Devil's Lake State Park: hunting and access
Devil's Lake State Park is 9,796 acres of land managed by the Wisconsin DNR in Sauk County, 2 miles from Bluffview. Hunters registered 6,025 deer in Sauk 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 areasState parksOther county, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landVoluntary Public Access landDevil's Lake State ParkCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 9,796 acres in 18 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Sauk County |
| Deer Management Unit | Sauk County |
| Public access (DNR) | Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping |
| DNR property page | Devil's Lake |
| Nearest towns | Bluffview (2 mi), Baraboo (2 mi) and Merrimac (3 mi) |
What is Devil's Lake State Park like?
Situated along the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, Devil's Lake State Park offers magnificent views from 500-foot quartzite bluffs overlooking a 360-acre lake. Visitors enjoy nearly 30 miles of hiking trails, lakeshore picnic areas, swimming beaches, paddling opportunities, and year-round naturalist programs.
In the DNR's words, from its page for the property.
What are the rules on Devil's Lake State Park?
The DNR's property map lists Devil's Lake 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 Devil's Lake State Park?
Devil's Lake State Park lies in Sauk County. The DNR registered 6,025 deer in Sauk County in 2025, against 5,739 in 2024.
| DMU | Devil's Lake State Park acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sauk County | 9,796 | 6,025 | 5,739 | 6,262 |
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 Devil's Lake State Park?
Nearest towns: Bluffview (2 miles), Baraboo (2 miles), Merrimac (3 miles) and West Baraboo (3 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 12, WI 78, WI 33, WI 113 and WI 188. 1 VPA property within 3 miles.
What other public land is near Devil's Lake State Park?
DNR properties within 10 miles:
- Great Sauk State Trail: 106 acres, next to it
- Sauk Prairie State Recreation Area: 3,375 acres, next to it
- Baraboo Hills State Recreation Area: 1,143 acres, next to it
- Parfreys Glen State Natural Area: 510 acres, next to it
- State Ice Age Trail Area (SIATA): 4,676 acres, next to it
- Lower Wisconsin State Riverway: 47,767 acres, 1.2 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Devil's Lake State Park
Counting Devil's Lake State Park itself, 20,306 of the 64,353 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (31.6%), 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 | 14,614 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 5,215 |
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 239 |
| State parks | 129 |
| Other county, city and regional land | 109 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Devil's Lake State Park?
In Sauk County, 2 miles from Bluffview. The DNR's property page has its maps and parking.
Is Devil's Lake 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 Devil's Lake State Park in?
Sauk County.
How much public land is around Devil's Lake State Park?
20,306 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Devil's Lake State Park included, by PAD-US 4.1. The closest other DNR property is Great Sauk State Trail (next to it).
Get a Wisconsin hunt plan when they open
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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, Devil's Lake 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.