Next year I plan on taking a trip up to Wisconsin to get a chance at atleast seeing one of them monster Midwest bucks. My uncle hunts in an area called Peshtigo Falls that is close to two other public lands called Beaver Creek & Governer Thompson State Forrest. He's never killed anything big but he doesn't really hunt much. Does anyone know anything about how good the hunting in this area of WI is? I'd really like to get in an area where I atleast feel like a world record buck may step in front of me.

Any suggestions as to where other good public hunting grounds are in WI. Is there any public land in or near Buffalo county?

There are "book" bucks in every county of WI. Not much public area in Buffalo Co. But, here's a secret: Bufflao county is part of the "Driftless Area". That portion of the state didn't get planed over by glaciers. It's hilly with many bluffs, valleys and limestone ridges. On a state map, its noticable because very few roads go north-south, east-west. They snake up valleys and cross over ridges to the next valley. It's quite evident. Other counties include: Vernon, Grant, Richland, Trempeleau, LaCrosse, Eau claire and others. All these counties have exactly the same conditions as Buffalo Co. for producing big bucks. Buffalo Co. just has better marketing. That's all. If I'd want to see big bucks, That's where I'd concentrate.

The Peshtigo area has a ton of public ground to hunt. Lots of swamps where bucks can grow to be old and big. It might be hard to find them with limited scouting because of the vast areas of undeveloped land however. Not a lot of roads in that area but a lot lakes, swamps and wildlife. They may not have the numbers of trophies per acre that the buffalo county area has, but there are still big bucks there.

I've hunted the Governor Knowles State Forest many years (years ago). I've seen some of the hugest deer tracks ever made up there. You can sit over open areas (and they are good), fresh logging areas (excellent) or go deep into the marsh along the Mississippi river. The big bucks are bedded in the marsh during the day. My BIL was a DNR biologist up there until retiring a couple years ago. I hunted with him and his DNR buddies (wardens also) in their cabin with the wolves howling at night. (Huge wolf packs up there). We always got deer. BIL had to help register deer a couple days during rifle season and one day he registered a deer that he aged at 1-1/2 years old. It would easily make the book! Imagine how big that deer would have been if allowed to grow up! The Jordan buck (former world record) was taken nearby years ago. They kept a shed antler from that area in the cabin. It would have put the Jordan buck to shame! You're going to have to hunt public land and this area has the largest amount of public land in the state. You won't see many other hunters if you find the right area.

Watch the weather! One year I had to borrow snow shoes as there was 3 feet (level) of snow on the ground and drifted higher. Amazing how quick you can learn to walk on those things.

the misconception of wisconsin is the amount of public land. 85% of the huntable land is private leaving 15% for the rest of the public. public land especially during the gun season is highly pressured which leaves you 2 options.
1) get connections with a landowner bordering the public land with a big swamp to catch those deer getting pushed off the public land and cut them off.
2) be prepared to walk a long ways. most of the "meat hunters" only go in a mile tops. go in where you know that nobody is. do your scouting and go to it.

I live in Wisconsin and have hunted all over the state, most of the hunting I do is on public land. The best public land opertunitys come in South central, South Western, and West Central Wisconsin in the hilly areas. I also do real well near my home In S.E. Wisconsin, but thats not hilly, and I do well mostly in large swamps and cattail marshes.
If you don't have private ground, I would recommend staying away from Buffalo county. What little public there is in that county really gets pounded cause of the reputation.
Richland county, sauk, Dane, and others in those areas have done real well for me...
I look at all the public land and look at nearby towns for comparison. I search out the public propertys that are the longest drive from towns and citys. A lot of the time smaller propertys are completly over looked.