Wildcat Mountain State Park: hunting and access
Wildcat Mountain State Park is 3,706 acres of land managed by the Wisconsin DNR in Vernon County, next to Ontario. Hunters registered 9,561 deer in Vernon 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 landState parksWildcat Mountain State ParkCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 3,706 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Vernon County |
| Deer Management Unit | Vernon County |
| Public access (DNR) | Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping |
| DNR property page | Wildcat Mountain |
| Nearest towns | Ontario (next to it), Wilton (7 mi) and La Farge (7 mi) |
What is Wildcat Mountain State Park like?
Located on a ridge rising steeply above the Kickapoo River, Wildcat Mountain State Park offers camping for families, groups and horseback riders. Established in 1948 and one of Wisconsin’s oldest state parks, visitors to Wildcat Mountain can explore twenty-one miles of scenic hiking, nature and equestrian trails that meander through the park. An observation point and picnic areas overlook the Kickapoo Valley. The Kickapoo River is popular for paddling and rentals are available in the village of Ontario.
In the DNR's words, from its page for the property.
What are the rules on Wildcat Mountain State Park?
The DNR's property map lists Wildcat Mountain 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 Wildcat Mountain State Park?
Wildcat Mountain State Park lies in Vernon County. The DNR registered 9,561 deer in Vernon County in 2025, against 9,000 in 2024.
| DMU | Wildcat Mountain State Park acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vernon County | 3,706 | 9,561 | 9,000 | 8,787 |
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 Wildcat Mountain State Park?
Nearest towns: Ontario (next to it), Wilton (7 miles), La Farge (7 miles) and Norwalk (8 miles). Highways within 5 miles: WI 131 and WI 33.
What other public land is near Wildcat Mountain State Park?
DNR properties within 10 miles:
- La Crosse Area Comprehensive Fishery Area: 2,495 acres, next to it
- Elroy-Sparta State Trail: 631 acres, 6.6 miles away
- Champion Valley Timber Demo Forest: 53 acres, 6.8 miles away
- Pinnacle Rock Rearing Station: 55 acres, 8.7 miles away
- Hillsboro State Trail: 61 acres, 9.8 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Wildcat Mountain State Park
Counting Wildcat Mountain State Park itself, 3,871 of the 44,109 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (8.8%), 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 | 3,818 |
| State parks | 53 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Wildcat Mountain State Park?
In Vernon County, next to Ontario. The DNR's property page has its maps and parking.
Is Wildcat Mountain 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 Wildcat Mountain State Park in?
Vernon County.
How much public land is around Wildcat Mountain State Park?
3,871 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Wildcat Mountain State Park included, by PAD-US 4.1. The closest other DNR property is La Crosse Area Comprehensive Fishery 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, Wildcat Mountain 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.