Cherokee Marsh Fishery Area: hunting and access
Cherokee Marsh Fishery Area is 1,087 acres of land managed by the Wisconsin DNR in Dane County, 2 miles from DeForest. Hunters registered 4,438 deer in Dane 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 landCounty forestNational wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areasState parksOther county, city and regional landCherokee Marsh Fishery AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 1,087 acres in 4 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Dane County |
| Deer Management Unit | Dane County |
| Public access (DNR) | Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping |
| DNR property page | Cherokee Marsh Fishery Area |
| Nearest towns | DeForest (2 mi), Waunakee (3 mi) and Maple Bluff (4 mi) |
What is Cherokee Marsh Fishery Area like?
The area represents critical spawning and nursery habitat for northern pike and gamefish that use the marsh to complete their life cycles. The complex is an extension of the overall Lake Mendota system and provides flood relief and nutrient and sediment settling services to the downstream water bodies. The Cherokee Marsh Fishery Area is located in Westport Township (T 8N, R 9E, sections 12 and 13) and overlaps into Burke Township (T 8N, R 10E, sections 5, 6, and 7) in Dane County.
Road access is from River Road, off State Hwy 113 on Madison's north side. Water access is from the confluence of the marsh with Lake Mendota or from the School Road launch in the Cherokee park on the property's east shore. No overnight camping or fires are allowed. Signage indicates permitted and prohibited uses. The Cherokee Marsh Fishery Area is managed to protect fish spawning and wetland habitat.
In the DNR's words, from its page for the property.
What are the rules on Cherokee Marsh Fishery Area?
The DNR's property map lists Cherokee Marsh 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 Cherokee Marsh Fishery Area: Hunting, Trapping, Hiking (no established trails), Wildlife viewing and Fishing.
How many deer are taken around Cherokee Marsh Fishery Area?
Cherokee Marsh Fishery Area lies in Dane County. The DNR registered 4,438 deer in Dane County in 2025, against 4,403 in 2024.
| DMU | Cherokee Marsh Fishery Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dane County | 1,087 | 4,438 | 4,403 | 4,461 |
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 Cherokee Marsh Fishery Area?
Nearest towns: DeForest (2 miles), Waunakee (3 miles), Maple Bluff (4 miles) and Sun Prairie (5 miles). Highways within 5 miles: I-39, I-90, I-94, US 51 and WI 113.
What other public land is near Cherokee Marsh Fishery Area?
DNR properties within 10 miles:
- Empire Prairies (Westport Drumlin) State Natural Area: 27 acres, 0.5 miles away
- Cherokee Marsh Public Access: 39 acres, 1.7 miles away
- Towell Family State Habitat Area: 76 acres, 2.2 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Cherokee Marsh Fishery Area
Counting Cherokee Marsh Fishery Area itself, 3,116 of the 33,446 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (9.3%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| Other county, city and regional land | 1,832 |
| State wildlife areas, forests and other DNR land | 1,284 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Cherokee Marsh Fishery Area?
In Dane County, 2 miles from DeForest. The DNR's property page has its maps and parking.
Is Cherokee Marsh 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 Cherokee Marsh Fishery Area in?
Dane County.
How much public land is around Cherokee Marsh Fishery Area?
3,116 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Cherokee Marsh Fishery Area included, by PAD-US 4.1. The closest other DNR property is Empire Prairies (Westport Drumlin) State Natural Area (0.5 miles).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Cherokee Marsh 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.