Wisconsin Turkey Zone Information & Maps

View In-Depth Information and Detailed Maps for Each of Wisconsin’s Turkey Zones on the onX Hunt Mobile and Web Apps

It’s no secret that Wisconsin offers excellent turkey hunting opportunities throughout the state. As a resident or non-resident, Wisconsin offers affordable tags and tons of opportunity to have exceptional turkey hunting.

Wisconsin is broken up into seven different zones throughout the state, as well as six different seven-day periods that comprise the overall spring turkey season. Each tag issued is only valid for one seven-day period within the overarching season. Because of this, Wisconsin offers hunters the chance to purchase numerous turkey licenses each spring.

The application deadline is in December every year and gives you the opportunity to denote which region and seven-day period you most desire to hunt. If you want to hunt the early portions of the spring, submitting an application is paramount. Depending on the number of applicants, come the middle of March, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) opens up bonus harvest authorizations for each individual zone and seven-day hunt period. Typically, these leftover tags are available for the last few seven-day hunt periods of the spring. Here, we give a breakdown on what to expect in each of the seven Wisconsin turkey zones.

Detailed Information on Wisconsin Turkey Zones

Wisconsin Turkey Hunt Zone 1

Zone 1 encompasses the entire southwest portion of Wisconsin. According to the Wisconsin DNR, in 2021 for the third  year in a row, Zone 1 saw the highest number of harvest authorizations, or tags issued, with just over 61,000, slightly down from 2020. Zone 1 saw the third highest number of birds harvested at 8,964 — a success rate of 14.7%.

This region is comprised of amazing turkey country. Much of the region, known as Wisconsin’s “Driftless Area,” is along the Mississippi River, the state’s western border. As a result, many rivers and creeks dissect the region creating rich habitat. Much of Zone 1 is heavy in agriculture on the tops and bottoms of the area’s very hilly to bluffy terrain. Many deep draws, coulees, and wooded ridges provide great roosting and timber habitat, while the rich agriculture provides ample food for birds throughout the area.

See What’s Happening in Wisconsin Turkey Hunt Zone 1

Wisconsin Turkey Hunt Zone 2

Zone 2 comprises the southeast portion of the state and, much like Zone 1, has no shortage of turkeys. With the Wisconsin DNR reporting 51,022 licenses sold in this zone and 9,302 birds harvested. This gave Zone 2 a 18.2% success rate, down three percent from 2020. 

Zone 2 has far less variable terrain than Zone 1 and is largely agricultural with blocks of timber and marshy vegetation mixed in. Birds in this region are highly visible due to the relatively flat terrain—putting in a day of scouting through the windshield can be highly advantageous.

Wisconsin Turkey Hunt Zone 3

Arguments could be made for Zone 1, 2, or 3 as being Wisconsin’s premier turkey zone. This past spring (2021), the Wisconsin DNR reported that Zone 3 saw the highest harvest success rate at 18.8% with just over 52,000 harvest authorizations sold and 9,847 birds reported. Located in the center of the state, Zone 3 is a great place to pick up an extra tag and, for most Wisconsin residents, is just a short drive away.

The terrain in Zone 3 is very similar to that in Zone 2. Expansive agriculture with blocks of timber throughout that start to become more expansive as you get further north in the zone. Much like Zone 2, a day spent covering ground in your vehicle can prove advantageous as the generally flat terrain with open crop fields keeps turkeys visible.

See What’s Happening in Wisconsin Turkey Hunt Zone 3

Wisconsin Turkey Hunt Zone 4

Zone 4 lies in the north-central region of Wisconsin and extends to the state’s western border. Hunter numbers for these northern zones drop off drastically starting in Zone 4. Like each region throughout the state, 2021 saw a slight decline in hunters in the spring woods in Zone 4 than in 2020. The Wisconsin DNR reported that 34,115 turkey harvest authorizations were sold last spring, over 17,000 fewer than Zones 1, 2, and 3. Just shy of 5,800 birds were harvested in 2021, producing a harvest success rate of 17%. With significantly fewer hunters than the more premier southern turkey zones but still excellent bird numbers, Zone 4 is a great option for hunters seeking a little solitude.

The landscape in Zone 4 begins to transition from largely agricultural to large swaths of unbroken timber. As you move west in the zone, you will also find more variable terrain as you get closer to the St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers where deep ravines and bluffs become present.

See What’s Happening in Wisconsin Turkey Hunt Zone 4

Wisconsin Turkey Hunt Zone 5

Zone 5 lies in the northeast corner of the state and borders Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Zones 5, 6, and 7 see a huge drop off in total hunter numbers as these three zones that make up the northernmost parts of Wisconsin are certainly not traditional “turkey country.” The Wisconsin DNR reported that Zone 5 saw 11,999 harvest authorizations sold and 1,854 birds harvested. Though the number of harvest authorizations has remained largely unchanged for the past three seasons the harvest success rate in Zone 5 fell a few percentage points from 18.2% in 2020 to 15.5% in 2021.

Zone 5 consists largely of expansive swaths of timber with scattered areas of agriculture. Given this, Zone 5 has expansive chunks of public ground that may not look like traditional turkey habitat but certainly hold birds. Putting boots on the ground and using your ears to find turkeys will be key to getting on birds in this zone.

See What’s Happening in Wisconsin Turkey Hunt Zone 5

Wisconsin Turkey Hunt Zone 6

Wisconsin’s Zone 6 once again sold out of harvest authorizations again in 2021. Of the 5,400 harvest authorizations distributed, 909 of those were filled, rounding off the success rate at 16.9%, almost 5% lower than in 2020.

Zone 6 stretches north to the southern edge of Lake Superior. This area is widely known for its rich tradition of Wisconsin’s Gun Deer season. Large expanses of hardwoods make this zone rather difficult for hunters who are not familiar with the area. Turkeys will not be very visible given the landscape, and hunters are going to have to work hard to get on birds.

See What’s Happening in Wisconsin Turkey Hunt Zone 6

Wisconsin Turkey Hunt Zone 7

Zone 7 forms much of Wisconsin’s border with Michigan’s Upper Peninsula in the north-central part of the state. With the Wisconsin DNR reporting 4,400 spring turkey harvest authorizations available, all but 4 were accounted for once again in 2021. Only 511 birds were reported harvested, giving Zone 7 the lowest harvest success rate at 11.6%.

Just like Zone 6, Zone 7 will be a difficult turkey hunt if you are not familiar with the area as birds are just plain tough to find since the zone is composed almost entirely of expansive timber. Focusing on public and private edges will likely be one of the best tactics, as much of the food turkeys depend on will be found on private lands. If you are looking for a challenging turkey hunt in non-traditional turkey country, this would be a great place to check out.

See What’s Happening in Wisconsin Turkey Hunt Zone 7

How To View Wisconsin Turkey Hunting Zones in the onX Hunt App

Thinking of taking to the Wisconsin Turkey woods this spring? From e-scouting on our Web Map and downloading Offline Maps at home to navigating boundary lines and knocking on doors for permission, onX Hunt has you covered every step of the way.

On the Web

Using Web Map to e-scout is one of the most underutilized features of onX Hunt. The importance of preparing in advance for upcoming hunts cannot be overstated, and onX Hunt makes it easy. If you’re on a desktop or laptop computer and have an account with onX, click here to login. If you don’t have an account or are unsure, click here to start a free trial. Once logged in, click “Map Layers” toward the top left corner of your screen. If Wisconsin is not already under your “My Layers” tab, simply click “Layer Library” and add all of Wisconsin’s layers. From there, find “WI Hunt Zones” and click the small subheading, “Layer Settings.” Scroll down until you see “Turkey,” click it so it becomes highlighted in lime green and you will then see the boundaries of each of Wisconsin’s seven turkey zones.

In the onX Hunt App

If you’re on a mobile device and don’t have the onX Hunt App, click the bright red “Get the App” button upper right hand of your screen. After you’ve downloaded the onX Hunt App from the App Store or Google Play, turn on Wisconsin Turkey Zones by opening the Hunt App, then tap “Map Layers” in the bottom-left corner. If Wisconsin does not appear under your “My Layers” tab, simply tap “Layer Library” and add all of Wisconsin’s layers.

Now, back under My Layers, tap on Wisconsin to open all of Wisconsin’s layers, locate “WI Hunt Zones” and tap the subheading “Layer Settings,” then tap “Turkey.” You will now see the seven WI Turkey Zones highlighted throughout the state.

Conclusion

Wisconsin is without question one of the premier turkey hunting states in the Midwest and could be argued as a top state in the country. With generous allocations of spring licenses, reasonable season splits and plenty of longbeards, the time is now to hunt a Wisconsin Eastern.

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