Wisconsin · Public Land · 2026 Edition
Wisconsin Public Hunting Land 2026: WMAs & Access Rules
2 wildlife management areas tracked here, from 9,150 to 30,000 acres. A hunting license covers you on Wisconsin WMA land the same as anywhere else in the state — but read the access rules below before you assume that's all you need.
01 — Wildlife management areas
| Area | County | Acres | Species |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crex Meadows Wildlife Area | Burnett | 30,000 | Deer, Bear, Turkey, Waterfowl, Small game |
| Sandhill Wildlife Area | Wood | 9,150 | Deer, Waterfowl, Grouse, Woodcock, Small game |
Crex Meadows, at 30,000 acres near Grantsburg, is Wisconsin's biggest and best-known wildlife area — brush prairie and restored wetland pulling in more than 100,000 visitors a year, with a 2,400-acre refuge carved out and closed to all public use year-round. Sandhill, in central Wisconsin's Wood County, runs the opposite ratio: roughly half its 9,150 acres is refuge, and the deer hunt that does happen on the open half runs as a single managed weekend rather than the general season. This list is a starting point, not Wisconsin DNR's full inventory of more than 100 wildlife areas statewide.
02 — Access rules beyond your hunting license
A standard Wisconsin hunting license covers general hunting on any state wildlife area — no separate WMA permit. Species with their own statewide harvest authorization (bear, elk, turkey, bobcat, fisher, otter, sharp-tailed grouse) still need that permit regardless of which property you hunt, drawn through the same lottery whether you're on a wildlife area or private land.
03 — Where to go next
Verified · Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources · Last verified 2026-08-08
Publisher's note. WMA list and access rules read from Wisconsin DNR, retrieved 2026-08-08. Review due 2027-08-01. This is a starting list, not the agency's full WMA inventory — confirm current rules for a specific area before you hunt it.