Deansville Wildlife Area: hunting and access
Deansville Wildlife Area is 1,689 acres of land managed by the Wisconsin DNR in Dane County, 3 miles from Marshall. The DNR's page for it names deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese and small game among the game here. 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 landOther county, city and regional landDeansville Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 1,689 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Dane County |
| Deer Management Unit | Dane County |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese and small game |
| Public access (DNR) | Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping |
| DNR property page | Deansville Wildlife Area |
| Nearest towns | Marshall (3 mi), Sun Prairie (5 mi) and Waterloo (5 mi) |
What is Deansville Wildlife Area like?
Deansville Wildlife Area is a 1,970-acre property consisting of upland grassland/agricultural land, mixed hardwood upland forest, open marshland and sedge meadow and shrub carr and brushy areas. Deansville Wildlife Area is located approximately 4 miles northeast of Sun Prairie. From Sun Prairie, head east on State Hwy. 19, about 6 miles to County Hwy. TT. Head north on TT for about 2 miles, and then turn left onto Deansville Road. Head north on Deansville Road for 2 miles to Sun Prairie Rd. Turn left and head west on Sun Prairie Rd. for 1 1/2 miles to the wildlife area.
The Deansville Marsh was initially leased for hunting in the early 1930s by the Dane County Conservation League in the early 1930s. In 1938, the leases were turned over to the state, making the Deansville property Wisconsin's first leased Public Hunting Ground. Today, the property is 1,970 acres of DNR-owned land. The Maunasha River bisects the property, as do many interior ditches, making access to the south side of the property challenging. Today, prescribed burning and chemical and mechanical brush control are used on the property to maintain open grasslands and wetlands. Leased farmland and haying are also done on the property to help maintain open landscapes. Wetland restorations to help hydrology to the property are planned for the near future. The Deansville Wildlife Area offers many recreational opportunities:. * Note: Dogs must be leashed from April 15 to July 31.
In the DNR's words, from its page for the property.
What can you hunt on Deansville Wildlife Area?
The DNR's page for Deansville Wildlife Area names deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese 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 Deansville Wildlife Area?
The DNR's property map lists Deansville 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 Deansville Wildlife Area: Birding, Class two dog training area*, Cross-country skiing (no designated trail), Hiking (no designated trail), Hunting (especially noted for pheasants, deer, waterfowl, turkey and small game), Trapping and Wildlife viewing.
How many deer are taken around Deansville Wildlife Area?
Deansville Wildlife Area lies in Dane County. The DNR registered 4,438 deer in Dane County in 2025, against 4,403 in 2024.
| DMU | Deansville Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dane County | 1,689 | 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 Deansville Wildlife Area?
Nearest towns: Marshall (3 miles), Sun Prairie (5 miles), Waterloo (5 miles) and Windsor (8 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 151, WI 73, WI 19 and WI 89.
What other public land is near Deansville Wildlife Area?
DNR properties within 10 miles:
- Goose Lake Wildlife Area: 2,463 acres, 6.1 miles away
- Waterloo - Mud Lake Wildlife Area: 9,316 acres, 6.2 miles away
- Glacial Drumlin State Trail: 1,021 acres, 8.4 miles away
- Holzhueter Farm State Park: 108 acres, 9.1 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Deansville Wildlife Area
Counting Deansville Wildlife Area itself, 2,088 of the 35,629 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (5.9%), 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 | 1,970 |
| Other county, city and regional land | 118 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Deansville Wildlife Area?
In Dane County, 3 miles from Marshall. The DNR's property page has its maps and parking.
Is Deansville 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 Deansville Wildlife Area in?
Dane County.
How much public land is around Deansville Wildlife Area?
2,088 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Deansville Wildlife Area included, by PAD-US 4.1. The closest other DNR property is Goose Lake Wildlife Area (6.1 miles).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Deansville 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.