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Waupaca County, Wisconsin
Wolf River Fishery Area: the hunter's file
Deer unit Waupaca, bear and turkey zones, closures, licenses and the nearest towns and services.
Photo: m01229 (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Wolf River Fishery Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Wolf River Fishery Area
- Parking areaParking · 0.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Shaws boat landingBoat ramp · 2.6 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.
Key facts for Wolf River Fishery Area
Wolf River Fishery Area is a DNR fishery area that is open to hunting in Waupaca County. The DNR files it under its Northeast Region (northeast Wisconsin). Management sits with the Wisconsin DNR. Acreage: 205, which places it 87th of 245 fishery areas. The closest covered town is Hortonville, around 8 miles off as the crow flies.
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 Wolf River Fishery Area
Wolf River Fishery Area by zone and unit
Deer: Central Farmland zone, Waupaca. 8,550 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 Waupaca County; free testing is offered statewide. Baiting and feeding deer are banned in Waupaca County.
DMU figures for Wolf River Fishery Area
| Unit | Deer zone | Quota | Public-access bonus | Private bonus | Farmland per license |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waupaca | Central Farmland | 8,550 | 492 | 1,487 | 3 |
Wolf River Fishery 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 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.
Wolf River Fishery Area: the property description
Copied from the official listing.
The Wolf River Fishery Area is located in Mukwa Township in eastern Waupaca County, just west of New London and east of Northport. Current state ownership is 193.21 acres. The property consists of 3 small parcels on the north side of the Wolf River. State Hwy 54 and a railroad corridor traverse the site. Most of the property consists of floodplain forest of silver maple, green ash, and swamp white oak, with a terraced forest supporting some more mesic species such as basswood and red oak.
This terrace forest has many understory plants not present in the wetter, silver maple-dominated stands. Other habitats found here include shrub swamp of willows and buttonbush and marsh and sedge meadows consisting of cattail, sedges, and reed canary grass. The FA provides spawning habitat for Northern pike, panfish, and suckers, as well as walleye, especially in high-water years. Winding Creek DNR Photo –> The New London bypass ditch runs through the property. Also known as the Rasmussan Canal, this ditch was dug in the 1940's-50's to relieve flooding in downtown New London by allowing water on the Embarrass River to bypass the city and enter the Wolf River downstream of the town.
Hunting lines from the Wolf River Fishery Area page
- Main recreational uses on this property are hunting, trapping, fishing, canoeing, and wildlife viewing.
- The Wolf River Fishery Area is managed to enhance to the extent and quality of the floodplain forest and associated habitat types for the benefit of both game and non-game wildlife and to provide for opportunities for public hunting, fishing, trapping and other outdoor recreation.
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
Access, closures and licenses for Wolf River Fishery Area
Wolf River Fishery Area: open to whom, and how
Hunting and trapping follow state seasons on the parts of this fishery land that the DNR map marks open, under NR 45.
Orange, stands and GameReg at Wolf River Fishery 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. A ground blind on DNR property needs 144 sq in of orange or pink during gun deer seasons. South of Hwy. 64 every stand and blind leaves with you; north of it, two portable stands per county may stay out Sept. 1-Jan. 31. Use GameReg (online or 844-426-3734) before 5 p.m. the day after the harvest.
Tags and licenses for Wolf River Fishery 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.
Which animals Wolf River Fishery Area lists
Game on the record for Wolf River Fishery Area: raccoons, foxes and coyotes.
Furbearers
Seasons not named here still apply if they are open in Waupaca 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 Wolf River Fishery Area
Deer dates are statewide in Wisconsin; bear, turkey, grouse, cottontail and waterfowl dates follow zone lines, so only the rows for Wolf River Fishery 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: Waupaca | Dec 24, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone F/C | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall turkey | Turkey Zone 3 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 3 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 3 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 3 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 3 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 3 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 3 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 3 | 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 | |
| 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 | Northern Duck Zone | Sep 26, 2026 | Nov 24, 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 | Northern Goose Zone | Sep 16, 2026 | Dec 16, 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.
Wolf River Fishery Area: county harvest and CWD tests
Hunters registered 10,740 deer in the Waupaca County unit in 2025: 5,202 bucks and 5,538 antlerless. High year on the chart: 2016 at 13,075; low year: 2023 at 9,097. Preliminary 2026 count to Oct. 19: 1,071 in Waupaca. Waupaca County CWD testing (2025): 1 positives out of 331 samples. Cumulative total 4 positives in 3,482 tests. Waupaca County bear harvest, 2025: 6. Harvest and CWD figures cover Waupaca County as a whole.
Waupaca County deer by year
| Year | Buck | Antlerless | Deer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5,202 | 5,538 | 10,740 |
| 2024 | 5,192 | 5,157 | 10,349 |
| 2023 | 4,315 | 4,782 | 9,097 |
| 2022 | 4,556 | 5,814 | 10,370 |
| 2021 | 4,454 | 4,893 | 9,347 |
| 2020 | 4,466 | 5,849 | 10,315 |
Testing for CWD, Waupaca County
| Year | Deer tested | CWD positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 13 | 0 |
| 2025 | 331 | 1 |
| 2024 | 288 | 1 |
| 2023 | 356 | 0 |
| 2022 | 270 | 2 |
| 2021 | 234 | 0 |
Bears by year, Waupaca County
| Year | Bears | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 13 | 8 | 5 |
| 2025 | 6 | 2 | 4 |
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.
Wolf River Fishery Area pinned among its neighbours
Map of Wolf River Fishery Area and the 10 nearest public places. That is 7,085 acres of public ground.
| Area | Category | Acreage | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mukwa | Wildlife area | 1,337 | 1.4 mi | southwest |
| Mukwa Bottomland Forest | State natural area | 171 | 1.8 mi | southwest |
| Wolf River-Hortonville Flats (Remnant) | Fishery area | 54 | 4.5 mi | southeast |
| Hortonville Bog | State natural area | 769 | 5.0 mi | east |
| Shaky Lake | State natural area | 221 | 6.6 mi | south |
| Wolf River Colic Slough | Fishery area | 276 | 7.3 mi | southwest |
| LaSage Bottoms | State natural area | 125 | 8.4 mi | east |
| Wolf River Bottoms Wildlife Area La Sage Unit | Wildlife area | 3,138 | 11 mi | northeast |
| Tellock's Hill Woods | State natural area | 52 | 12 mi | northwest |
| Outagamie | Wildlife area | 942 | 12 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 of hunting-open parcels) (polygon centroid)). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Towns, processors and DNR desks near Wolf River Fishery Area
Start with a town, then line up a cooler, a butcher and a mount.
| Town | County | Miles off | People | Public acres (10 mi) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hortonville | Outagamie | 8.0 mi | 3,331 | 8,574 |
| Dale | Outagamie | 9.9 mi | — | 11,116 |
| Shiocton | Outagamie | 10.0 mi | 932 | 10,054 |
| Winchester | Winnebago | 15 mi | — | 7,592 |
For the wider county picture: Waupaca County.
Venison, mounts and ammo near Wolf River Fishery Area
Wolf River Fishery Area: agency contacts
County service center: DNR Oshkosh Service Center (920-424-3050).
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.
Wolf River Fishery Area: nearest ranges
Shiocton Shooting Range in Outagamie County is the nearest DNR-map range, 11 miles out. Two nearby club ranges follow.
rifle, handgun, archery on file
trap, skeet, rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire on file
archery, 3D archery on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
First and last legal minute at Wolf River Fishery 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 | 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 88.77 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Questions hunters raise about Wolf River Fishery Area
What size is Wolf River Fishery Area on the record?
About 205 acres.
What is the nearest town to Wolf River Fishery Area?
Base in Hortonville, 8 miles away; the ground is in Waupaca County.
Which game is named for Wolf River Fishery Area?
The property record lists raccoons, foxes and coyotes.
What is the antlerless quota at Wolf River Fishery Area?
Waupaca, part of the Central Farmland zone. Antlerless goal for 2026: 8,550.
Which bear permit zone holds Wolf River Fishery Area?
F. You need a Class A license from the drawing.
How many turkey permits go to the Wolf River Fishery Area zone?
Turkey Zone 3. 55,612 spring tags were issued there in 2025.
What waterfowl dates apply at Wolf River Fishery Area?
Duck zone: Northern; goose zone: Northern. Northern Zone ducks open Sep 26, 2026-27.
Can I put out corn for deer at Wolf River Fishery Area?
Not here: Waupaca County is under the ban. CWD has been found in wild deer in Waupaca County.
How much orange do I wear at Wolf River Fishery 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 Wolf River Fishery Area?
Deer: online, phone or station by 5 p.m. next day. Turkeys: online or phone only.
Which tags work on Wolf River Fishery 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 Wolf River Fishery Area?
By straight-line distance: Mukwa Wildlife Area (1 mile), Mukwa Bottomland Forest State Natural Area (2 miles) and Wolf River-Hortonville Flats Fishery Area (Remnant) (4 miles).
What type of property is Wolf River Fishery Area on the record?
It is a DNR fishery area that is open to hunting, managed by the Wisconsin DNR.
Wolf River Fishery Area: one more look before the drive
Signs on the ground beat any web page. Read the posted boundaries at Wolf River Fishery Area when you arrive.
Sources for this page: DNR: 2960wolfriver · DNR GIS · DNR: county; 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); USFWS Mountain Prairie (CC BY 2.0).