Wisconsin publishes deer harvest in a form FDR could rank for 98 hunt units. Marquette is highest at 17.1 deer harvested per square mile in 2025. Waupaca has 14.4 in 2025 and Waushara has 13.9 in 2025. Harvest in a hunt unit includes private land, so the public share is shown next to each unit. The rankings describe reported harvest and do not measure access or hunting pressure.
KEY FINDINGS
- Marquette has the highest harvest per square mile at 17.1. The agency reported 7,790 deer on 291,558 acres in 2025.
- 98 hunt units are ranked. Ranks compare areas measured between 2023 and 2025 and each row shows its own newest year.
Wisconsin public land rankings
Best public land in Wisconsin
Derived FDR figures from state agency numbers. Seasons measured 2023 through 2025. Captured October 19, 2026. Harvest per square mile is the agency's deer harvest divided by the area's size. Success rate is the agency's published rate or harvest divided by hunters. Areas smaller than one square mile are left out of the rankings. Order uses the unrounded values and tied values share a rank. Blank cells mean the agency did not publish the figure.
Public share includes state trust land that licensed hunters may use with conditions. It is an upper bound where some tracts are landlocked or excluded.
Download all ranked rows (CSV)
Hunt units
Top 15 of 98 ranked hunt units by deer harvest per square mile. Hunt units include private land, so the public share column shows how much of each unit is public land open to hunting.
15 of 98 hunt units shown
| 1 | Marquette | Marquette | 291,558 | 2025 | 7,790 | 17.1 | 21.2 | 4.6% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Waupaca | Waupaca | 478,456 | 2025 | 10,740 | 14.4 | 14.9 | 2.0% |
| 3 | Waushara | Waushara | 400,503 | 2025 | 8,678 | 13.9 | 29.5 | 4.7% |
| 4 | Burnett | Burnett | 138,097 | 2025 | 2,861 | 13.3 | 6.1 | 2.8% |
| 5 | Green Lake | Green Lake | 223,741 | 2025 | 4,589 | 13.1 | 27.2 | 7.8% |
| 6 | Vernon | Vernon | 506,673 | 2025 | 9,561 | 12.1 | 11.9 | 1.5% |
| 7 | Washburn | Washburn | 76,869 | 2025 | 1,418 | 11.8 | 14.8 | 12.4% |
| 8 | Monroe | Monroe | 457,325 | 2025 | 8,137 | 11.4 | 14.7 | 2.1% |
| 9 | Oconto | Oconto | 417,114 | 2025 | 7,277 | 11.2 | 53.0 | 8.1% |
| 10 | Shawano | Shawano | 571,756 | 2025 | 9,880 | 11.1 | 25.0 | 2.8% |
| 11 | Dunn | Dunn | 544,034 | 2025 | 9,118 | 10.7 | 27.8 | 3.3% |
| 12 | Marinette | Marinette | 458,684 | 2025 | 7,552 | 10.5 | 51.5 | 7.2% |
| 13 | Portage | Portage | 512,694 | 2025 | 8,384 | 10.5 | 51.6 | 6.4% |
| 14 | Clark | Clark | 552,854 | 2025 | 8,849 | 10.2 | 12.5 | 1.4% |
| 15 | Taylor | Taylor | 171,878 | 2025 | 2,710 | 10.1 | 0.3 | 0.1% |
01Hunt units
98 hunt units ranked on harvest per square mile
Marquette has the most deer harvested per square mile at 17.1 in 2025. Waupaca has 14.4 in 2025 and Waushara has 13.9 in 2025.
The public share is the part of each unit that is public land open to hunting. Public share includes state trust land that licensed hunters may use with conditions. It is an upper bound where some tracts are landlocked or excluded.
02Basis of this report
Sources and method
FDR divided the agency's deer harvest by the area's size to get harvest per square mile. Areas smaller than one square mile are left out of the rankings. Ranks compare areas measured between 2023 and 2025 and each row shows its own newest year.
Wisconsin figures are the agency's registered deer harvest for each deer management unit, on all land types and with all weapons.
Success rate is the agency's published figure or harvest divided by hunters. Tied values share a rank and the order uses the unrounded values.
A ranking does not evaluate an individual property and does not confirm that it is open to hunting for you.
Sources
NOTES AND SOURCES
- Derived FDR figures from state agency numbers. Seasons measured 2023 through 2025. Captured October 19, 2026. Harvest per square mile is the agency's deer harvest divided by the area's size. Success rate is the agency's published rate or harvest divided by hunters. Areas smaller than one square mile are left out of the rankings. Order uses the unrounded values and tied values share a rank. Blank cells mean the agency did not publish the figure.
Fully Drawn Research is an independent data analysis desk, not affiliated with any state wildlife agency, transportation agency, mapping provider or outfitter. FDR rankings are independent analysis of state agency numbers. A ranking does not evaluate an individual property.
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