Chippewa County, Wisconsin: public hunting land
Chippewa County has 48,160 acres of public land open to the public, 7.2% of the county, the largest share county forest (33,049 acres), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public). The DNR's map shows 22 DNR properties here covering 12,450 acres, the largest Chippewa Moraine State Recreation Area (3,555 acres in the county). The DNR's lease programs add 2 private properties open to the public, 230 acres in all. Deer here are counted by deer management unit: DMU Chippewa (6,315 deer in 2025) and DMU 110 (3,544 deer in 2025).
Data updated October 2026. Land: PAD-US 4.1. DNR properties and Voluntary Public Access land: the DNR's map layers, read 2026-10. Harvest: DNR Deer Metrics.
State wildlife areas, forests and other DNR landCounty forestOther county, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landVoluntary Public Access landChippewa CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 666,529 acres (1,041 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Public land | 7.2% (48,160 acres) |
| Properties | 22 (12,450 acres) |
| Voluntary Public Access land | 2 sites, 230 acres |
| Deer management units | DMU Chippewa, DMU 110 |
| Towns | Lake Hallie, Chippewa Falls, Stanley, Cornell, Sheldon and Elk Mound |
How much public hunting land is in Chippewa County?
48,160 of the county's 666,529 acres are public land open to the public (7.2%). 46,365 acres of that are state wildlife, state forest or federal land, where hunting is the rule rather than the exception.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Chippewa County |
|---|---|---|
| County forest | 33,049 | 5% |
| State wildlife areas, forests and other DNR land | 13,266 | 2% |
| Other county, city and regional land | 954 | 0.1% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 751 | 0.1% |
| State parks | 90 | under 0.1% |
| Other federal land | 50 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 48,160 | 7.2% |
Measured by FilledTag inside the county line from USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public). DNR wildlife areas and state forests are open to hunting unless posted; county forests are open to hunting in most cases (check the county forest's rules); national forest land is open in season; refuges follow U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rules; state parks allow hunting only in listed seasons and areas; national park land is closed to hunting.
The largest public areas in Chippewa County by PAD-US, besides the properties: Chippewa County Forest (32,923 acres), Ice Age Trail - Wd (1,080 acres) and Irvine Park (334 acres).
Which DNR properties are in Chippewa County?
22, largest first.
| Property | Acres in the county | DNR lists for hunting |
|---|---|---|
| Chippewa Moraine State Recreation Area | 3,555 | |
| Tom Lawin Wildlife Area | 2,287 | deer, wild turkey, pheasants and ducks and geese |
| Brunet Island State Park | 1,141 | |
| Lake Wissota State Park | 1,058 | |
| Firth Lake State Ice Age Trail Area | 729 | |
| Ohmart Wetlands State Natural Area | 718 | |
| McCann Creek Fishery Area | 433 | deer, wild turkey, ruffed grouse, woodcock and small game |
| Elk Creek Fishery Area | 420 | |
| Duncan Creek Fishery Area | 360 | deer, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse, woodcock and small game |
| Chippewa Moraine State Ice Age Trail Area | 351 | |
| Sand Creek Fishery Area | 301 | deer, wild turkey, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and small game |
| Hay Creek Fishery Area | 300 | deer, wild turkey, pheasants and small game |
| Old Abe State Trail | 250 | |
| Town of Arthur State Habitat Area | 203 | |
| Marsh Miller Cedars State Natural Area | 116 | |
| Plagge Woods State Natural Area | 81 | |
| Bob Lake State Habitat Area | 40 | |
| Drywood Wildlife Area | 39 | |
| Chippewa River State Trail | 36 | |
| Long Lake State Habitat Area | 16 | |
| Henneman Lake State Public Access | 11 | |
| Jim Falls Station | 5 |
Where is the Voluntary Public Access land in Chippewa County?
The DNR's 2026 lease map shows 2 properties in Chippewa County, 230 acres of private land open to the public. No landowner permission is needed. DNR VPA program.
| Site | Acres | Location |
|---|---|---|
| VPA property V446 | 152 | 45.2788, -91.3725 |
| VPA property V255 | 78 | 45.0348, -90.997 |
Locations are the middle of each property, from the DNR's 2026 lease layer. Each property's DNR map shows its boundary and parking; THAP properties are open March 1 to May 29 for spring turkey only.
How many deer are taken in Chippewa County?
Since the DNR redrew its northern and central forest units in 2025, Chippewa County is split among 2 deer management units that do not follow the county line, so there is no county total. The DNR has one year of numbers for the redrawn units so far. Each figure is for the whole unit.
| DMU | Share of the county | Deer harvested in the whole DMU | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMU Chippewa | 70.7% | 6,315 | 2025 |
| DMU 110 | 29.3% | 3,544 | 2025 |
Harvest: Wisconsin DNR Deer Metrics (registered harvest by deer management unit). Share of the county measured by FilledTag from the DNR's deer management units and the Census county line.
How do you get around Chippewa County?
Highways: WI 29 (about 83 miles in the county), US 53 (about 54 miles in the county), WI 64 (about 39 miles in the county), WI 40 (about 32 miles in the county) and WI 27 (about 32 miles in the county). Towns: Lake Hallie, Chippewa Falls, Stanley, Cornell, New Auburn, Cadott, Bloomer and Boyd.
Questions hunters ask
How much public hunting land is in Chippewa County, Wisconsin?
48,160 acres, 7.2% of the county, are public land open to the public by PAD-US 4.1; the largest share is county forest (33,049 acres).
What is the largest DNR property in Chippewa County?
Chippewa Moraine State Recreation Area, with 3,555 acres inside the county.
Which deer management units cover Chippewa County?
DMU Chippewa (70.7%) and DMU 110 (29.3%).
Does Chippewa County have VPA land?
Yes. 2 properties, 230 acres, on the DNR's 2026 lease map.
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Where these numbers come from
- Public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public). DNR properties: Wisconsin DNR managed lands open to hunting. Voluntary Public Access land: Wisconsin DNR Voluntary Public Access and Turkey Hunting Program lands.
- Deer harvest: Wisconsin DNR Deer Metrics (registered harvest by deer management unit).
- County line: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 cartographic county boundaries. Highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 primary and secondary roads.
FilledTag is not part of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Numbers are copied from the DNR and the federal sources above, or measured from their maps.
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