Swan Lake Wildlife Area: hunting and access
Swan Lake Wildlife Area is 2,502 acres of land managed by the Wisconsin DNR in Columbia County, 2 miles from Portage. The DNR's page for it names deer, wild turkey, ducks and geese and rabbits and squirrels among the game here. Hunters registered 7,189 deer in Columbia 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 landNational wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areasOther federal landOther county, city and regional landVoluntary Public Access landSwan Lake Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 2,502 acres in 8 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Columbia County |
| Deer Management Unit | Columbia County |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, wild turkey, ducks and geese and rabbits and squirrels |
| Public access (DNR) | Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping |
| DNR property page | Swan Lake Wildlife Area |
| Nearest towns | Portage (2 mi), Pardeeville (4 mi) and Wyocena (4 mi) |
What is Swan Lake Wildlife Area like?
Swan Lake Wildlife Area is a 2,466-acre property located one mile east of Portage off Highway P in Columbia County. The property consists of approximately 1,416 acres of wetlands, 92 acres of grasslands and 410 acres of forested habitat. The Fox River flows through the Swan Lake Wildlife Area in a northwesterly direction from Swan Lake on the east. The property was designated as a wildlife area in 1963.
Three areas within Swan Lake Wildlife Area are designated as State Natural Areas: Swan Lake Sedge Meadow and Barrens, Swan Lake Tamaracks, and Swan Lake Wet-mesic Prairie. Historically, the primary management objective for Swan Lake Wildlife Area was to provide hunting and other outdoor recreation opportunities. As lands were acquired, marginal farm fields were converted to grassland to complement the existing grassland community and provide additional wildlife habitat and hunting opportunities. Current management objectives focus on protecting the watershed of the Fox River and managing for presettlement vegetation types. This includes maintaining existing prairies, oak barrens, savannas and sedge meadows and seeking opportunities to expand these cover types. The property is monitored for invasive species such as black locust and crown vetch.
In the DNR's words, from its page for the property.
What can you hunt on Swan Lake Wildlife Area?
The DNR's page for Swan Lake Wildlife Area names deer, wild turkey, ducks and geese and rabbits and squirrels. Each follows Wisconsin's statewide season and, for deer, the tags and rules of the deer management unit.
What are the rules on Swan Lake Wildlife Area?
The DNR's property map lists Swan Lake 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 Swan Lake Wildlife Area: Birding, Boating (motorized and non-motorized; no boat launch on the property), Canoeing, Cross-country skiing (no designated trail), Hiking (no designated trail), Hunting (especially noted for waterfowl, deer, furbearers, rabbits, squirrels and turkey), Kayaking, Snowshoeing (no designated trail), Trapping, Wild edibles/gathering and Wildlife viewing.
How many deer are taken around Swan Lake Wildlife Area?
Swan Lake Wildlife Area lies in Columbia County. The DNR registered 7,189 deer in Columbia County in 2025, against 7,176 in 2024.
| DMU | Swan Lake Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia County | 2,502 | 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 Swan Lake Wildlife Area?
Nearest towns: Portage (2 miles), Pardeeville (4 miles), Wyocena (4 miles) and Dekorra (4 miles). Highways within 5 miles: I-39, WI 78, WI 16, US 51 and I-90.
What other public land is near Swan Lake Wildlife Area?
DNR properties within 10 miles:
- Upper Fox River Public Access: 401 acres, 0.5 miles away
- Pine Island Wildlife Area: 5,615 acres, 2.1 miles away
- Rocky Run Creek Fishery Area: 741 acres, 3 miles away
- Rocky Run Oak Savanna State Natural Area: 164 acres, 3.4 miles away
- French Creek Wildlife Area: 3,764 acres, 3.5 miles away
- Lost Lake State Natural Area: 169 acres, 5.1 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Swan Lake Wildlife Area
Counting Swan Lake Wildlife Area itself, 3,666 of the 42,693 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (8.6%), 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 | 2,951 |
| National wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas | 305 |
| Other federal land | 301 |
| Other county, city and regional land | 109 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Swan Lake Wildlife Area?
In Columbia County, 2 miles from Portage. The DNR's property page has its maps and parking.
Is Swan Lake 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 Swan Lake Wildlife Area in?
Columbia County.
How much public land is around Swan Lake Wildlife Area?
3,666 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Swan Lake Wildlife Area included, by PAD-US 4.1. The closest other DNR property is Upper Fox River Public Access (0.5 miles).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Swan Lake 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.