Chimney Rock Wildlife Area: hunting and access
Chimney Rock Wildlife Area is 628 acres of land managed by the Wisconsin DNR in Trempealeau County, 5 miles from Strum. The DNR's page for it names deer, wild turkey, ruffed grouse and rabbits and squirrels among the game here. Hunters registered 7,151 deer in Trempealeau 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 parksLand trusts and other open landChimney Rock Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 628 acres in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Trempealeau County |
| Deer Management Unit | Trempealeau County |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, wild turkey, ruffed grouse and rabbits and squirrels |
| Public access (DNR) | Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping |
| DNR property page | Chimney Rock Wildlife Area |
| Nearest towns | Strum (5 mi), Eleva (5 mi) and Gilmanton (10 mi) |
What is Chimney Rock Wildlife Area like?
Chimney Rock Wildlife Area is a 634-acre property in Trempealeau County. Find it 9 miles north of Independence along County Highway Y, 2 miles west of State Highway 93. The property consists of hardwood forest, marsh, grassland, and some farmland. The most popular activities on the property are hunting for deer and turkeys. The first land was purchased in 1959 to protect the wetland habitat that exists on the property. Since the initial purchase, Chimney Rock Wildlife Area has grown to 634 acres. The property has been actively managed through land acquisition, timber harvesting, tree and shrub plantings, grassland plantings, the establishment of hunter-walking trails and wetland development.
The Chimney Rock Wildlife Area offers many recreational opportunities:.
In the DNR's words, from its page for the property.
What can you hunt on Chimney Rock Wildlife Area?
The DNR's page for Chimney Rock Wildlife Area names deer, wild turkey, ruffed grouse 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 Chimney Rock Wildlife Area?
The DNR's property map lists Chimney Rock 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 Chimney Rock Wildlife Area: Birding, Cross-country skiing (no designated trail), Fishing, Hiking (no designated trail), Hunting (noted for rabbits, squirrels, deer, turkey and ruffed grouse), Trapping, Wild edibles/gathering and Wildlife viewing.
How many deer are taken around Chimney Rock Wildlife Area?
Chimney Rock Wildlife Area lies in Trempealeau County. The DNR registered 7,151 deer in Trempealeau County in 2025, against 6,627 in 2024.
| DMU | Chimney Rock Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trempealeau County | 628 | 7,151 | 6,627 | 6,360 |
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 Chimney Rock Wildlife Area?
Nearest towns: Strum (5 miles), Eleva (5 miles), Gilmanton (10 miles) and Whitehall (10 miles). Highways within 5 miles: WI 93, US 10 and WI 121.
What other public land is near Chimney Rock Wildlife Area?
DNR properties within 10 miles:
- Borst Valley Wildlife Area: 1,305 acres, 1 mile away
- Buffalo River State Trail: 450 acres, 4 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Chimney Rock Wildlife Area
Counting Chimney Rock Wildlife Area itself, 1,936 of the 28,677 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (6.8%), 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 | 1,936 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Chimney Rock Wildlife Area?
In Trempealeau County, 5 miles from Strum. The DNR's property page has its maps and parking.
Is Chimney Rock 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 Chimney Rock Wildlife Area in?
Trempealeau County.
How much public land is around Chimney Rock Wildlife Area?
1,936 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Chimney Rock Wildlife Area included, by PAD-US 4.1. The closest other DNR property is Borst Valley Wildlife Area (1 mile).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Chimney Rock 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.