Hoffman Hills Recreation Area: hunting and access
Hoffman Hills Recreation Area is 715 acres of land managed by the Wisconsin DNR in Dunn County, 4 miles from Colfax. Hunters registered 9,118 deer in Dunn 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 areasOther federal landState parksOther county, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landHoffman Hills Recreation AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 715 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Dunn County |
| Deer Management Unit | Dunn County |
| Public access (DNR) | Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping |
| DNR property page | Hoffman Hills |
| Nearest towns | Colfax (4 mi), Tainter Lake (4 mi) and Elk Mound (6 mi) |
What is Hoffman Hills Recreation Area like?
Hoffman Hills State Recreation Area offers 700 acres of preserved and restored wooded hills, wetlands and prairie traversed with hiking and cross-country ski trails. A 60-foot-high observation tower crowns one of the highest points in Dunn County, offering spectacular views of the surrounding countryside, especially in autumn.
In the DNR's words, from its page for the property.
What are the rules on Hoffman Hills Recreation Area?
The DNR's property map lists Hoffman Hills Recreation Area 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 Hoffman Hills Recreation Area?
Hoffman Hills Recreation Area lies in Dunn County. The DNR registered 9,118 deer in Dunn County in 2025, against 7,819 in 2024.
| DMU | Hoffman Hills Recreation Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dunn County | 715 | 9,118 | 7,819 | 6,979 |
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 Hoffman Hills Recreation Area?
Nearest towns: Colfax (4 miles), Tainter Lake (4 miles), Elk Mound (6 miles) and Menomonie (7 miles). Highways within 5 miles: I-94, WI 29, WI 40, US 12 and WI 170.
What other public land is near Hoffman Hills Recreation Area?
DNR properties within 10 miles:
- Red Cedar River Savanna State Natural Area: 182 acres, 2.3 miles away
- Muddy Creek Wildlife Area: 3,795 acres, 2.6 miles away
- Elk Creek Fishery Area: 504 acres, 3.3 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Hoffman Hills Recreation Area
Counting Hoffman Hills Recreation Area itself, 1,693 of the 27,338 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (6.2%), 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 | 1,359 |
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 170 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 148 |
| Other county, city and regional land | 11 |
| State parks | 5 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Hoffman Hills Recreation Area?
In Dunn County, 4 miles from Colfax. The DNR's property page has its maps and parking.
Is Hoffman Hills Recreation 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 Hoffman Hills Recreation Area in?
Dunn County.
How much public land is around Hoffman Hills Recreation Area?
1,693 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Hoffman Hills Recreation Area included, by PAD-US 4.1. The closest other DNR property is Red Cedar River Savanna State Natural Area (2.3 miles).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Hoffman Hills Recreation 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.