Blackhawk Lake Wildlife Area: hunting and access
Blackhawk Lake Wildlife Area is 2,044 acres of land managed by the Wisconsin DNR in Iowa County, 2 miles from Edmund. The DNR's page for it names deer, wild turkey, pheasants and rabbits and squirrels among the game here. Hunters registered 2,948 deer in Iowa 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 landBlackhawk Lake Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 2,044 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Iowa County |
| Deer Management Unit | Iowa County |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, wild turkey, pheasants and rabbits and squirrels |
| Public access (DNR) | Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping |
| DNR property page | Blackhawk Lake Wildlife Area |
| Nearest towns | Edmund (2 mi), Cobb (3 mi) and Highland (4 mi) |
What is Blackhawk Lake Wildlife Area like?
Blackhawk Lake Wildlife Area is a 2,037-acre property in west-central Iowa County, lying within the Western Coulee and Ridges Ecological Landscape. The property is popular for deer, turkey, and pheasant hunting, with over 500 pheasants released annually for the fall season. The property also includes the 220-acre Blackhawk Lake, which offers opportunities for fishing and waterfowl hunting.
Iowa County leases 330 acres of the property to manage as a recreation area. Here, Iowa County operates a multi-site campground, hiking trails and a beach area. The Blackhawk Lake Wildlife Area is part of the former Blackhawk Lake Recreation Area. Planning operations for the recreation area began in 1960, when the Iowa County Soil and Water Conservation District applied for assistance from the USDA Soil Conservation Service under the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act. In 1964, the development of a recreational lake in conjunction with a flood retarding dam was added to the plan. The Otter Creek Watershed Project was approved in 1966. The co-sponsors were the Iowa County Soil and Water Conservation District and the Cobb-Highland Recreation Commission. Funding came from county, state and federal funds. During 1966 and 1969, 2,040 acres were purchased.
In the DNR's words, from its page for the property.
What can you hunt on Blackhawk Lake Wildlife Area?
The DNR's page for Blackhawk Lake Wildlife Area names deer, wild turkey, pheasants and rabbits and squirrels. Each follows Wisconsin's statewide season and, for deer, the tags and rules of the deer management unit.
What are the rules on Blackhawk Lake Wildlife Area?
The DNR's property map lists Blackhawk Lake Wildlife 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 Blackhawk Lake Wildlife Area: Biking, Boating (motorized on Blackhawk Lake, access via the recreation area), Camping (only at the recreation area), Canoeing, Cross-country skiing (no designated trail), Hunting (notable species include ring-necked pheasants, wild turkey, deer, squirrel, rabbit and mourning doves), Kayaking, Hiking (no designated trail), Horseback riding, Fishing (Blackhawk Lake and Otter Creek), Snowshoeing, Swimming, Trapping and Wild edibles/gathering.
How many deer are taken around Blackhawk Lake Wildlife Area?
Blackhawk Lake Wildlife Area lies in Iowa County. The DNR registered 2,948 deer in Iowa County in 2025, against 3,020 in 2024.
| DMU | Blackhawk Lake Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa County | 2,044 | 2,948 | 3,020 | 3,533 |
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 Blackhawk Lake Wildlife Area?
Nearest towns: Edmund (2 miles), Cobb (3 miles), Highland (4 miles) and Linden (5 miles). Highways within 5 miles: WI 80, US 18 and WI 39.
What other public land is near Blackhawk Lake Wildlife Area?
DNR properties within 10 miles:
- James J Rule Timber Demo Forest: 81 acres, 0.7 miles away
- Governor Dodge State Park: 5,284 acres, 6.3 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Blackhawk Lake Wildlife Area
Counting Blackhawk Lake Wildlife Area itself, 2,269 of the 36,792 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (6.2%), 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 | 2,269 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Blackhawk Lake Wildlife Area?
In Iowa County, 2 miles from Edmund. The DNR's property page has its maps and parking.
Is Blackhawk Lake Wildlife 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 Blackhawk Lake Wildlife Area in?
Iowa County.
How much public land is around Blackhawk Lake Wildlife Area?
2,269 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Blackhawk Lake Wildlife Area included, by PAD-US 4.1. The closest other DNR property is James J Rule Timber Demo Forest (0.7 miles).
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Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Wisconsin included.
Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Blackhawk Lake Wildlife 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.