WI Public Land
 

Hey guys, just thought I'd throw a thread up here to see if anyone could spare a little info.. I live in Southern WI, in Stoughton.. rather close to Madison.. I'm just starting to look for another Public Land spot or two to check out before Fall.. I know everyone's got their "Honey Hole" or "Lucky Spots" and I'm not looking to intrude on anyone's hunting, as I do most my hunting on Private land but I'd like to get out around home more often if I can.. Any info or tips on some spots would be GREATLY appreciated!
Thanks guys!

-Austin

Contact the DNR and ask them for a list of public hunting grounds. It's been a long time since I hunted down in that area. But we used to shoot a lot of Pheasants around Stoughton and the surrounding area.

Yea I guess I didn't think to do that.. I gotta get a list of areas and just start doing some poking around!

I heard the DNR might open more of Devil's Lake near Baraboo. That used to be some hot deer area, but according to relatives that live in that part of the world, they see very few deer anymore on the road. It used to be a drive at your own risk after dusk around there. Lots of turkey my brother reports, but very few deer. There was also some good hunting grounds I used to stomp as a kid, near Mazomanie, along the river. We used to duck, grouse, and deer hunt in there. Been a long time since I used the southern end of the state for hunting, but when I was a kid I think I new ever public hunting grounds around Madison for a hundred miles...

Good luck with your search.

That's cool, didn't hear about that?.. I'll look into it!
Yea, I've taken a look at a couple spots near Mazomanie (Topo Maps anyway) and I'm thinking of heading out there sometime this summer to do a little scouting.. I needa get a list from the DNR, otherwise, they only post so many spots on their site.. I know there's a ton of smaller tracts out there open to the public.

I am working as an intern for Dane County Parks and there always trying to control the deer herd in the parks. I would contact them or the DNR and maybe you could get a park permit to hunt one of them.

Cool.. thanks for the info man!! I appreciate it!

Lake mills has a decent public area just off of I-94... The DNR list most of the major public areas on there site with a description.
I find the best hunting on the properties they don't list though.. You can find those properties in a plat book.. I also use the all outdoors atlas ( Southern Wisc. issue ) because it shows not only every public property but also all the MFL private properties that are open to the public for hunting.

Yea I believe I've been to the one in Lake Mills that you're talking about (Scouted it but never hung a stand there in the Fall)..
Yea, I'd like to find some of the ones that aren't really listed.. we have a couple spots here in Stoughton like that, that I know of and it definitely gets less pressure... also would like to try some of the MFL land that you mentioned.

Here is a link to where they sell the atlases.. Don't let the description throw you. It shows ALL public and MFL land clear as day...