Monroe County, Wisconsin: public hunting land
Monroe County has 29,543 acres of public land open to the public, 5.1% of the county, the largest share state wildlife areas, forests and other DNR land (21,528 acres), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public). The DNR's map shows 14 DNR properties here covering 21,081 acres, the largest Meadow Valley Wildlife Area (15,595 acres in the county). Deer here are counted by deer management unit: DMU Monroe (8,137 deer in 2025), DMU 205 (448 deer in 2025) and Fort McCoy.
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 areasState parksOther county, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landVoluntary Public Access landMonroe CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 581,298 acres (908 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Public land | 5.1% (29,543 acres) |
| Properties | 14 (21,081 acres) |
| Voluntary Public Access land | None mapped this year |
| Deer management units | DMU Monroe, DMU 205, Fort McCoy |
| Towns | Sparta, Tomah, Warrens, Cashton, Rockland and Ontario |
How much public hunting land is in Monroe County?
29,543 of the county's 581,298 acres are public land open to the public (5.1%). 29,200 acres of that are state wildlife, state forest or federal land, where hunting is the rule rather than the exception.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Monroe County |
|---|---|---|
| State wildlife areas, forests and other DNR land | 21,528 | 3.7% |
| County forest | 7,310 | 1.3% |
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 361 | 0.1% |
| Other county, city and regional land | 254 | under 0.1% |
| State parks | 79 | under 0.1% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 10 | under 0.1% |
| Other federal land | 1 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 29,543 | 5.1% |
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 Monroe County by PAD-US, besides the properties: Necedah Wildlife Management Area (15,689 acres) and Monroe County Forest (7,305 acres).
Which DNR properties are in Monroe County?
14, largest first.
| Property | Acres in the county | DNR lists for hunting |
|---|---|---|
| Meadow Valley Wildlife Area | 15,595 | deer, wild turkey, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse and small game |
| Big Creek Fishery Area | 1,471 | |
| Mill Bluff State Park | 879 | |
| Sand Creek Streambank Protection Area | 640 | |
| Elroy-Sparta State Trail | 544 | |
| La Crosse Area Comprehensive Fishery Area | 506 | |
| La Crosse River Fishery Area | 463 | |
| Coon Creek Fishery Area | 322 | deer, wild turkey, ducks and geese, woodcock and rabbits and squirrels |
| Indian Ck-Little Lemonweir R SBE Area | 220 | |
| La Crosse River State Trail | 135 | |
| Eureka Maple Woods State Natural Area | 114 | |
| Mill Creek Fishery Area | 109 | |
| Pinnacle Rock Rearing Station | 55 | |
| Kickapoo River Fishery Area | 28 |
How many deer are taken in Monroe County?
Since the DNR redrew its northern and central forest units in 2025, Monroe County is split among 3 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 Monroe | 78.8% | 8,137 | 2025 |
| DMU 205 | 10.8% | 448 | 2025 |
| Fort McCoy | 10.3% |
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 Monroe County?
Highways: I-90 (about 64 miles in the county), WI 71 (about 48 miles in the county), I-94 (about 44 miles in the county), WI 27 (about 35 miles in the county) and WI 16 (about 33 miles in the county). Towns: Sparta, Tomah, Warrens, Cashton, Norwalk, Wilton, Kendall and Oakdale.
Questions hunters ask
How much public hunting land is in Monroe County, Wisconsin?
29,543 acres, 5.1% of the county, are public land open to the public by PAD-US 4.1; the largest share is state wildlife areas, forests and other DNR land (21,528 acres).
What is the largest DNR property in Monroe County?
Meadow Valley Wildlife Area, with 15,595 acres inside the county.
Which deer management units cover Monroe County?
DMU Monroe (78.8%), DMU 205 (10.8%) and Fort McCoy (10.3%).
Does Monroe County have VPA land?
Not 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.