La Crosse River Fishery Area: hunting and access
La Crosse River Fishery Area is 463 acres of land managed by the Wisconsin DNR in Monroe County, 3 miles from Sparta. Hunters registered 8,137 deer in DMU Monroe 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 forestState parksOther county, city and regional landLa Crosse River Fishery AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 463 acres in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Monroe County |
| Deer Management Unit | DMU Monroe, Fort McCoy |
| Public access (DNR) | Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping |
| DNR property page | La Crosse River Fishery Area |
| Nearest towns | Sparta (3 mi), Tunnel City (7 mi) and Cataract (8 mi) |
What is La Crosse River Fishery Area like?
T 17N, R 3W, sections 4 and 5; T 18N, R 3W, sections 33 and 34. La Crosse River Fishery Area is managed to protect the public trust, enhance coldwater fishery (game and non-game), and provide outdoor recreational opportunities.
In the DNR's words, from its page for the property.
What are the rules on La Crosse River Fishery Area?
The DNR's property map lists La Crosse River Fishery 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 La Crosse River Fishery Area: Hunting, Trapping, Hiking and Fishing.
How many deer are taken around La Crosse River Fishery Area?
La Crosse River Fishery Area lies in 2 deer management units. The DNR registered 8,137 deer in DMU Monroe in 2025.
| DMU | La Crosse River Fishery Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| DMU Monroe | 453 | 8,137 |
| Fort McCoy | 10 |
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 La Crosse River Fishery Area?
Nearest towns: Sparta (3 miles), Tunnel City (7 miles), Cataract (8 miles) and Rockland (9 miles). Highways within 5 miles: I-90, WI 21, WI 71, WI 16 and WI 27.
What other public land is near La Crosse River Fishery Area?
DNR properties within 10 miles:
- La Crosse River State Trail: 328 acres, 0.5 miles away
- La Crosse Area Comprehensive Fishery Area: 2,495 acres, 2.9 miles away
- Elroy-Sparta State Trail: 631 acres, 3.3 miles away
- Big Creek Fishery Area: 1,471 acres, 4.3 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of La Crosse River Fishery Area
Counting La Crosse River Fishery Area itself, 744 of the 30,972 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (2.4%), 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 | 515 |
| County forest | 151 |
| Other county, city and regional land | 76 |
| State parks | 2 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is La Crosse River Fishery Area?
In Monroe County, 3 miles from Sparta. The DNR's property page has its maps and parking.
Is La Crosse River Fishery 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 La Crosse River Fishery Area in?
DMU Monroe (453 acres) and Fort McCoy (10 acres).
How much public land is around La Crosse River Fishery Area?
744 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, La Crosse River Fishery Area included, by PAD-US 4.1. The closest other DNR property is La Crosse River State Trail (0.5 miles).
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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, La Crosse River Fishery 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.