Eau Claire County, Wisconsin: public hunting land
Eau Claire County has 56,414 acres of public land open to the public, 13.7% of the county, the largest share county forest (51,009 acres), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public). The DNR's map shows 6 DNR properties here covering 3,423 acres, the largest Augusta Wildlife Area (2,129 acres in the county). The DNR's lease programs add 1 private property open to the public, 79 acres in all. Deer here are counted by deer management unit: DMU Eau Claire (3,672 deer in 2025) and DMU 201 (949 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 forestNational wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areasOther federal landOther county, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landVoluntary Public Access landEau Claire CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 412,852 acres (645 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Public land | 13.7% (56,414 acres) |
| Properties | 6 (3,423 acres) |
| Voluntary Public Access land | 1 site, 79 acres |
| Deer management units | DMU Eau Claire, DMU 201 |
| Towns | Eau Claire, Altoona, Augusta, Fall Creek, Osseo and Eleva |
How much public hunting land is in Eau Claire County?
56,414 of the county's 412,852 acres are public land open to the public (13.7%). 54,955 acres of that are state wildlife, state forest or federal land, where hunting is the rule rather than the exception.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Eau Claire County |
|---|---|---|
| County forest | 51,009 | 12.4% |
| State wildlife areas, forests and other DNR land | 3,902 | 0.9% |
| Other county, city and regional land | 1,441 | 0.3% |
| Other federal land | 44 | under 0.1% |
| State parks | 18 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 56,414 | 13.7% |
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 Eau Claire County by PAD-US, besides the properties: Eau Claire County Forest (51,012 acres), Township Memorial Park (739 acres), Riverview Park (271 acres) and Carson Park (142 acres).
Which DNR properties are in Eau Claire County?
6, largest first.
| Property | Acres in the county | DNR lists for hunting |
|---|---|---|
| Augusta Wildlife Area | 2,129 | deer, wild turkey, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and bear |
| Lower Chippewa River State Natural Area | 863 | |
| Lowes Creek Streambank Protection Area | 275 | |
| Chippewa River State Trail | 139 | |
| Buffalo River State Trail | 12 | |
| West Central Region Headquarters | 5 |
Where is the Voluntary Public Access land in Eau Claire County?
The DNR's 2026 lease map shows 1 property in Eau Claire County, 79 acres of private land open to the public. No landowner permission is needed. DNR VPA program.
| Site | Acres | Location |
|---|---|---|
| VPA property V279 | 79 | 44.6854, -91.2311 |
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 Eau Claire County?
Since the DNR redrew its northern and central forest units in 2025, Eau Claire 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 Eau Claire | 75.5% | 3,672 | 2025 |
| DMU 201 | 24.5% | 949 | 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 Eau Claire County?
Highways: I-94 (about 60 miles in the county), US 12 (about 54 miles in the county), US 53 (about 29 miles in the county), WI 27 (about 25 miles in the county) and WI 93 (about 20 miles in the county). Towns: Eau Claire, Altoona, Augusta, Fall Creek, Fairchild and Seymour.
Questions hunters ask
How much public hunting land is in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin?
56,414 acres, 13.7% of the county, are public land open to the public by PAD-US 4.1; the largest share is county forest (51,009 acres).
What is the largest DNR property in Eau Claire County?
Augusta Wildlife Area, with 2,129 acres inside the county.
Which deer management units cover Eau Claire County?
DMU Eau Claire (75.5%) and DMU 201 (24.5%).
Does Eau Claire County have VPA land?
Yes. 1 property, 79 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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