Brillion Wildlife Area: hunting and access
Brillion Wildlife Area is 4,902 acres of land managed by the Wisconsin DNR in Calumet County, next to Brillion. Hunters registered 1,481 deer in Calumet 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 landState parksOther county, city and regional landVoluntary Public Access landBrillion Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 4,902 acres in 8 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Calumet County |
| Deer Management Unit | Calumet County |
| Public access (DNR) | Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping |
| DNR property page | Brillion Wildlife Area |
| Nearest towns | Brillion (next to it), Potter (next to it) and Hilbert (next to it) |
What is Brillion Wildlife Area like?
Brillion Wildlife Area is a 4,800-acre property consisting of bottomland hardwoods, open prairies, emergent wetlands, several brood ponds, some upland hardwoods, and agricultural fields. This mosaic of habitat types provides ample opportunities for hunting, trapping, bird watching and other wildlife viewing, as well as hiking and exploring. This property also has the Brillion Nature Center located on the northeast side of the property, which is operated and maintained by a friends group with an on-site naturalist.
Find Brillion Wildlife Area as State Highway 10 enters the city of Brillion on the north. Go approximately 1 mile south of Brillion on Highway PP, then 1 mile west on Deerview Road to the end past the waste collection facility. Brillion Wildlife Area is surrounded by the communities of Brillion, Hilbert and Potter in the townships of Brillion and Rantoul. In 1947, the DNR leased portions of the site as a public hunting ground for ducks, deer and other wildlife. The area was known for its abundant wealth of ducks during the hunting season and deer during the winter. By 1962, a formal proposal was made to acquire lands within the current boundary structure. The Calumet County Board, the Natural Resources Board and others approved the project by the end of 1962.
In the DNR's words, from its page for the property.
What are the rules on Brillion Wildlife Area?
The DNR's property map lists Brillion 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 Brillion Wildlife Area: Birding, Cross-country skiing (on Brillion Nature Center Trails but not groomed), Canoeing (Manitowoc River), Dog training and trialing site (150 acres), Hiking (designated trails near the nature center), Model airplane field adjoining public lands (Calumet Flyers), Snowmobiling trail, Trapping, Wild edibles/gathering, Wildlife viewing and Other: Brillion Nature Center [exit DNR].
How many deer are taken around Brillion Wildlife Area?
Brillion Wildlife Area lies in Calumet County. The DNR registered 1,481 deer in Calumet County in 2025, against 1,371 in 2024.
| DMU | Brillion Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calumet County | 4,902 | 1,481 | 1,371 | 1,318 |
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 Brillion Wildlife Area?
Nearest towns: Brillion (next to it), Potter (next to it), Hilbert (next to it) and Forest Junction (2 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 10, WI 32, WI 57 and WI 114. 2 VPA properties within 3 miles.
What other public land is near Brillion Wildlife Area?
DNR properties within 10 miles:
- Fox River State Trail: 292 acres, next to it
- Killsnake Wildlife Area: 7,008 acres, 2.8 miles away
- Collins Marsh Wildlife Area: 4,319 acres, 5 miles away
- High Cliff State Park: 1,098 acres, 5.6 miles away
- Holland Wildlife Area: 536 acres, 7.4 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Brillion Wildlife Area
Counting Brillion Wildlife Area itself, 5,075 of the 53,702 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (9.5%), 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 | 5,042 |
| Other county, city and regional land | 31 |
| State parks | 2 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Brillion Wildlife Area?
In Calumet County, next to Brillion. The DNR's property page has its maps and parking.
Is Brillion 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 Brillion Wildlife Area in?
Calumet County.
How much public land is around Brillion Wildlife Area?
5,075 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Brillion Wildlife Area included, by PAD-US 4.1. The closest other DNR property is Fox River State Trail (next to it).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Brillion 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.