Richland County, Wisconsin: deer harvest and public hunting land
Richland County is its own deer management unit, 589 square miles around Richland Center. Hunters registered 4,744 deer here in 2025, 2,224 of them bucks, by the DNR's Deer Metrics. That is down 6% from 2024. 3.3% of Richland County is public land open to the public, the largest share state wildlife areas, forests and other DNR land (12,073 acres), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: DNR Deer Metrics. Land: PAD-US 4.1, the DNR's managed lands and VPA layers.
State wildlife areas, forests and other DNR landCounty forestOther county, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landVoluntary Public Access landRichland CountyNeighboring deer management unitsLakeHighway
| Counties | Richland County |
|---|---|
| Size | 377,174 acres (589 square miles) |
| Deer registered, 2025 | 4,744 (2,224 bucks, 2,520 antlerless) |
| Yearly average, 2016 to 2025 | 5,699 deer |
| Public land | 3.3% (12,489 acres) |
| Properties | 5 (9,164 acres inside Richland County) |
| Voluntary Public Access land | 9 sites, 1,012 acres |
| Towns in and near it | Richland Center, Lone Rock, Cazenovia, Viola, Muscoda and Avoca |
How many deer are harvested in Richland County?
The DNR registered 4,744 deer in Richland County in 2025: 2,224 bucks and 2,520 antlerless deer, 53% of the harvest antlerless. Over the 10 years shown, the harvest averaged 5,699 deer a year; the most bucks were registered in 2018 (3,003).
| Year | Deer registered | Bucks | Antlerless | Antlerless share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4,744 | 2,224 | 2,520 | 53% |
| 2024 | 5,072 | 2,359 | 2,713 | 53% |
| 2023 | 5,459 | 2,590 | 2,869 | 53% |
| 2022 | 5,664 | 2,666 | 2,998 | 53% |
| 2021 | 5,375 | 2,568 | 2,807 | 52% |
| 2020 | 6,459 | 2,964 | 3,495 | 54% |
| 2019 | 5,639 | 2,580 | 3,059 | 54% |
| 2018 | 6,787 | 3,003 | 3,784 | 56% |
| 2017 | 5,691 | 2,652 | 3,039 | 53% |
| 2016 | 6,102 | 2,858 | 3,244 | 53% |
Source: Wisconsin DNR Deer Metrics, harvest history for Richland County. Deer registered is the DNR's buck and antlerless harvest added together. The DNR's Deer Metrics shows every year back to 1960 for most counties.
How much public land is in Richland County?
12,489 of Richland County's 377,174 acres are public land open to the public (3.3%). The biggest share is state wildlife areas, forests and other DNR land: 12,073 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Richland County |
|---|---|---|
| State wildlife areas, forests and other DNR land | 12,073 | 3.2% |
| Other county, city and regional land | 222 | 0.1% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 194 | 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 12,489 | 3.3% |
Measured by FilledTag inside the DNR's boundary from USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public). Hunting rules differ by manager: DNR wildlife areas and state forests are open to hunting unless posted; county forests are open to hunting in most cases (check the county forest's rules); national forest land is open in season; refuges follow U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rules; state parks allow hunting only in listed seasons and areas; national park land is closed to hunting.
DNR properties in Richland County
DNR properties in Richland County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Lower Wisconsin State Riverway: 6,606 acres
- Knapp Creek Wildlife Area: 1,605 acres
- Willow Creek Fishery Area: 633 acres
- Bear Creek Fishery Area: 270 acres
- Hub City Bog State Natural Area: 50 acres
Voluntary Public Access land in Richland County
The DNR's 2026 lease map shows 9 properties in Richland County, 1,012 acres of private land open to the public; one of them is spring-turkey-only Turkey Hunter Access land. No landowner permission is needed. DNR VPA program.
How do you get to Richland County?
Highways through it: US 14 (about 39 miles inside), WI 80 (about 28 miles inside), WI 60 (about 27 miles inside), WI 56 (about 21 miles inside) and WI 58 (about 20 miles inside). Towns inside: Richland Center, Lone Rock, Cazenovia, Boaz, Yuba and Sextonville. Nearby: Viola (on the line), Muscoda (on the line), Avoca (on the line) and Blue River (on the line).
Which deer management units border Richland County?
Richland County touches 5 other deer management units. Their latest DNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| DMU | Deer harvested | Year | Public land | Voluntary Public Access land sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa County | 2,948 | 2025 | 5% | 3 |
| Sauk County | 6,025 | 2025 | 7.9% | 1 |
| Grant County | 5,741 | 2025 | 4.6% | 7 |
| Vernon County | 9,561 | 2025 | 2.8% | 3 |
| Crawford County | 5,420 | 2025 | 9.5% | 2 |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Richland County in 2025?
4,744 deer were registered: 2,224 bucks and 2,520 antlerless deer (DNR Deer Metrics). In 2024: 5,072.
Is there public hunting land in Richland County?
Yes. 12,489 acres, 3.3% of the unit, are public land open to the public by PAD-US 4.1, the largest share state wildlife areas, forests and other DNR land (12,073 acres). The DNR's map shows 5 DNR properties open to hunting here.
Does Richland County have VPA land?
Yes. The DNR's 2026 lease map shows 9 properties, 1,012 acres.
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Where these numbers come from
- Deer harvest: Wisconsin DNR Deer Metrics (registered harvest by deer management unit).
- Public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public). DNR properties: Wisconsin DNR managed lands open to hunting. Voluntary Public Access land: Wisconsin DNR Voluntary Public Access and Turkey Hunting Program lands.
- Boundaries: Wisconsin DNR deer management units. Highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 primary and secondary roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer, places.
FilledTag is not part of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Numbers are copied from the DNR and the federal sources above, or measured from their maps; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag.
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