Yellowstone Wildlife Area: hunting and access
Yellowstone Wildlife Area is 4,450 acres of land managed by the Wisconsin DNR in Lafayette County, 6 miles from Blanchardville. The DNR's page for it names deer, wild turkey and pheasants among the game here. Hunters registered 2,042 deer in Lafayette 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 landVoluntary Public Access landYellowstone Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 4,450 acres in 3 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Lafayette County |
| Deer Management Unit | Lafayette County |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, wild turkey and pheasants |
| Public access (DNR) | Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping |
| DNR property page | Yellowstone Wildlife Area |
| Nearest towns | Blanchardville (6 mi), Argyle (6 mi) and Hollandale (6 mi) |
What is Yellowstone Wildlife Area like?
Yellowstone Wildlife Area is a 4,000-acre property in the Southwest Savanna Ecoregion of Wisconsin. Its rolling topography, indicative of the Driftless Area, makes it one of the larger state-owned properties in southwestern Wisconsin. Half of the property was purchased in 1989 as the first Knowles-Nelson Stewardship acquisition. Yellowstone provides numerous opportunities for hunting, trapping, and fishing. Over 1,000 pheasants are annually stocked for fall hunting seasons, and a Class II trout stream and Yellowstone Lake provide numerous fishing opportunities.
Many hunters take advantage of the shooting range on site, which consists of 100-, 50-, and 25-yard ranges. Additionally, Yellowstone offers 30 miles of equestrian trails and is the only wildlife area to do so. Yellowstone Wildlife Area is managed to provide numerous habitat types across the property. Large areas of ridge-top grasslands and oak savanna restoration work are a priority, while oak forests are maintained and improved. These habitats benefit game species such as pheasants, turkeys, and deer, as well as non-game species such as bobolinks and meadowlarks. The Yellowstone Wildlife Area Shooting Range, located in northeastern Lafayette County, is owned by the Department of Natural Resources and is managed in cooperation with the Fayette Sportsman's Club.
In the DNR's words, from its page for the property.
What can you hunt on Yellowstone Wildlife Area?
The DNR's page for Yellowstone Wildlife Area names deer, wild turkey and pheasants. Each follows Wisconsin's statewide season and, for deer, the tags and rules of the deer management unit.
What are the rules on Yellowstone Wildlife Area?
The DNR's property map lists Yellowstone 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 Yellowstone Wildlife Area: Birding, Boating (motorized on Yellowstone Lake, access via the state park), Canoeing, Cross-country skiing (no designated trail), Dog training grounds, Fishing (catch-and-release trout on Steiner Brook) and Hiking (no designated trail).
How many deer are taken around Yellowstone Wildlife Area?
Yellowstone Wildlife Area lies in Lafayette County. The DNR registered 2,042 deer in Lafayette County in 2025, against 2,083 in 2024.
| DMU | Yellowstone Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette County | 4,450 | 2,042 | 2,083 | 2,403 |
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 Yellowstone Wildlife Area?
Nearest towns: Blanchardville (6 miles), Argyle (6 miles), Hollandale (6 miles) and Darlington (7 miles). Highways within 5 miles: WI 81, WI 23 and WI 78. 1 VPA property within 3 miles.
What other public land is near Yellowstone Wildlife Area?
DNR properties within 10 miles:
- Yellowstone Lake State Park: 790 acres, next to it
- Headwaters Yellowstone River SBE Area: 23 acres, 1.1 miles away
- Otter Creek SBE Area: 164 acres, 3 miles away
- Copper Creek-Pecatonica River SBE Area: 24 acres, 5.5 miles away
- Gordon Creek SBE Area: 110 acres, 5.8 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Yellowstone Wildlife Area
Counting Yellowstone Wildlife Area itself, 5,292 of the 49,215 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (10.8%), 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 | 5,284 |
| State parks | 7 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 1 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Yellowstone Wildlife Area?
In Lafayette County, 6 miles from Blanchardville. The DNR's property page has its maps and parking.
Is Yellowstone 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 Yellowstone Wildlife Area in?
Lafayette County.
How much public land is around Yellowstone Wildlife Area?
5,292 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Yellowstone Wildlife Area included, by PAD-US 4.1. The closest other DNR property is Yellowstone Lake State Park (next to it).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Yellowstone 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.