Colburn Wildlife Area: hunting and access
Colburn Wildlife Area is 5,068 acres of land managed by the Wisconsin DNR in Adams County, 6 miles from Coloma. Hunters registered 6,148 deer in Adams 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 landColburn Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 5,068 acres in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Adams County |
| Deer Management Unit | Adams County |
| Public access (DNR) | Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping |
| DNR property page | Colburn Wildlife Area |
| Nearest towns | Coloma (6 mi), Hancock (6 mi) and Lake Camelot (8 mi) |
What is Colburn Wildlife Area like?
Colburn Wildlife Area is a 4,965-acre property located in north-central Adams County near the Waushara County border. It is about 13 miles northeast of Friendship and 22 miles southeast of Wisconsin Rapids. Access points are off County Highways C and G and Chicago Avenue. The property consists of mainly lowland brush and sedge marsh with areas of aspen and oak forest scattered throughout. Carter Creek passes through the middle of the property. This is a popular property for deer hunting.
The majority of the wildlife area was purchased in 1947 for its value to forest wildlife. Management on the property has been geared to maintaining the forested oak areas and providing different age classes of aspen. The Colburn Wildlife Area offers many recreational opportunities:.
In the DNR's words, from its page for the property.
What are the rules on Colburn Wildlife Area?
The DNR's property map lists Colburn 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 Colburn Wildlife Area: Birding, Cross-country skiing (no designated trail), Hiking (no designated trail), Hunting, Trapping, Wild edibles/gathering and Wildlife viewing.
How many deer are taken around Colburn Wildlife Area?
Colburn Wildlife Area lies in Adams County. The DNR registered 6,148 deer in Adams County in 2025, against 6,658 in 2024.
| DMU | Colburn Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams County | 5,068 | 6,148 | 6,658 | 5,428 |
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 Colburn Wildlife Area?
Nearest towns: Coloma (6 miles), Hancock (6 miles), Lake Camelot (8 miles) and Lake Sherwood (8 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 51, I-39, WI 21 and WI 13.
What other public land is near Colburn Wildlife Area?
DNR properties within 10 miles:
- Carter Creek State Habitat Area: 395 acres, 1.2 miles away
- Town of Richfield SHA: 20 acres, 3.8 miles away
- Fordham Ck-Little Roche a Cri Ck SHA: 347 acres, 4.4 miles away
- Big Roche A Cri Fishery Area: 845 acres, 4.5 miles away
- Leola Marsh Wildlife Area: 2,518 acres, 4.8 miles away
- Central Wisconsin Grassland Conservation Area: 81 acres, 5.3 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Colburn Wildlife Area
Counting Colburn Wildlife Area itself, 5,578 of the 47,768 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (11.7%), 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 | 5,481 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 97 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Colburn Wildlife Area?
In Adams County, 6 miles from Coloma. The DNR's property page has its maps and parking.
Is Colburn 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 Colburn Wildlife Area in?
Adams County.
How much public land is around Colburn Wildlife Area?
5,578 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Colburn Wildlife Area included, by PAD-US 4.1. The closest other DNR property is Carter Creek State Habitat Area (1.2 miles).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Colburn 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.