Joel Marsh Wildlife Area: hunting and access
Joel Marsh Wildlife Area is 1,367 acres of land managed by the Wisconsin DNR in Polk County, 3 miles from Turtle Lake. The DNR's page for it names deer, wild turkey, pheasants and ducks and geese among the game here. Hunters registered 8,091 deer in Polk 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 landOther county, city and regional landVoluntary Public Access landJoel Marsh Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 1,367 acres in 4 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Polk County |
| Deer Management Unit | Polk County |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, wild turkey, pheasants and ducks and geese |
| Public access (DNR) | Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping |
| DNR property page | Joel Marsh Wildlife Area |
| Nearest towns | Turtle Lake (3 mi), Clayton (4 mi) and Amery (7 mi) |
What is Joel Marsh Wildlife Area like?
Joel Marsh Wildlife Area is a 1,192-acre property located in Polk County. It consists of flowages, grassland and upland forest. Find it 2 miles west of Turtle Lake off Highway 8. There is access to the property south off of Highway 8 on 30th Street, where Highway V goes north. There is a boat landing at the end of an unimproved gravel road. On the southwest part of the property, on 115th Avenue, there is a gravel access road to a parking area and boat launch site.
Joel Marsh offers excellent hunting, trapping, and wildlife viewing. Visitors can enjoy kayaking around the marsh and seeing all the waterfowl and furbearers that use it. With the size of this property, there are plenty of areas to recreate and not be disturbed by others. Being so close to the town of Turtle Lake and right along Highway 8, there is quick access to go for a hike or hunt and trap. Also, a dike is on the north end of the property where visitors can hike through the middle of the marsh/flowage and see all it has to offer. The project began in the early 1980s with the acquisition of 64-acre Joel Flowage and cranberry bogs on the northeast part of the property. The cranberry bogs were active in the 1930s but have since been abandoned. A 600-acre flowage was developed in 2000 by placing a dam and water control structure on the southwest part of the property.
In the DNR's words, from its page for the property.
What can you hunt on Joel Marsh Wildlife Area?
The DNR's page for Joel Marsh Wildlife Area names deer, wild turkey, pheasants and ducks and geese. Each follows Wisconsin's statewide season and, for deer, the tags and rules of the deer management unit.
What are the rules on Joel Marsh Wildlife Area?
The DNR's property map lists Joel Marsh 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 Joel Marsh Wildlife Area: Birding, Boating (non-motorized), Canoeing, Cross-country skiing (no designated trail), Fishing, Hiking (no designated trail), Hunting (noted for deer, waterfowl, pheasant and turkey), Kayaking, Trapping, Wild edibles/gathering and Wildlife viewing.
How many deer are taken around Joel Marsh Wildlife Area?
Joel Marsh Wildlife Area lies in Polk County. The DNR registered 8,091 deer in Polk County in 2025, against 7,972 in 2024.
| DMU | Joel Marsh Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polk County | 1,367 | 8,091 | 7,972 | 7,275 |
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 Joel Marsh Wildlife Area?
Nearest towns: Turtle Lake (3 miles), Clayton (4 miles), Amery (7 miles) and Almena (8 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 8, US 63 and WI 46. 4 VPA properties within 3 miles.
What other public land is near Joel Marsh Wildlife Area?
DNR properties within 10 miles:
- Cattail State Trail: 241 acres, 0.7 miles away
- Rice Beds Creek Wildlife Area: 3,137 acres, 4 miles away
- Apple River Timber Demo Forest: 54 acres, 5 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Joel Marsh Wildlife Area
Counting Joel Marsh Wildlife Area itself, 1,534 of the 33,513 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (4.6%), 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 | 1,530 |
| State parks | 4 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Joel Marsh Wildlife Area?
In Polk County, 3 miles from Turtle Lake. The DNR's property page has its maps and parking.
Is Joel Marsh 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 Joel Marsh Wildlife Area in?
Polk County.
How much public land is around Joel Marsh Wildlife Area?
1,534 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Joel Marsh Wildlife Area included, by PAD-US 4.1. The closest other DNR property is Cattail State Trail (0.7 miles).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Joel Marsh 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.