Council Grounds State Park: hunting and access
Council Grounds State Park is 494 acres of land managed by the Wisconsin DNR in Lincoln County, next to Merrill. Hunters registered 2,516 deer in DMU 119 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 landOther federal landOther county, city and regional landCouncil Grounds State ParkCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 494 acres in 3 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Lincoln County |
| Deer Management Unit | DMU 119 |
| Public access (DNR) | Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping |
| DNR property page | Council Grounds |
| Nearest towns | Merrill (next to it), Maine (9 mi) and Wausau (16 mi) |
What is Council Grounds State Park like?
Located along the beautiful Wisconsin River near the site of Native American encampments, Council Grounds State Park is a favorite for water enthusiasts. The park offers many recreational opportunities including family and group campsites, wooded trails, a beach area and an accessible fishing pier. A boat landing offers access to Lake Alexander and the Wisconsin River.
In the DNR's words, from its page for the property.
What are the rules on Council Grounds State Park?
The DNR's property map lists Council Grounds State Park as "Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping". Hunting follows Wisconsin's statewide seasons and the rules posted on the property.
In Wisconsin state parks and recreation areas, hunting is limited to the seasons and the parts of the property the DNR sets for each one; the DNR's page has the details.
How many deer are taken around Council Grounds State Park?
Council Grounds State Park lies in DMU 119. The DNR registered 2,516 deer in DMU 119 in 2025.
| DMU | Council Grounds State Park acres in it | Deer, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| DMU 119 | 494 | 2,516 |
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 Council Grounds State Park?
Nearest towns: Merrill (next to it), Maine (9 miles), Wausau (16 miles) and Marathon City (17 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 51, WI 107 and WI 64.
What other public land is near Council Grounds State Park?
DNR properties within 10 miles:
- Bill Cross Wildlife Area: 1,522 acres, 3.9 miles away
- Prairie River Fishery Area: 2,622 acres, 4.5 miles away
- Tomahawk Timberlands Conservation Easement (New Wood Trct): 16,945 acres, 7.4 miles away
- Parallel Ridges State Ice Age Trail Area: 65 acres, 7.8 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Council Grounds State Park
Counting Council Grounds State Park itself, 707 of the 26,068 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (2.7%), 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 | 498 |
| Other county, city and regional land | 203 |
| Other federal land | 3 |
| State parks | 3 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Council Grounds State Park?
In Lincoln County, next to Merrill. The DNR's property page has its maps and parking.
Is Council Grounds State Park 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 Council Grounds State Park in?
DMU 119.
How much public land is around Council Grounds State Park?
707 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Council Grounds State Park included, by PAD-US 4.1. The closest other DNR property is Bill Cross Wildlife Area (3.9 miles).
Get a Wisconsin hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Wisconsin are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
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, Council Grounds State Park; 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.