Lower Wisconsin State Riverway: hunting and access
Lower Wisconsin State Riverway is 47,767 acres of land managed by the Wisconsin DNR in Grant, Iowa, Crawford, Richland, Sauk, Dane and Columbia counties, next to Gotham. Hunters registered 5,741 deer in Grant 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 areasOther federal landNational park landOther county, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landVoluntary Public Access landLower Wisconsin State RiverwayCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 47,767 acres in 244 pieces |
|---|---|
| Counties | Grant County, Iowa County, Crawford County, Richland County, Sauk County, Dane County and Columbia County |
| Deer Management Unit | Grant County, Iowa County, Crawford County, Richland County, Sauk County, Dane County, Columbia County |
| Public access (DNR) | Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping |
| DNR property page | Lower Wisconsin |
| Nearest towns | Gotham (next to it), Wauzeka (next to it) and Avoca (next to it) |
What is Lower Wisconsin State Riverway like?
The Lower Wisconsin is the longest free-flowing stretch of river in the Midwest. This 45,000-acre property extends along 92 miles of the river from Prairie du Sac to the confluence with the Mississippi River. A fantastically diverse resource with a wide variety of wildlife, fisheries, historical and archaeological sites, and scenic beauty found nowhere else. Abundant sand bars and islands are a popular destination for boat-in campers.
In the DNR's words, from its page for the property.
What are the rules on Lower Wisconsin State Riverway?
The DNR's property map lists Lower Wisconsin State Riverway as "Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping". Hunting follows Wisconsin's statewide seasons and the rules posted on the property.
How many deer are taken around Lower Wisconsin State Riverway?
Lower Wisconsin State Riverway lies in 7 deer management units. The DNR registered 5,741 deer in Grant County in 2025, against 6,014 in 2024.
| DMU | Lower Wisconsin State Riverway acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grant County | 13,568 | 5,741 | 6,014 | 6,464 |
| Iowa County | 9,753 | 2,948 | 3,020 | 3,533 |
| Crawford County | 7,738 | 5,420 | 5,067 | 5,067 |
| Richland County | 6,606 | 4,744 | 5,072 | 5,459 |
| Sauk County | 5,304 | 6,025 | 5,739 | 6,262 |
| Dane County | 4,760 | 4,438 | 4,403 | 4,461 |
| Columbia County | 38 | 7,189 | 7,176 | 6,629 |
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 Lower Wisconsin State Riverway?
Nearest towns: Gotham (next to it), Wauzeka (next to it), Avoca (next to it) and Lone Rock (next to it). Highways within 5 miles: WI 60, WI 133, US 14, WI 35 and US 12. 3 VPA properties within 3 miles.
What other public land is near Lower Wisconsin State Riverway?
DNR properties within 10 miles:
- Ferry Bluff State Natural Area: 403 acres, next to it
- Tower Hill State Park: 96 acres, next to it
- Wyalusing State Park: 2,624 acres, next to it
- Douglas Hallock Demo Forest: 452 acres, next to it
- Kickapoo Wildlife Area-Wauzeka Unit: 5,584 acres, next to it
Public land within 3 miles of Lower Wisconsin State Riverway
Counting Lower Wisconsin State Riverway itself, 75,393 of the 507,951 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (14.8%), 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 | 65,708 |
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 6,919 |
| County forest | 939 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 775 |
| Other county, city and regional land | 588 |
| Other federal land | 433 |
| State parks | 31 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Lower Wisconsin State Riverway?
In Grant, Iowa, Crawford, Richland, Sauk, Dane and Columbia counties, next to Gotham. The DNR's property page has its maps and parking.
Is Lower Wisconsin State Riverway 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 Lower Wisconsin State Riverway in?
Grant County (13,568 acres), Iowa County (9,753 acres), Crawford County (7,738 acres), Richland County (6,606 acres), Sauk County (5,304 acres), Dane County (4,760 acres) and Columbia County (38 acres).
How much public land is around Lower Wisconsin State Riverway?
75,393 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Lower Wisconsin State Riverway included, by PAD-US 4.1. The closest other DNR property is Ferry Bluff State Natural Area (next to it).
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, Lower Wisconsin State Riverway; 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.
Wisconsin hunting Grant County Iowa County Crawford County Richland County Sauk County Dane County Columbia County Grant County Iowa County Crawford County Richland County Sauk County Dane County Columbia County