Tank Creek Fishery Area: hunting and access
Tank Creek Fishery Area is 503 acres of land managed by the Wisconsin DNR in Jackson County, next to Hixton. The DNR's page for it names deer, wild turkey, bear and small game among the game here. Hunters registered 4,911 deer in DMU Jackson 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 landVoluntary Public Access landTank Creek Fishery AreaCounty lineHighway
| Size | 503 acres in 6 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Jackson County |
| Deer Management Unit | DMU Jackson |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, wild turkey, bear and small game |
| Public access (DNR) | Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping |
| DNR property page | Tank Creek Fishery Area |
| Nearest towns | Hixton (next to it), Black River Falls (5 mi) and Alma Center (5 mi) |
What is Tank Creek Fishery Area like?
Tank Creek Fishery Area is a class 1 trout stream that is considered an "Areas of Special Natural Resource Interest" (ASNRI). The property also includes wet meadow wetland, forested wetland, lowland shrub wetland and cultural sites. Tank Creek Fishery Area is located in Jackson County, Hixton Township; T 22N, R 5W, sections 16, 26 and 27.
Tank Creek Fishery Area is managed for trout fishing and habitat (instream restoration work), hunting and trapping.
In the DNR's words, from its page for the property.
What can you hunt on Tank Creek Fishery Area?
The DNR's page for Tank Creek Fishery Area names deer, wild turkey, bear and small game. Each follows Wisconsin's statewide season and, for deer, the tags and rules of the deer management unit.
What are the rules on Tank Creek Fishery Area?
The DNR's property map lists Tank Creek 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 Tank Creek Fishery Area: Hunting - bear, deer, small game and turkey, Trapping, Hiking, Snowmobiling trail, Cross-country skiing, Wildlife viewing, Fishing - brook and brown trout, Bird watching, Berry picking and Canoeing.
How many deer are taken around Tank Creek Fishery Area?
Tank Creek Fishery Area lies in DMU Jackson. The DNR registered 4,911 deer in DMU Jackson in 2025.
| DMU | Tank Creek Fishery Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| DMU Jackson | 503 | 4,911 |
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 Tank Creek Fishery Area?
Nearest towns: Hixton (next to it), Black River Falls (5 miles), Alma Center (5 miles) and Taylor (7 miles). Highways within 5 miles: I-94, WI 95, WI 121, US 12 and WI 27.
What other public land is near Tank Creek Fishery Area?
DNR properties within 10 miles:
- North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area: 328 acres, next to it
- Smith Pond Fishery Area: 96 acres, 1.8 miles away
- Black River State Forest: 68,941 acres, 5.5 miles away
- Black River Falls Service Center: 41 acres, 5.6 miles away
- Albion Rearing Station: 64 acres, 6.7 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Tank Creek Fishery Area
Counting Tank Creek Fishery Area itself, 1,004 of the 38,437 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (2.6%), 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 | 993 |
| Other county, city and regional land | 10 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 1 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Tank Creek Fishery Area?
In Jackson County, next to Hixton. The DNR's property page has its maps and parking.
Is Tank Creek 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 Tank Creek Fishery Area in?
DMU Jackson.
How much public land is around Tank Creek Fishery Area?
1,004 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Tank Creek Fishery Area included, by PAD-US 4.1. The closest other DNR property is North Branch Trempealeau River Fishery Area (next to it).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Tank Creek 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.