Governor Nelson State Park: hunting and access
Governor Nelson State Park is 421 acres of land managed by the Wisconsin DNR in Dane County, 2 miles from Madison. 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 landCounty forestNational forestState parksOther county, city and regional landGovernor Nelson State ParkCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 421 acres in 8 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Dane County |
| Deer Management Unit | Dane County |
| Public access (DNR) | Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping |
| DNR property page | Governor Nelson |
| Nearest towns | Madison (2 mi), Waunakee (3 mi) and Shorewood Hills (3 mi) |
What is Governor Nelson State Park like?
Located on 10,000-acre Lake Mendota, recreation and nature mingle within sight of the State Capitol. Governor Nelson is a day use park offering a sand beach, boat launch, fish cleaning facility, picnic areas and playground equipment, prairie restorations and over 8 miles of trails. Native American effigy mounds can be seen on the Woodland Trail.
In the DNR's words, from its page for the property.
What are the rules on Governor Nelson State Park?
The DNR's property map lists Governor Nelson 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 Nelson State Park?
Governor Nelson State Park lies in Dane County. The DNR registered 4,438 deer in Dane County in 2025, against 4,403 in 2024.
| DMU | Governor Nelson State Park acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dane County | 421 | 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 Governor Nelson State Park?
Nearest towns: Madison (2 miles), Waunakee (3 miles), Shorewood Hills (3 miles) and Maple Bluff (3 miles). Highways within 5 miles: WI 113, US 12, WI 19, US 151 and US 14.
What other public land is near Governor Nelson State Park?
DNR properties within 10 miles:
- Dorn Creek Fishery Area: 205 acres, next to it
- Towell Family State Habitat Area: 76 acres, 0.5 miles away
- Cherokee Marsh Public Access: 39 acres, 1.3 miles away
- Empire Prairies (Westport Drumlin) State Natural Area: 27 acres, 2.8 miles away
- Cherokee Marsh Fishery Area: 1,087 acres, 3.2 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Governor Nelson State Park
Counting Governor Nelson State Park itself, 3,013 of the 26,609 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (11.3%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| Other county, city and regional land | 1,410 |
| State wildlife areas, forests and other DNR land | 1,272 |
| County forest | 320 |
| State parks | 11 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Governor Nelson State Park?
In Dane County, 2 miles from Madison. The DNR's property page has its maps and parking.
Is Governor Nelson 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 Nelson State Park in?
Dane County.
How much public land is around Governor Nelson State Park?
3,013 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Governor Nelson State Park included, by PAD-US 4.1. The closest other DNR property is Dorn Creek Fishery 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 Nelson 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.