Kickapoo Wildlife Area-Bell Center Unit: hunting and access
Kickapoo Wildlife Area-Bell Center Unit is 1,671 acres of land managed by the Wisconsin DNR in Crawford County, next to Bell Center. The DNR's page for it names deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese and woodcock among the game here. Hunters registered 5,420 deer in Crawford 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 landKickapoo Wildlife Area-Bell Center UnitCounty lineHighway
| Size | 1,671 acres in 5 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Crawford County |
| Deer Management Unit | Crawford County |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese and woodcock |
| Public access (DNR) | Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping |
| DNR property page | Kickapoo River Wildlife Area - Bell Center Unit |
| Nearest towns | Bell Center (next to it), Gays Mills (2 mi) and Mount Sterling (4 mi) |
What is Kickapoo Wildlife Area-Bell Center Unit like?
Kickapoo River Wildlife Area-Bell Center Unit is a 1,550-acre property located within the Lower Kickapoo and Kickapoo Conservation Opportunity Area in Wisconsin's Wildlife Action Plan and is of continental significance for its driftless area features. The property is also an Important Bird Area because the forests in the southern portion of this site are among the largest and most intact in the whole driftless area and contain significant populations of forest interior birds such as red-shouldered hawk, Acadian flycatcher, wood thrush, cerulean warbler and Kentucky warbler. Prairie and savanna habitats host Bell's vireo, brown thrasher, blue-winged warbler, field sparrow, bobolink and eastern meadowlark. Thousands of migrants use the area, particularly in spring. The northern units of the Hogback Prairie State Natural Area are found within the Bell Center Unit.
The Bell Center Unit contains a rich diversity of habitat types for a smaller property. The Kickapoo River runs through the unit and provides paddling opportunities with county-maintained canoe launches in nearby towns. Waterfowl and furbearing mammals inhabit the associated wetlands, which transition to forested uplands with various aspects. High-quality prairie remnants are found on the south and west-facing hillsides, which are dominated by oak and hickory. These forest stands provide habitat for deer and small mammals. Pheasants are stocked by a volunteer group in the larger grassland areas. Find the area 2 miles south of Gays Mills along state Highway 131.
In the DNR's words, from its page for the property.
What can you hunt on Kickapoo Wildlife Area-Bell Center Unit?
The DNR's page for Kickapoo Wildlife Area-Bell Center Unit names deer, wild turkey, pheasants, ducks and geese and woodcock. Each follows Wisconsin's statewide season and, for deer, the tags and rules of the deer management unit.
What are the rules on Kickapoo Wildlife Area-Bell Center Unit?
The DNR's property map lists Kickapoo Wildlife Area-Bell Center Unit 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 Kickapoo Wildlife Area-Bell Center Unit: Birding, Canoeing, Cross-country skiing (no designated trail), Fishing, Hiking (no designated trail), Hunting (noted for waterfowl, woodcock, deer, wild turkeys, pheasants and furbearers), Trapping, Wild edibles/gathering and Wildlife viewing.
How many deer are taken around Kickapoo Wildlife Area-Bell Center Unit?
Kickapoo Wildlife Area-Bell Center Unit lies in Crawford County. The DNR registered 5,420 deer in Crawford County in 2025, against 5,067 in 2024.
| DMU | Kickapoo Wildlife Area-Bell Center Unit acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crawford County | 1,671 | 5,420 | 5,067 | 5,067 |
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 Kickapoo Wildlife Area-Bell Center Unit?
Nearest towns: Bell Center (next to it), Gays Mills (2 miles), Mount Sterling (4 miles) and Seneca (4 miles). Highways within 5 miles: WI 131, WI 171, US 61 and WI 27.
What other public land is near Kickapoo Wildlife Area-Bell Center Unit?
DNR properties within 10 miles:
- Hogback Prairie State Natural Area: 1,069 acres, 3.5 miles away
- La Crosse Area Comprehensive Fishery Area: 2,495 acres, 3.6 miles away
- Blackhawk-Kickapoo W S: 229 acres, 4.6 miles away
- Kickapoo Wildlife Area-Wauzeka Unit: 5,584 acres, 7.1 miles away
- Knapp Creek Fishery Area: 20 acres, 7.7 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Kickapoo Wildlife Area-Bell Center Unit
Counting Kickapoo Wildlife Area-Bell Center Unit itself, 1,698 of the 37,864 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (4.5%), 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 | 1,698 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Kickapoo Wildlife Area-Bell Center Unit?
In Crawford County, next to Bell Center. The DNR's property page has its maps and parking.
Is Kickapoo Wildlife Area-Bell Center Unit 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 Kickapoo Wildlife Area-Bell Center Unit in?
Crawford County.
How much public land is around Kickapoo Wildlife Area-Bell Center Unit?
1,698 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Kickapoo Wildlife Area-Bell Center Unit included, by PAD-US 4.1. The closest other DNR property is Hogback Prairie State Natural Area (3.5 miles).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Kickapoo Wildlife Area-Bell Center Unit; 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.