Metro Sub-Unit 104, Wisconsin

Brown County metro sub-unit 104 sits in the lower Lake Michigan watershed of northeastern Wisconsin, centered on the greater Green Bay urban area. Elevation across the unit is essentially flat, ranging from roughly 580 to 650 feet above sea level on a gently rolling glacial lake plain. Land cover is a patchwork of residential subdivisions, commercial corridors, city parks, and remnant woodlots dominated by maple, oak, and basswood. The Fox River and its tributaries cut through the unit, creating riparian corridors of cottonwood, willow, and dense shrub cover. Green Bay itself borders the eastern edge of the sub-unit. Wetland pockets — cattail marshes, sedge meadows, and wooded swamps — are scattered throughout, particularly along stream corridors and in lower-lying areas near the bay. Agricultural land is minimal within the core urban zone but appears along the suburban fringe where the unit transitions into the broader Brown County DMU farmland.

Hunting pressure within Metro Sub-Unit 104 is moderate to high for archery hunters but low for gun hunters, largely because firearm discharge is restricted or outright prohibited in most incorporated areas within the sub-unit. Archery season draws a strong contingent of urban bowhunters targeting backyard woodlots, greenways, and park edges. The City of Green Bay managed hunt is competitive — applicants must pass a proficiency test and spots are limited. County park properties see regular but manageable pressure given the requirement to remove stands daily and the no-permanent-structure rule. Because many hunters focus on private suburban properties rather than public land, public parcels like Barkhausen and Fonferek''s Glen can feel surprisingly quiet, especially on weekdays. Gun deer season participation in this sub-unit is low relative to rural Wisconsin; the nine-day gun season draws minimal pressure because most land inside city and village limits is off-limits to firearms.

Metro Sub-Unit 104 falls within the Brown County DMU in the Southern Farmland Zone, giving hunters multiple antlerless authorization pathways. For the 2026 season, each deer hunting license issued for Brown County includes 2 free farmland antlerless harvest authorizations valid in the entire DMU including this metro sub-unit. Hunters can also request 1 free Metro Sub-unit Antlerless Deer Harvest Authorization specific to the Brown County metro sub-unit. Bonus antlerless authorizations for private land (150 available) and public land (75 available) go on sale August 18 at 10 a.m. through the Go Wild licensing system. Bonus metro sub-unit antlerless authorizations are also available for Brown County. Antlerless tags are generally easy to obtain in this urban unit — the WDNR actively encourages harvest to reduce deer-vehicle collisions and crop/garden damage in suburban areas. No earn-a-buck restrictions apply. Buck hunting requires any valid deer hunting license; there is no antlered-only restriction. All harvested deer must be registered electronically through GameReg within 24 hours of kill.

Deer seasons in Metro Sub-Unit 104 follow the extended metro schedule. Archery and crossbow season runs September 12 through January 31, 2027 — one month longer than the statewide close of January 3, giving metro hunters a significant late-season advantage. Youth and disabled gun hunt: October 10-11. Nine-day gun season: November 21-29. Muzzleloader: November 30 through December 9. Metro sub-units also receive an extended gun season through December 9 (versus the standard November 29 close statewide). Antlerless-only holiday hunt runs December 24 through January 1, 2027 in qualifying Brown County units. Turkey hunting is available in Brown County with spring and fall seasons; spring permits are issued by draw. Small game including pheasant, rabbit, and squirrel can be pursued on public parcels in season. Waterfowl hunting is productive along the Fox River corridor and Green Bay shoreline — duck and goose seasons follow standard zones. White-tailed deer are by far the primary quarry; bear and elk are not present. No chronic wasting disease (CWD) has been detected in Brown County as of the 2025 season, so carcass movement restrictions do not apply here.

Metro Sub-Unit 104 is a legitimate trophy buck opportunity hiding in plain sight. Urban and suburban deer herds in the Green Bay area are rarely under significant hunting pressure, and bucks that survive a season or two in city greenbelts and park corridors can grow into heavy-antlered animals. The extended archery season through January 31 is the single biggest draw — hunters get four-plus months of opportunity versus the rural statewide season. Deer densities are high across the sub-unit; the WDNR''s liberal antlerless allocation reflects a herd that needs harvest pressure. For hunters without rural land access, urban bowhunting in this sub-unit is a realistic and productive alternative. The Fox River corridor and wooded ravines connecting park properties create natural travel corridors that concentrate deer movement. Scrapes and rubs appear on even small patches of suburban timber. The best access tip: apply early for the City of Green Bay managed archery hunt and contact Brown County Parks in late summer about county park hunting permits. Hunters who scout the transition edges between residential development and remnant woodlots — particularly near the Fox River and bay shoreline parks — consistently find mature bucks. CWD-free status means no restrictions on keeping the backstraps from that suburban giant.