DMU Brown, Wisconsin

Brown County sits in Wisconsin's Southern Farmland zone along the southwestern shore of the Bay of Green Bay and the lower Fox River valley. Elevation ranges from roughly 580 feet at Green Bay's waterfront to about 1,020 feet in the Town of Holland, a modest 440-foot gain across 535 square miles of land. Glacial moraines roll gently through the interior, interrupted along the eastern Fox River valley by the Niagara Escarpment, a limestone ridge rising 200 to 250 feet with rocky northwest-facing ledges. Roughly 14% of the county is water, with the Fox River, Neshota, Suamico, and East rivers draining through extensive lowland wetlands into the bay. Land cover is predominantly row-crop agriculture (corn, soybeans, small grains) and dairy pasture in the central and western townships. Riparian corridors hold maple, oak, cottonwood, and basswood; upland woodlots mix maple and second-growth conifers. Cedar, tamarack, and black spruce swamps appear along river bottoms and near the bay shore.

Hunting pressure in Brown County is high, particularly during the nine-day November gun deer season. The Green Bay metro population creates a large pool of resident hunters competing for limited public land; county park parcels fill permit quotas quickly, with Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve drawing the most competition. Hunters who secure private agricultural land often enjoy much lower pressure and near-exclusive access. Archery season is notably less crowded, especially the early September opener and the post-gun-season December window. The Metro Subunit covers the urban Green Bay core and draws its own crowd of suburban hunters, though those parcels are tightly managed and space is limited. Overall, expect significant competition on any accessible public parcel during peak firearm season.

Brown County is in the Southern Farmland zone, where each deer hunting license includes one to five antlerless harvest authorizations depending on DMU selection. For the 2026 season, bonus antlerless authorizations go on sale August 18 at 12 dollars for residents and 20 dollars for nonresidents: 200 public-land and 750 private-land bonus tags are available for the main DMU. The Brown County Metro Subunit carries a separate allotment of 75 public-land and 150 private-land bonus authorizations; a free Metro Subunit antlerless harvest authorization is also available to any licensed hunter. Farmland zone antlerless authorizations are valid throughout the entire DMU, including inside Metro Subunit boundaries. WDNR aggressively manages antlerless harvest here to balance the dense farmland deer herd against landowner tolerance levels. A standard license covers one buck; antlerless opportunities are stacked on top through the farmland authorization system.

Deer archery and crossbow season runs September 13 through January 4 (extended to January 31 in the Metro Subunit). The nine-day gun deer season is November 22 through 30. Muzzleloader follows December 1 through 10. A statewide antlerless-only four-day hunt runs December 11 through 14, and an antlerless-only holiday hunt covers December 24 through January 1 in farmland counties including Brown. Wild turkey hunting is not permitted on Brown County park properties but is available on private ground county-wide; fall turkey season generally runs early October through early November. Waterfowl hunting is open at Lily Lake Park and the Fort Howard Paper Foundation Wildlife Area during regular DNR waterfowl season; the Bay of Green Bay and Fox River provide excellent duck and goose habitat during migration. Ring-necked pheasants are present in limited numbers in agricultural areas. Ruffed grouse habitat is minimal; small game and trapping are prohibited on county park lands.

Brown County is not a wilderness destination, but hunters who do their homework can find productive opportunities in a high-density farmland setting. The Niagara Escarpment corridor east of the Fox River is the county's standout feature; limestone ledges, dense timber, and adjacent agricultural fields create ideal deer bedding and feeding habitat where mature bucks can hold tight and prove rewarding to hunt. Fox River and Neshota River corridors funnel deer movement and concentrate animals during the October and early-November rut. Evening field hunts over corn and soybean stubble in the county's west and central townships are consistently productive through mid-season. Trophy potential is moderate; high deer density produces solid body weights and respectable antler growth, but suburban encroachment and pressure limit the number of mature 3.5-year-old bucks surviving each season. The generous antlerless tag structure makes this an excellent unit for hunters focused on venison production. Best access tip: target the county's western townships bordering Outagamie and Shawano counties where agriculture is heavier and the urban influence thins considerably.