DMU Dodge, Wisconsin

Dodge County sits in southeastern Wisconsin's glaciated landscape, covering 906.7 square miles of low-relief terrain shaped by Pleistocene glaciation. Elevations range from roughly 790 feet in the southwest to 1,220 feet in the northeast, averaging about 912 feet. Prominent drumlins — elongated glacial hills aligned to past ice flow — roll across the county, most visibly around Horicon Marsh. The land cover is predominantly agricultural: dairy farms, corn, soybeans, and alfalfa fields dominate, interspersed with hardwood woodlots along creek drainages and riparian corridors. Horicon Marsh, the largest freshwater cattail marsh in the United States, anchors the northern portion of the county at roughly 33,000 acres spanning Dodge and southern Fond du Lac counties. The Rock River threads through the marsh and broader county, creating willow and cottonwood bottomlands. Smaller wetland complexes, potholes, and ephemeral ponds are scattered throughout, producing classic edge habitat where deer transition between food sources and dense cover.

Hunting pressure in Dodge County is moderate to high during the nine-day gun deer season, driven by the county's proximity to Milwaukee (roughly 50 miles) and Madison (roughly 60 miles). The Horicon Marsh complex draws concentrated hunting activity, particularly in opening days of gun season and during peak waterfowl migration. Parking lots at WMA access points fill early on opening weekend. Private farmland sees less random scouting pressure but is often leased or tightly controlled by local farmers. Archery season offers considerably more solitude, especially on weekdays and at smaller WMAs away from Horicon. Pressure drops noticeably during muzzleloader season and late archery. Overall, compared to heavily wooded northern counties, southeastern Wisconsin farmland units like Dodge see intense competition for public land spots during the firearms window.

The Southern Farmland Zone structure gives each deer hunting license holder 2 antlerless harvest authorizations included automatically with license purchase — no drawing required. Bonus antlerless authorizations are available on a first-come, first-served basis starting in mid-August each year (August 19 for the 2026 season): approximately 200 tags for public land and 2,500 for private land, priced at $12 for residents and $20 for nonresidents ($5 for youth under 12). There is no earn-a-buck requirement in Dodge County. The base license includes an any-deer tag allowing harvest of either sex, meaning most hunters can take at least one antlered buck and two antlerless deer before purchasing bonus tags. Wisconsin does not require a lottery drawing for farmland antlerless tags — availability is over-the-counter until sold out. Hunters must register all harvested deer through the GoWild system. CWD carcass transport restrictions apply and hunters should verify current DNR rules before transporting deer out of the county.

Primary deer seasons in Dodge County (Southern Farmland Zone) for 2026: archery and crossbow September 12 through January 3, 2027; nine-day gun season November 21-29; muzzleloader November 30 through December 9; youth and disabled hunter hunt October 10-11; antlerless-only holiday hunt December 24 through January 1, 2027. CWD has been detected in Dodge County with 8 positive tests out of 213 deer sampled (approximately 3.8% prevalence), below the Southern Farmland Zone average of 22.7% — hunters should follow current DNR guidance on carcass transport and voluntary testing. Wild turkey hunting is available in Turkey Management Zone 2 with both spring and fall seasons. Horicon Marsh and surrounding wetlands are a nationally recognized waterfowl migration corridor, making combination deer-and-waterfowl fall hunts a local tradition for Canada geese and ducks. Pheasant, upland birds, and small game are also available throughout the county. Black bear are not present in huntable numbers in this part of Wisconsin.

The defining feature of Dodge County is the Horicon Marsh complex — nearly 33,000 acres of combined state wildlife area and national wildlife refuge, one of the largest accessible public hunting blocks in southeastern Wisconsin and outstanding for multi-species fall hunting combining deer stands with Canada goose and duck action in the same morning. The agricultural landscape of corn, soybeans, and dairy fields alongside hardwood woodlots and wetland edges sustains strong local deer numbers, and the 2-antlerless-per-license structure makes Dodge County an excellent choice for hunters prioritizing the freezer. The Horicon National Wildlife Refuge offers 10 wheelchair-accessible deer blinds with applications opening July 15 annually, making it a standout accessibility resource. Early archery in September and October — when deer transition from crop fields to early mast — is productive and far less crowded than gun season. The Rock River and wetland drainages create natural pinch points that concentrate rut movement in late October and early November. Trophy buck potential exists on private agricultural ground with controlled pressure, though Dodge County is not generally ranked among Wisconsin's elite big-buck destinations.