Governor Dodge State Park: hunting and access
Governor Dodge State Park is 5,284 acres of land managed by the Wisconsin DNR in Iowa County, 2 miles from Dodgeville. Hunters registered 2,948 deer in Iowa 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 landState parksOther county, city and regional landGovernor Dodge State ParkCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 5,284 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Iowa County |
| Deer Management Unit | Iowa County |
| Public access (DNR) | Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping |
| DNR property page | Governor Dodge |
| Nearest towns | Dodgeville (2 mi), Ridgeway (5 mi) and Edmund (7 mi) |
What is Governor Dodge State Park like?
Governor Dodge State Park is one of the state's largest parks, with over 5,000 acres of steep hills, bluffs and deep valleys plus two lakes and a waterfall. Located in Wisconsin's scenic driftless area, Governor Dodge offers camping, picnicking, hiking, canoeing, biking, hunting, fishing, off-road biking, cross-country skiing and horseback riding opportunities.
In the DNR's words, from its page for the property.
What are the rules on Governor Dodge State Park?
The DNR's property map lists Governor Dodge 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 Governor Dodge State Park?
Governor Dodge State Park lies in Iowa County. The DNR registered 2,948 deer in Iowa County in 2025, against 3,020 in 2024.
| DMU | Governor Dodge State Park acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa County | 5,284 | 2,948 | 3,020 | 3,533 |
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 Governor Dodge State Park?
Nearest towns: Dodgeville (2 miles), Ridgeway (5 miles), Edmund (7 miles) and Spring Green (8 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 151, US 18, WI 23, WI 191 and WI 130.
What other public land is near Governor Dodge State Park?
DNR properties within 10 miles:
- Cox Hollow Streambank Protection Area: 124 acres, next to it
- Military Ridge State Trail: 519 acres, next to it
- Ridgeway Pine Relict State Natural Area: 551 acres, 3 miles away
- Conley-Lewis Creek SBE Area: 111 acres, 4.1 miles away
- James J Rule Timber Demo Forest: 81 acres, 5.1 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Governor Dodge State Park
Counting Governor Dodge State Park itself, 5,549 of the 47,841 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (11.6%), 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 | 5,480 |
| Other county, city and regional land | 52 |
| State parks | 17 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Governor Dodge State Park?
In Iowa County, 2 miles from Dodgeville. The DNR's property page has its maps and parking.
Is Governor Dodge 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 Governor Dodge State Park in?
Iowa County.
How much public land is around Governor Dodge State Park?
5,549 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Governor Dodge State Park included, by PAD-US 4.1. The closest other DNR property is Cox Hollow Streambank Protection Area (next to it).
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, Governor Dodge 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.