Clark County, Wisconsin: public hunting land
Clark County has 132,349 acres of public land open to the public, 17% of the county, the largest share county forest (131,321 acres), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public). The DNR's map shows 3 DNR properties here covering 412 acres, the largest Black River State Forest (322 acres in the county). The DNR's lease programs add 2 private properties open to the public, 617 acres in all. Deer here are counted by deer management unit: DMU Clark (8,849 deer in 2025) and DMU 202 (1,586 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 landVoluntary Public Access landClark CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 779,890 acres (1,219 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Public land | 17% (132,349 acres) |
| Properties | 3 (412 acres) |
| Voluntary Public Access land | 2 sites, 617 acres |
| Deer management units | DMU Clark, DMU 202 |
| Towns | Abbotsford, Neillsville, Greenwood, Owen, Unity and Spencer |
How much public hunting land is in Clark County?
132,349 of the county's 779,890 acres are public land open to the public (17%). 132,325 acres of that are state wildlife, state forest or federal land, where hunting is the rule rather than the exception.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Clark County |
|---|---|---|
| County forest | 131,321 | 16.8% |
| State wildlife areas, forests and other DNR land | 974 | 0.1% |
| Other federal land | 30 | under 0.1% |
| Other county, city and regional land | 23 | under 0.1% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 1 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 132,349 | 17% |
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 Clark County by PAD-US, besides the properties: Clark County Forest (131,609 acres).
Which DNR properties are in Clark County?
3, largest first.
| Property | Acres in the county | DNR lists for hunting |
|---|---|---|
| Black River State Forest | 322 | |
| Dickison Ck-S Fork Eau Claire R SBE Area | 83 | |
| Syrup Creek-Black River SHA | 7 |
Where is the Voluntary Public Access land in Clark County?
The DNR's 2026 lease map shows 2 properties in Clark County, 617 acres of private land open to the public; one of them is spring-turkey-only Turkey Hunter Access land. No landowner permission is needed. DNR VPA program.
| Site | Acres | Location |
|---|---|---|
| VPA property V207 | 536 | 44.8672, -90.7045 |
| Turkey Hunter Access property T18 | 81 | 44.8868, -90.4421 |
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 Clark County?
Since the DNR redrew its northern and central forest units in 2025, Clark 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 Clark | 71.3% | 8,849 | 2025 |
| DMU 202 | 28.7% | 1,586 | 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 Clark County?
Highways: WI 73 (about 73 miles in the county), WI 29 (about 60 miles in the county), US 10 (about 33 miles in the county), WI 98 (about 15 miles in the county) and WI 95 (about 13 miles in the county). Towns: Abbotsford, Neillsville, Greenwood, Owen, Colby, Thorp, Dorchester and Loyal.
Questions hunters ask
How much public hunting land is in Clark County, Wisconsin?
132,349 acres, 17% of the county, are public land open to the public by PAD-US 4.1; the largest share is county forest (131,321 acres).
What is the largest DNR property in Clark County?
Black River State Forest, with 322 acres inside the county.
Which deer management units cover Clark County?
DMU Clark (71.3%) and DMU 202 (28.7%).
Does Clark County have VPA land?
Yes. 2 properties, 617 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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