024 gobblers | 2,500 fall bonus |
| Ruffed grouse B | Oct 17–Dec 8 | 2 a day | ||
| Duck zone | Southern | Oct 3–Oct 11 Oct 17–Dec 6 | ||
| Canada goose | Southern | Sep 16–Oct 11 Oct 17–Dec 6 Dec 19–Jan 2 | ||
| Wolf 6 | No harvest | Federal listing |
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.
How the DNR describes Wind Lake Habitat Area
The managing agency's own text.
The Wind Lake Habitat Area is a 332-acre property consisting of two blocks in the Town of Norway in Northwest Racine County. The eastern block is a 252-acre parcel located east of Wind Lake Road (HWY S) and the western block is an 80-acre parcel off Palmer Drive in the Windermere Subdivision. Parking for the eastern parcel is found off Wind Lake Road (HWY S), ¼ mile down a gravel road. Parking on the western parcel is off the subdivision road.
(There is no designated parking area for this parcel.) The eastern block contains, in part, one of the largest contiguous woodland habitat in the township and supports a remnant southern tamarack swamp. The Natural Heritage Conservation Program has identified a vulnerable community of southern tamarack swamp forest on the eastern parcel. The forest community is part of a 218-acre forested area on the state parcel. This community has been converting to lowland hardwood due to hydrologic changes resulting from the artificial drainage of surrounding agricultural lands.
The woods remain a refugium for many species with more northerly affinities, such as starflower, goldthread, winterberry, dwarf raspberry, yellow birch, bunchberry and blueberry.
Hunting notes printed for Wind Lake Habitat Area
- Both property blocks provide hunting opportunities for deer, turkey, and small game.
- With the extensive woodland habitat, the eastern block provides more deer hunting opportunities.
- The habitat area is managed to provide opportunities for public hunting and other outdoor recreation.
- Hunting (noted for deer, dove and turkey)
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
What Wind Lake Habitat Area requires of hunters
Wind Lake Habitat Area access terms
Where the managed-lands map marks it open, this fishery land takes hunters and trappers in season (NR 45).
The rule book on Wind Lake Habitat Area
Half of your outer clothing above the waist, and half of your hat, must be blaze orange or pink whenever a firearm deer season is open (waterfowl hunters excepted). Ground blinds need a 144-square-inch orange or pink patch in gun deer seasons on DNR ground. Stands may not damage trees. North of Hwy. 64 they can stay overnight Sept. 1, 2026 to Jan. 31, 2027 (two per hunter per county); south of Hwy. 64 they come down daily. Deer and turkeys go into GameReg online or by phone by 5 p.m. the next day.
Go Wild shopping list for Wind Lake Habitat Area
A gun deer or archery license comes with a buck authorization; antlerless deer on this land need a public-access authorization.
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.
What hunters pursue at Wind Lake Habitat Area
Species the agency lists here: whitetails, wild turkeys, mourning doves, squirrels, cottontails and hares, ducks and geese, pheasants, woodcock, raccoons, foxes and coyotes, Hungarian partridge and snipe and rails.
White-tailed deer
Wild turkey
Mourning dove
Small game
Ducks and geese
Pheasant
Woodcock
Furbearers
Hungarian partridge
Snipe and rails
Unlisted species follow the Racine County dates below, subject to the property rules.
Species from the property record (species named by the source); bag limits from the DNR regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Wind Lake Habitat Area: opening and closing days
From bear baiting in September to the last spring turkey period, 42 season segments apply to Wind Lake Habitat Area.
| Species | Hunt type | Zone or unit | Opening | Closing | 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: Milwaukee | 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 | Extended archery and crossbow | Metro sub-unit | 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 | Open Water Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 15, 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.
Racine County harvest near Wind Lake Habitat Area
Deer registered in the Racine County unit, 2025: 768. The decade peaked at 768 in 2025 and bottomed at 457 in 2017. Through Oct. 19, 2026: 19 antlered and 35 antlerless in Racine (preliminary). CWD year 2025 brought 39 Racine County samples and 6 positives. Running total since 1999: 1,565 tested. No harvest is published for Wind Lake Habitat Area itself, so the county unit is the finest level.
Registered deer in the Wind Lake Habitat Area county unit
| Year | Antlered | Antlerless | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 457 | 311 | 768 |
| 2024 | 384 | 286 | 670 |
| 2023 | 425 | 234 | 659 |
| 2022 | 389 | 222 | 611 |
| 2021 | 322 | 185 | 507 |
| 2020 | 356 | 224 | 580 |
CWD tests in Racine County
| CWD year | Wild deer sampled | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 | 39 | 6 |
| 2024 | 46 | 1 |
| 2023 | 34 | 2 |
| 2022 | 46 | 2 |
| 2021 | 24 | 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.
Around Wind Lake Habitat Area: more places to hunt
The big marker is Wind Lake Habitat Area. Smaller ones are its 10 closest neighbours. The neighbours add 3,955 acres between them.
| Nearby | Kind | Acres | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind Lake | Wildlife area | 346 | 2.4 mi | east |
| Tichigan | Wildlife area | 1,601 | 4.5 mi | west |
| Tichigan Springs and Fen | State natural area | 86 | 5.2 mi | west |
| Big Muskego Lake | Wildlife area | 1,106 | 6.1 mi | northeast |
| Dover | Wildlife area | 89 | 6.8 mi | southeast |
| Cherry Lake Sedge Meadow | State natural area | 80 | 8.1 mi | southwest |
| Honey Creek Streambank Protection Area | Wildlife area | 506 | 8.3 mi | west |
| Mukwonago River | State natural area | 43 | 8.8 mi | west |
| Eagle Lake | Fishery area | 97 | 9.0 mi | south |
| Potters Lake | Fishery area | 1 | 9.5 mi | west |
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.
Wind Lake Habitat Area: nearby towns and businesses
Town pages first, then shops, processors and DNR desks.
| Base town | County | Away | Residents | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mukwonago | Waukesha | 8.7 mi | 8,512 | 19,552 |
| Waukesha | Waukesha | 11 mi | 8,573 | 7,230 |
| Waukesha | Waukesha | 14 mi | 71,461 | 4,565 |
| Eagle | Waukesha | 16 mi | 2,131 | 31,736 |
County-level hunting pages: Racine County.
Shops a short drive from Wind Lake Habitat Area
DNR desks closest to Wind Lake Habitat Area
Service center for Racine County business: DNR Milwaukee 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.
Wind Lake Habitat Area: nearest ranges
About 6 miles separates Wind Lake Habitat Area from Lakeview Rod & Gun Club, the nearest public map range. Nearby rod and gun clubs round out the list.
rifle, trap, handgun, smallbore rimfire, archery on file
archery, 3D archery on file
archery, 3D archery on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
Shooting light at Wind Lake Habitat Area by date
At Wind Lake Habitat Area the offset is 4 minutes (Zone B). The times below already include it for both DNR shooting-hours areas.
| Day | Season | North table | South table |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 88.15 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
What people ask about hunting Wind Lake Habitat Area
If Wind Lake Habitat Area is full, where next?
Within a short drive: Wind Lake State Habitat Area (2 miles), Tichigan Wildlife Area (4 miles) and Tichigan Springs and Fen State Natural Area (5 miles).
Which Wisconsin license covers Wind Lake Habitat Area?
Go Wild sells everything needed; antlerless tags on public land must be public-access tags.
What acreage is listed for Wind Lake Habitat Area?
Roughly 14 acres.
Which agency sets the rules on Wind Lake Habitat Area?
The Wisconsin DNR treats it as a DNR fishery area that is open to hunting.
Which species are hunted on Wind Lake Habitat Area?
Listed: whitetails, wild turkeys, mourning doves, squirrels, cottontails and hares, ducks and geese, pheasants, woodcock, raccoons, foxes and coyotes, Hungarian partridge and snipe and rails.
Where do Wind Lake Habitat Area hunters spend the night?
Start from Mukwonago; the land is 9 miles off, in Racine County.
Which bear management zone holds Wind Lake Habitat Area?
Bear Zone F. Zone F took 1 preference point in 2026.
Which DMU takes in Wind Lake Habitat Area?
Deer unit Racine; zone Southern Farmland. The 2026 antlerless quota is 500 (Racine); use a public-access antlerless tag here.
What are the waterfowl zones for Wind Lake Habitat Area?
It sits in the Southern duck and Southern goose zones. In the Southern Zone the regular duck split begins Oct 3.
Which turkey zone is Wind Lake Habitat Area in?
Zone 2, one bird per spring authorization.
Do I need blaze orange at Wind Lake Habitat Area?
In any open firearm deer season, wear blaze orange or pink on at least half your coat and cap.
Is deer baiting legal near Wind Lake Habitat Area?
No: Racine County bans deer baiting and feeding. Wild deer with CWD are documented in Racine County.
How do I register a deer from Wind Lake Habitat Area?
Through GameReg (online, phone or a station) by 5 p.m. the day after recovery.
Check Wind Lake Habitat Area once more
Refuges, closed areas and park windows at Wind Lake Habitat Area can shift mid-season; the property page and the DNR map have the current picture.
Sources for this page: DNR: windlake · DNR GIS · DNR: alpha · DNR: county · DNR: 2910windlake; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: greenebriar (Public domain); USFWS/Southeast (Public domain).