Bear Creek Fishery Area: hunting and access
Bear Creek Fishery Area is 817 acres of land managed by the Wisconsin DNR in Sauk and Richland counties, 4 miles from Sextonville. The DNR's page for it names deer, wild turkey, ducks and geese, bear and small game among the game here. Hunters registered 6,025 deer in Sauk County in 2025.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: the DNR's DNR property data, read 2026-10. Harvest: DNR Deer Metrics.
State wildlife areas, forests and other DNR landLand trusts and other open landVoluntary Public Access landBear Creek Fishery AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 817 acres in 7 pieces |
|---|---|
| Counties | Sauk County and Richland County |
| Deer Management Unit | Sauk County, Richland County |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, wild turkey, ducks and geese, bear and small game |
| Public access (DNR) | Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping |
| DNR property page | Bear Creek Fishery Area |
| Nearest towns | Sextonville (4 mi), Gotham (6 mi) and Lone Rock (6 mi) |
What is Bear Creek Fishery Area like?
Bear Creek Fishery Area includes a class 1 trout stream, a massive wetlands area, and very little uplands. The wetlands in this area are quite possibly the largest wetland complex associated with a cold water stream in southwest Wisconsin. Bear Creek Fishery Area starts at the State Hwy 130 Bridge in Richland County (T 9N, R 2E, section 23), and proceeds upstream to headwater springs in Sauk County (T 11N, R 3E, section 29).
Bear Creek Fishery Area Protect is managed to protect the important heavily used class 1 trout fishery, maintain and improve the cold water environment, provide public access, provide for hunting opportunities, and accommodate other compatible outdoor recreational use.
In the DNR's words, from its page for the property.
What can you hunt on Bear Creek Fishery Area?
The DNR's page for Bear Creek Fishery Area names deer, wild turkey, ducks and geese, bear and small game. Each follows Wisconsin's statewide season and, for deer, the tags and rules of the deer management unit.
What are the rules on Bear Creek Fishery Area?
The DNR's property map lists Bear Creek Fishery Area as "Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping". Hunting follows Wisconsin's statewide seasons and the rules posted on the property.
Activities the DNR lists for Bear Creek Fishery Area: Hunting - deer, turkey, small game, & waterfowl, Trapping, Hiking, Wildlife viewing, Cross-country skiing (not groomed), Fishing - trout fishing with special regulations, Bird watching, Pets and Berry picking.
How many deer are taken around Bear Creek Fishery Area?
Bear Creek Fishery Area lies in 2 deer management units. The DNR registered 6,025 deer in Sauk County in 2025, against 5,739 in 2024.
| DMU | Bear Creek Fishery Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sauk County | 547 | 6,025 | 5,739 | 6,262 |
| Richland County | 270 | 4,744 | 5,072 | 5,459 |
Harvest for the whole deer management unit, not the property alone: Wisconsin DNR Deer Metrics (registered harvest by deer management unit).
How do you get to Bear Creek Fishery Area?
Nearest towns: Sextonville (4 miles), Gotham (6 miles), Lone Rock (6 miles) and Plain (6 miles). Highways within 5 miles: WI 130, WI 154, WI 58 and US 14.
What other public land is near Bear Creek Fishery Area?
DNR properties within 10 miles:
- Willow Creek Fishery Area: 2,864 acres, 3.7 miles away
- Lower Wisconsin State Riverway: 47,767 acres, 5.5 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Bear Creek Fishery Area
Counting Bear Creek Fishery Area itself, 831 of the 44,864 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (1.9%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State wildlife areas, forests and other DNR land | 831 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Bear Creek Fishery Area?
In Sauk and Richland counties, 4 miles from Sextonville. The DNR's property page has its maps and parking.
Is Bear Creek Fishery Area open to hunting?
Yes. The DNR's property map lists it as "Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping". Posted refuges or closed areas, where there are any, are marked on site.
Which deer management unit is Bear Creek Fishery Area in?
Sauk County (547 acres) and Richland County (270 acres).
How much public land is around Bear Creek Fishery Area?
831 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Bear Creek Fishery Area included, by PAD-US 4.1. The closest other DNR property is Willow Creek Fishery Area (3.7 miles).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Bear Creek Fishery Area; Wisconsin DNR managed lands open to hunting.
- Boundary and acres: the DNR's map layer above. Surrounding public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
- Deer harvest: Wisconsin DNR Deer Metrics (registered harvest by deer management unit).
FilledTag is not part of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Check the DNR's rules and posted signs before you go.
Wisconsin hunting Sauk County Richland County Sauk County Richland County