Kewaunee County, Wisconsin: deer harvest and public hunting land
Kewaunee County is its own deer management unit, 344 square miles around Kewaunee. Hunters registered 3,110 deer here in 2025, 1,400 of them bucks, by the DNR's Deer Metrics. That is about the same as 2024. 1.6% of Kewaunee County is public land open to the public, the largest share state wildlife areas, forests and other DNR land (3,369 acres), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: DNR Deer Metrics. Land: PAD-US 4.1, the DNR's managed lands and VPA layers.
State wildlife areas, forests and other DNR landNational wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areasOther county, city and regional landVoluntary Public Access landKewaunee CountyNeighboring deer management unitsLakeHighway
| Counties | Kewaunee County |
|---|---|
| Size | 220,175 acres (344 square miles) |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 3,110 (1,400 bucks, 1,710 antlerless) |
| Yearly average, 2016 to 2025 | 3,286 deer |
| Public land | 1.6% (3,452 acres) |
| Properties | 3 (3,225 acres inside Kewaunee County) |
| Voluntary Public Access land | 1 site, 116 acres |
| Towns in and near it | Kewaunee, Luxemburg, Algoma, Forestville, Denmark and Maribel |
How many deer are harvested in Kewaunee County?
The DNR registered 3,110 deer in Kewaunee County in 2025: 1,400 bucks and 1,710 antlerless deer, 55% of the harvest antlerless. Over the 10 years shown, the harvest averaged 3,286 deer a year; the most bucks were registered in 2017 (1,487).
| Year | Deer registered | Bucks | Antlerless | Antlerless share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3,110 | 1,400 | 1,710 | 55% |
| 2024 | 3,095 | 1,380 | 1,715 | 55% |
| 2023 | 2,928 | 1,323 | 1,605 | 55% |
| 2022 | 2,912 | 1,206 | 1,706 | 59% |
| 2021 | 3,039 | 1,235 | 1,804 | 59% |
| 2020 | 3,624 | 1,319 | 2,305 | 64% |
| 2019 | 3,332 | 1,246 | 2,086 | 63% |
| 2018 | 3,527 | 1,417 | 2,110 | 60% |
| 2017 | 3,787 | 1,487 | 2,300 | 61% |
| 2016 | 3,506 | 1,425 | 2,081 | 59% |
Source: Wisconsin DNR Deer Metrics, harvest history for Kewaunee County. Deer registered is the DNR's buck and antlerless harvest added together. The DNR's Deer Metrics shows every year back to 1960 for most counties.
How much public land is in Kewaunee County?
3,452 of Kewaunee County's 220,175 acres are public land open to the public (1.6%). The biggest share is state wildlife areas, forests and other DNR land: 3,369 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Kewaunee County |
|---|---|---|
| State wildlife areas, forests and other DNR land | 3,369 | 1.5% |
| Other county, city and regional land | 65 | under 0.1% |
| State parks | 17 | under 0.1% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 1 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 3,452 | 1.6% |
Measured by FilledTag inside the DNR's boundary from USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public). Hunting rules differ by manager: 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.
DNR properties in Kewaunee County
DNR properties in Kewaunee County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- C.D. (Buzz) Besadny Fish And Wildlife Area: 2,752 acres
- Ahnapee State Trail: 418 acres
- State Ice Age Trail Area (SIATA): 55 acres
Voluntary Public Access land in Kewaunee County
The DNR's 2026 lease map shows 1 property in Kewaunee County, 116 acres of private land open to the public; it is spring-turkey-only Turkey Hunter Access land. No landowner permission is needed. DNR VPA program.
How do you get to Kewaunee County?
Highways through it: WI 42 (about 27 miles inside), WI 54 (about 18 miles inside), WI 29 (about 13 miles inside) and WI 57 (about 7 miles inside). Towns inside: Kewaunee, Luxemburg, Algoma and Casco. Nearby: Forestville (on the line), Denmark (3 miles), Maribel (4 miles) and Mishicot (7 miles).
Which deer management units border Kewaunee County?
Kewaunee County touches 3 other deer management units. Their latest DNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| DMU | Deer harvested | Year | Public land | Voluntary Public Access land sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Door County | 4,302 | 2025 | 6.6% | |
| Brown County | 3,627 | 2025 | 2% | |
| Manitowoc County | 4,513 | 2025 | 2.9% | 2 |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Kewaunee County in 2025?
3,110 deer were registered: 1,400 bucks and 1,710 antlerless deer (DNR Deer Metrics). In 2024: 3,095.
Is there public hunting land in Kewaunee County?
Yes. 3,452 acres, 1.6% of the unit, are public land open to the public by PAD-US 4.1, the largest share state wildlife areas, forests and other DNR land (3,369 acres). The DNR's map shows 3 DNR properties open to hunting here.
Does Kewaunee County have VPA land?
Yes. The DNR's 2026 lease map shows 1 property, 116 acres.
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Where these numbers come from
- Deer harvest: Wisconsin DNR Deer Metrics (registered harvest by deer management unit).
- 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.
- Boundaries: Wisconsin DNR deer management units. Highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 primary and secondary roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer, places.
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; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag.