DMU Pierce, Wisconsin

Pierce County covers 592 square miles of classic Driftless Area topography in far western Wisconsin. The Mississippi River forms the western border and Lake Pepin (a natural widening of the Mississippi) anchors the southwest corner, while the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway runs along the north. Elevations range from roughly 630 feet at the river bottoms to around 1,200 feet on the upland ridges. The landscape is defined by steep limestone and sandstone bluffs, narrow coulees, and broad valley floors — none of it glaciated, so the terrain is dramatic and highly varied. Approximately 100,000 acres (about 27% of the county) is forested; oak and hickory dominate the lighter soils along the river corridors (roughly 47% of forested acres), while maple-basswood covers the richer upland soils of the central and eastern county (34%). The remaining land is primarily row-crop agriculture — corn and soybeans — interspersed with grass waterways, small woodlots, and creek-bottom brush. The Rush River and its tributaries drain the interior, supporting 109 miles of Class I and 95 miles of Class II trout streams that also serve as travel corridors for deer. Wetlands are concentrated along the Mississippi floodplain near Bay City.

Moderate to moderately high overall, with significant variation by access type. Private land in the bluff country — particularly farms with quality mast-producing oaks and river-bottom corridors — sees consistent pressure from local hunters and some Twin Cities metro hunters who make the short drive across the St. Croix. The limited public acreage concentrates pressure: the Pierce County Islands WMA and VPA parcels can feel crowded on opening weekend of gun deer season (the Saturday before Thanksgiving). Archery season is noticeably less crowded and offers a longer window to pattern mature bucks on the oak ridges before firearms hunters push deer off pattern. Midweek hunting pressure drops substantially. Pierce County had its first confirmed wild CWD-positive detection in 2024 (a doe near Spring Lake), triggering a 3-year baiting and feeding ban effective May 15, 2024 — this has not meaningfully reduced hunter numbers but does change some traditional hunting practices. Gun deer season draws the heaviest participation; late muzzleloader and the December antlerless-only seasons see far lighter pressure and can be excellent for public-land doe harvest.

Pierce County falls in the Central Farmland zone (Zone 2). Each deer hunting license in this zone includes 2 free antlerless harvest authorizations valid on either public or private land within the DMU — no lottery required for the base tags. Bonus antlerless authorizations are available for purchase starting mid-August each year through the DNR GoWild portal: in 2026 the quota was set at 300 bonus tags for public land and 1,400 for private land in the main county unit, plus a Pierce Metro Subunit with an additional 50 public and 50 private bonus tags. Bonus tags cost $12 for residents and $20 for nonresidents ($5 for hunters under 12). All deer hunters must purchase a base deer hunting license, and antlered buck harvest requires either an any-deer or buck-only tag included with the license — there is no earn-a-buck requirement in Pierce County. Hunters can take one antlered buck per license year statewide. The antlerless quota is set annually by the Natural Resources Board based on County Deer Advisory Council recommendations; the statewide quota rose 7% for 2025 and bonus tags in farmland zone counties like Pierce have historically sold out within a few weeks of going on sale, so purchase early.

Deer seasons for the Central Farmland zone in 2025-2026: archery and crossbow September 13 through January 4; youth gun hunt October (two-day weekend in mid-October); gun deer season November 22-30; muzzleloader December 1-10; statewide antlerless-only hunt December 11-14; antlerless-only holiday hunt December 24 through January 1. Wild turkey hunting is excellent in Pierce County — the bluff-and-hardwood terrain is ideal spring gobbler habitat and the population is robust. Spring turkey season runs six seven-day periods from mid-April through late May with a youth weekend preceding the regular opener; fall turkey hunting is also available. The Rush River system and other tributaries offer Class I and II trout fishing (brown and brook trout) and some hunting overlap in riparian zones. Waterfowl hunting along the Mississippi River and Lake Pepin can be very good for divers, puddle ducks, and Canada geese — the Mississippi Flyway funnels significant migration through the area in October and November. Ruffed grouse and woodcock are present in brushy second-growth areas along creek bottoms, though populations are not as dense as northern Wisconsin. Small game including pheasant (limited, mostly in ag areas) and fox/gray squirrel round out the opportunities. CWD was confirmed in Pierce County in 2024; baiting and feeding is banned. Deer carcass transport restrictions apply — hunters must comply with WDNR carcass movement rules when transporting deer out of the county.

Pierce County is genuine Driftless Area whitetail country — the same bluff-and-bottom terrain that made neighboring Buffalo County famous produces trophy-class bucks here with less hunting pressure and better public access. The county has recorded 41 Boone and Crockett entries since 1999, a strong benchmark for a county of its size. The Mississippi River and St. Croix corridors create natural funnels where deer move between bluff timber and agricultural fields, and the oak-dominated ridges provide reliable hard-mast years that concentrate deer predictably in October. For archery hunters, the rut (late October through mid-November) along bluff-edge funnels and creek-bottom pinch points is the premier opportunity — bucks are on their feet in daylight and the pressure has not yet spiked for gun season. Public-land hunters should prioritize the VPA parcels and MFL ground well before gun opener; the Pierce County Islands WMA is underutilized by deer hunters focused on the uplands and can be productive for river-bottom does during the late antlerless seasons. Non-residents benefit from the generous farmland antlerless tag structure — two free does included with the license plus affordable bonus tags make this an economical trip for out-of-state hunters. The Twin Cities metro location (Prescott sits about 30 miles from St. Paul) means the county is accessible for weekend hunts, but it also means increased competition for the best spots. Hunting Monday through Thursday during gun week dramatically reduces encounters with other hunters. Spring turkey hunting here is a hidden gem — the gobbler population on private bluff-country farms rivals any county in western Wisconsin.