Cylon Wildlife Area: hunting and access
Cylon Wildlife Area is 2,836 acres of land managed by the Wisconsin DNR in St. Croix County, next to Deer Park. The DNR's page for it names deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse, bear and small game among the game here. Hunters registered 4,858 deer in St. Croix 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 landNational wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areasOther county, city and regional landVoluntary Public Access landCylon Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 2,836 acres in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | St. Croix County |
| Deer Management Unit | St. Croix County, Polk County |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse, bear and small game |
| Public access (DNR) | Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping |
| DNR property page | Cylon Wildlife Area |
| Nearest towns | Deer Park (next to it), Clear Lake (3 mi) and Emerald (6 mi) |
What is Cylon Wildlife Area like?
Cylon Wildlife Area is a 2,621-acre property located in St. Croix County and was established in 1975. The property consists of two separate units with the majority of the acreage on the southern unit. The northern unit consists of 228 acres owned by the DNR, with an additional 279 acres protected for public use under perpetual easements. This property was chosen as a Wildlife area due to its uniqueness of being one of the last remaining large tract of wild land in St. Croix County. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources set an acreage goal for Cylon WA of 2,980 acres and is still working on reaching this goal by purchasing land from willing sellers. The public land forming the project's nucleus is at the confluence of the North Fork of the Willow River and Black Brook stream, eight miles of the river along with one mile of stream flow through the property.
The property provides great opportunities for hunting deer, bear, grouse, turkey and other small game. There are also many trapping opportunities as well as fishing, hiking, and wildlife viewing. North Unit : Find it from State Highway 46 (Deer Park) and go East on 222nd Ave for one mile. This will be the NW corner of the Cylon Wildlife Area and is marked with a wooden kiosk. South Unit : Find it from State Highway 46 (Deer Park): Go east on County Road H for 2.5 miles, then head north on 235th Street for 0.5 miles, then east again on 235th Avenue, which is a dead-end road to the parking area. The property is managed to provide opportunities for public hunting, trapping, wildlife observation and other nature-based outdoor recreation.
In the DNR's words, from its page for the property.
What can you hunt on Cylon Wildlife Area?
The DNR's page for Cylon Wildlife Area names deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese, ruffed grouse, bear and small game. Each follows Wisconsin's statewide season and, for deer, the tags and rules of the deer management unit.
What are the rules on Cylon Wildlife Area?
The DNR's property map lists Cylon 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 Cylon Wildlife Area: Birding, Cross-country skiing (no designated trail), Falconry (by permit), Fishing (minimal), Hiking (no designated trail), Hunting (noted for deer, turkey, grouse, bear, waterfowl, pheasant and small game), Snowshoeing, Trapping, Wild edibles/gathering and Wildlife viewing.
How many deer are taken around Cylon Wildlife Area?
Cylon Wildlife Area lies in 2 deer management units. The DNR registered 4,858 deer in St. Croix County in 2025, against 4,202 in 2024.
| DMU | Cylon Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Croix County | 2,834 | 4,858 | 4,202 | 4,100 |
| Polk County | 2 | 8,091 | 7,972 | 7,275 |
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 Cylon Wildlife Area?
Nearest towns: Deer Park (next to it), Clear Lake (3 miles), Emerald (6 miles) and Amery (7 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 63 and WI 46. 1 VPA property within 3 miles.
What other public land is near Cylon Wildlife Area?
DNR properties within 10 miles:
- Oden SHA-WPRA: 253 acres, 1.3 miles away
- Black Brook SHA-WPRA: 208 acres, 1.9 miles away
- Deer Park SHA-WPRA: 213 acres, 2.8 miles away
- Snake Creek Spring State Habitat Area: 199 acres, 3.2 miles away
- Emerald Valley SHA-WPRA: 155 acres, 4.1 miles away
- Parker Creek SHA-WPRA: 588 acres, 4.6 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Cylon Wildlife Area
Counting Cylon Wildlife Area itself, 4,232 of the 43,374 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (9.8%), 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 | 3,314 |
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 901 |
| Other county, city and regional land | 17 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Cylon Wildlife Area?
In St. Croix County, next to Deer Park. The DNR's property page has its maps and parking.
Is Cylon 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 Cylon Wildlife Area in?
St. Croix County (2,834 acres) and Polk County (2 acres).
How much public land is around Cylon Wildlife Area?
4,232 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Cylon Wildlife Area included, by PAD-US 4.1. The closest other DNR property is Oden SHA-WPRA (1.3 miles).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Cylon 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.
Wisconsin hunting St. Croix County St. Croix County Polk County