Shaw Marsh Wildlife Area: hunting and access
Shaw Marsh Wildlife Area is 918 acres of land managed by the Wisconsin DNR in Dodge County, 3 miles from Beaver Dam. The DNR's page for it names deer, wild turkey, pheasants and ducks and geese among the game here. Hunters registered 5,477 deer in Dodge 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 landLand trusts and other open landShaw Marsh Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 918 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Dodge County |
| Deer Management Unit | Dodge 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 | Shaw Marsh Wildlife Area |
| Nearest towns | Beaver Dam (3 mi), Lowell (5 mi) and Juneau (5 mi) |
What is Shaw Marsh Wildlife Area like?
Shaw Marsh Wildlife Area (900 acres) is centered around a 700-acre emergent wetland through which flows Shaw Brook. Shaw Brook along with other waterways entering the marsh, were ditched and straightened in the early 1900s in an attempt to farm the marsh soil. The wildlife area is dominated by perennial emergent wetland plants, primarily cattail. Uplands surrounding the marsh are primarily grassland with a few small forest stands. Shaw Marsh is open to hunting, fishing, trapping, hiking, paddling, gathering wild edibles (i.e., nuts, berries & mushrooms), and more. Pheasants are stocked at Shaw Marsh during the pheasant hunting season.
Habitat management has focused primarily on grassland and wetland restoration and maintenance. Prescribed burning, mowing, tree removal, and herbicide are used to control the encroachment of woody and invasive species in these habitats. Although there is little forested acreage, forest stands are managed using periodic thinning to encourage the growth of desirable tree species. The Shaw Marsh Wildlife Area offers many recreational opportunities:.
In the DNR's words, from its page for the property.
What can you hunt on Shaw Marsh Wildlife Area?
The DNR's page for Shaw 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 Shaw Marsh Wildlife Area?
The DNR's property map lists Shaw 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 Shaw Marsh Wildlife Area: Birding, Cross-country skiing (no designated trail), Geocaching, Hiking, Hunting (especially noted for pheasant, deer, turkey and waterfowl), Trapping, Wild edibles/gathering and Wildlife viewing.
How many deer are taken around Shaw Marsh Wildlife Area?
Shaw Marsh Wildlife Area lies in Dodge County. The DNR registered 5,477 deer in Dodge County in 2025, against 5,238 in 2024.
| DMU | Shaw Marsh Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dodge County | 918 | 5,477 | 5,238 | 4,552 |
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 Shaw Marsh Wildlife Area?
Nearest towns: Beaver Dam (3 miles), Lowell (5 miles), Juneau (5 miles) and Reeseville (7 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 151, WI 33 and WI 26.
What other public land is near Shaw Marsh Wildlife Area?
DNR properties within 10 miles:
- Glacial Habitat Restoration Area: 11,308 acres, 4.7 miles away
- Wild Goose State Trail: 431 acres, 5.4 miles away
- Waterloo - Mud Lake Wildlife Area: 9,316 acres, 6.2 miles away
- Horicon Marsh Wildlife Area: 11,181 acres, 7.9 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Shaw Marsh Wildlife Area
Counting Shaw Marsh Wildlife Area itself, 1,258 of the 30,923 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (4.1%), 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 | 922 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 222 |
| Other county, city and regional land | 114 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Shaw Marsh Wildlife Area?
In Dodge County, 3 miles from Beaver Dam. The DNR's property page has its maps and parking.
Is Shaw 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 Shaw Marsh Wildlife Area in?
Dodge County.
How much public land is around Shaw Marsh Wildlife Area?
1,258 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Shaw Marsh Wildlife Area included, by PAD-US 4.1. The closest other DNR property is Glacial Habitat Restoration Area (4.7 miles).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Shaw 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.