Germania Wildlife Area: hunting and access
Germania Wildlife Area is 2,416 acres of land managed by the Wisconsin DNR in Marquette County, 4 miles from Neshkoro. Hunters registered 7,790 deer in Marquette 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 landVoluntary Public Access landGermania Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 2,416 acres in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Marquette County |
| Deer Management Unit | Marquette County |
| Public access (DNR) | Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping |
| DNR property page | Germania Marsh Wildlife Area |
| Nearest towns | Neshkoro (4 mi), Harrisville (5 mi) and Princeton (7 mi) |
What is Germania Wildlife Area like?
Germania Marsh Wildlife Area is a 2,400-acre property in north-central Marquette County. Find it approximately 5 miles west of the city of Neshkoro on County Highway N, or approximately 12 miles south of the city of Wautoma, just east of State Highway 22 on Eagle Road. The property consists of open marsh/wet meadow, swamp hardwoods/tamarack swamp, upland prairie/oak savannah and shrub carr. This property offers various outdoor recreational opportunities. Small game, waterfowl, and deer are among the most popular game that hunters pursue. All these species are abundant throughout the wildlife area. Additional user groups visit the property to hike, gather edible plants, wildlife views and canoe/kayak.
Note : There is a wildlife refuge located on the eastern portion of the property. There is no entry of any sort from September 1-November 30, except for deer hunting during gun deer and muzzleloader seasons. The refuge is clearly posted with yellow DNR signs. Please refer to a map for the refuge locations. The Germania Dam Co. built the first dam and mill in Germania in 1867, which created a large, shallow flowage of several thousand acres called Germania Lake. In 1902, the dam was removed to permit the farmers to harvest wild rice, which was soon abandoned due to poor economic return. In 1948, a committee of game managers inspected the area as a potential restoration project and the favorable report and the engineering surveys that followed indicated the area had a good water supply and was suitable for flooding.
In the DNR's words, from its page for the property.
What are the rules on Germania Wildlife Area?
The DNR's property map lists Germania 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 Germania Wildlife Area: Auto travel, Boating (non-motorized), Birding, Canoeing, Cross-country skiing (no designated trail), Fishing, Hiking (no designated trail), Snowmobiling trail, Trapping, Wild edibles/gathering and Wildlife viewing.
How many deer are taken around Germania Wildlife Area?
Germania Wildlife Area lies in Marquette County. The DNR registered 7,790 deer in Marquette County in 2025, against 7,744 in 2024.
| DMU | Germania Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marquette County | 2,416 | 7,790 | 7,744 | 6,550 |
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 Germania Wildlife Area?
Nearest towns: Neshkoro (4 miles), Harrisville (5 miles), Princeton (7 miles) and Montello (7 miles). Highways within 5 miles: WI 22, WI 73 and WI 23.
What other public land is near Germania Wildlife Area?
DNR properties within 10 miles:
- Comstock Bog-Meadow State Natural Area: 656 acres, next to it
- Mecan River Fishery Area: 6,730 acres, 2.2 miles away
- White River Marsh Wildlife Area: 12,706 acres, 3.9 miles away
- John A Lawton Fishery Area: 282 acres, 5.6 miles away
- Bass Lake Fen State Natural Area: 103 acres, 5.6 miles away
- Upper Fox River Public Access: 401 acres, 6.4 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Germania Wildlife Area
Counting Germania Wildlife Area itself, 3,309 of the 36,389 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (9.1%), 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 | 3,309 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Germania Wildlife Area?
In Marquette County, 4 miles from Neshkoro. The DNR's property page has its maps and parking.
Is Germania 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 Germania Wildlife Area in?
Marquette County.
How much public land is around Germania Wildlife Area?
3,309 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Germania Wildlife Area included, by PAD-US 4.1. The closest other DNR property is Comstock Bog-Meadow State Natural Area (next to it).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Germania 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.