Winding Creek Rearing Station: hunting and access
Winding Creek Rearing Station is 204 acres of land managed by the Wisconsin DNR in Marathon County, 2 miles from Colby. The DNR's page for it names deer, wild turkey and small game among the game here. Hunters registered 12,041 deer in Marathon 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 forestOther county, city and regional landWinding Creek Rearing StationCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 204 acres in 4 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Marathon County |
| Deer Management Unit | Marathon County |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, wild turkey and small game |
| Public access (DNR) | Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping |
| DNR property page | Winding Creek Rearing Station |
| Nearest towns | Colby (2 mi), Unity (3 mi) and Abbotsford (4 mi) |
What is Winding Creek Rearing Station like?
Winding Creek Rearing Station is 2.6 miles southeast of Colby in Marathon County. From State Hwy 13, take County Hwy N east for 2 miles, then south on Maple Road for 1 mile, then east on Blueberry Road for 1/2 mile. The primary objective for the Winding Creek Rearing Station is to raise fish for stocking Wisconsin waters and protect water quality.
In the DNR's words, from its page for the property.
What can you hunt on Winding Creek Rearing Station?
The DNR's page for Winding Creek Rearing Station names deer, wild turkey 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 Winding Creek Rearing Station?
The DNR's property map lists Winding Creek Rearing Station 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 Winding Creek Rearing Station: Hunting - small game, turkey and deer, Trapping, Hiking and Cross-country skiing (no developed trails).
How many deer are taken around Winding Creek Rearing Station?
Winding Creek Rearing Station lies in Marathon County. The DNR registered 12,041 deer in Marathon County in 2025, against 11,715 in 2024.
| DMU | Winding Creek Rearing Station acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marathon County | 204 | 12,041 | 11,715 | 10,082 |
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 Winding Creek Rearing Station?
Nearest towns: Colby (2 miles), Unity (3 miles), Abbotsford (4 miles) and Dorchester (8 miles). Highways within 5 miles: WI 29 and WI 13.
What other public land is near Winding Creek Rearing Station?
DNR properties within 10 miles:
- McMillan Wildlife Area: 5,807 acres, 7.4 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Winding Creek Rearing Station
Counting Winding Creek Rearing Station itself, 359 of the 24,356 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (1.5%), 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 | 267 |
| County forest | 72 |
| Other county, city and regional land | 20 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Winding Creek Rearing Station?
In Marathon County, 2 miles from Colby. The DNR's property page has its maps and parking.
Is Winding Creek Rearing Station 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 Winding Creek Rearing Station in?
Marathon County.
How much public land is around Winding Creek Rearing Station?
359 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Winding Creek Rearing Station included, by PAD-US 4.1. The closest other DNR property is McMillan Wildlife Area (7.4 miles).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Winding Creek Rearing Station; 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.