DMU Richland, Wisconsin

Richland County is entirely within Wisconsin''s Driftless Area, a region untouched by glaciation that left behind a dramatic landscape of steep, wooded ridges, deep coulees, and narrow valley floors. Elevations range roughly from 650 feet along the Wisconsin River bottomlands to over 1,200 feet on the upland ridgetops, a relief of 500 feet or more that creates natural terrain funnels ideal for whitetail movement. The ridge tops and south-facing slopes support oak-hickory woodlands interspersed with switchgrass and brushy edges, while the valley floors hold a patchwork of row crops (corn and soybeans), hay fields, and creek-bottom hardwoods. The Lower Wisconsin River forms the county''s southern boundary, contributing floodplain forest, marsh, and oxbow wetlands. Tributaries like Knapp Creek and Bear Creek dissect the county, providing year-round water and dense riparian cover. Overall forest cover is estimated at roughly 40-45% of the county, with agriculture accounting for most of the remaining ground.

Hunting pressure in Richland County is moderate overall but skewed heavily toward private land. The county''s reputation as one of Wisconsin''s premier trophy whitetail destinations draws out-of-county and out-of-state hunters, particularly bowhunters seeking Driftless Area bucks during October and November. Gun deer season (the nine-day season in late November) sees the highest pressure, with orange-clad hunters filling the ridges on opening weekend. Public lands within the county receive noticeable pressure during gun season given the limited total acreage; solitude is easier to find mid-week or during the muzzleloader season. Bowhunters willing to put in scouting time on the public State Riverway units can find less-pressured spots in the steeper terrain away from road access. Overall, Richland County is not as crowded as the more famous Buffalo County to the north, but it is well-known enough that serious hunters plan access well in advance.

Richland County falls within the Southern Farmland Zone as DMU 120. Deer management unit boundaries mirror county lines in this zone. Each deer hunting license includes a base antlerless harvest authorization for the Farmland Zone, with the exact number of authorizations included per license (typically one to five) determined annually by the local Citizen Deer Advisory Council (CDAC) and published each fall by WDNR. For 2025, bonus antlerless harvest authorizations for Richland were available for purchase beginning August 19, 2025, at $12 for residents and $20 for non-residents, with 500 public land and approximately 1,800-2,000 private land bonus tags available. There is no draw requirement for antlerless tags in this farmland DMU -- tags are over-the-counter and sold on a first-come basis until quota is met. Any-deer (antlered or antlerless) hunting is legal with valid authorizations; a standard license covers one antlered buck. Wisconsin eliminated the Earn-a-Buck requirement years ago and it is not in effect here. CWD-positive deer may not be transported whole out of the county; carcass transport restrictions apply.

White-tailed deer are the primary target. Archery and crossbow season runs September 13 through January 4 (2025-2026 season dates). The nine-day gun deer season runs November 22-30. Muzzleloader season follows December 1-10. A statewide antlerless-only gun hunt runs December 11-14, and an antlerless-only holiday hunt runs December 24 through January 1 in eligible Farmland Zone units. Wild turkey hunting is available in both spring (April-May, zone-based draw) and fall (September 13 through November 21 in the open zone, with potential extension into early January in some farmland zones); Richland County falls in a productive turkey zone with good flock numbers in the oak ridges. Ruffed grouse season in Zone A runs September 13 through January 5 -- the Driftless Area''s brushy edges and alder runs hold decent grouse numbers though populations fluctuate on the 10-year cycle. Woodcock follow a similar season window and share the same thick lowland cover. Waterfowl hunting on the Lower Wisconsin River and its backwaters can be productive for ducks and Canada geese during fall migration, with the Southern Zone season typically running mid-September through early December with a late split. Bear are present but hunting in this part of the state is zone-based with a draw; Richland County is not a primary bear destination. CWD has been confirmed at a 33% prevalence rate in Richland County as of recent testing -- mandatory harvest registration by 5 p.m. the day after kill and carcass movement restrictions are in effect.

Richland County''s single biggest draw is trophy whitetail potential rooted in the Driftless Area''s iconic terrain. The steep ridges, deep coulees, and hard-edge transitions between ag fields and oak timber create natural travel corridors and pinch points that concentrate mature bucks, especially during the October and November rut. Properties and public tracts along the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway offer river-bottom hunting with big-timber bedding cover rarely found elsewhere in the region. The county consistently produces mature 3.5- and 4.5-year-old bucks for hunters willing to pass younger deer, and Boone and Crockett class whitetails have been taken here. Access tip: the Knapp Creek Unit of the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway (5,001 acres east of Boscobel) is the largest contiguous public block and receives less pressure than smaller tracts -- focus on interior saddles and creek crossings well away from parking areas. Bowhunting in October before gun season pressure builds is considered the premier experience. The main caveat is CWD: with a roughly 33% positive rate, hunters should submit harvested deer for testing and follow state carcass transport rules. Despite the CWD concern, the overall deer density and age structure in Richland County remains among the best in Wisconsin.