Lake Kegonsa State Park: hunting and access
Lake Kegonsa State Park is 355 acres of land managed by the Wisconsin DNR in Dane County, 3 miles from Stoughton. 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 wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areasState parksOther county, city and regional landLake Kegonsa State ParkCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 355 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Dane County |
| Deer Management Unit | Dane County |
| Public access (DNR) | Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping |
| DNR property page | Lake Kegonsa |
| Nearest towns | Stoughton (3 mi), McFarland (3 mi) and Monona (7 mi) |
What is Lake Kegonsa State Park like?
Lake Kegonsa State Park offers a variety of recreational activities set along a 3,200-acre lake. A swimming beach, picnic areas with reservable shelters, and a boat launch are within 1 mile of the campground. Fishing opportunities are excellent, while hiking trails weave among oak woodlands, prairies and wetlands.
In the DNR's words, from its page for the property.
What are the rules on Lake Kegonsa State Park?
The DNR's property map lists Lake Kegonsa 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 Lake Kegonsa State Park?
Lake Kegonsa State Park lies in Dane County. The DNR registered 4,438 deer in Dane County in 2025, against 4,403 in 2024.
| DMU | Lake Kegonsa State Park acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dane County | 355 | 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 Lake Kegonsa State Park?
Nearest towns: Stoughton (3 miles), McFarland (3 miles), Monona (7 miles) and Cottage Grove (8 miles). Highways within 5 miles: I-39, I-90, US 51, US 12 and US 18.
What other public land is near Lake Kegonsa State Park?
DNR properties within 10 miles:
- Lake Kegonsa Rough Fish Station: 20 acres, 0.9 miles away
- Lower Mud Lake Fishery Area: 410 acres, 1.8 miles away
- Hook Lake/Grass Lake Wildlife And Natural Area: 875 acres, 4 miles away
- Upper Waubesa Fishery Area: 252 acres, 4.5 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Lake Kegonsa State Park
Counting Lake Kegonsa State Park itself, 1,834 of the 24,672 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (7.4%), 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 | 936 |
| Other county, city and regional land | 661 |
| County forest | 162 |
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 70 |
| State parks | 5 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Lake Kegonsa State Park?
In Dane County, 3 miles from Stoughton. The DNR's property page has its maps and parking.
Is Lake Kegonsa 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 Lake Kegonsa State Park in?
Dane County.
How much public land is around Lake Kegonsa State Park?
1,834 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Lake Kegonsa State Park included, by PAD-US 4.1. The closest other DNR property is Lake Kegonsa Rough Fish Station (0.9 miles).
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, Lake Kegonsa 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.