Moving to Wisconsin

[Brantley]

I'm being assigned to Ft McCoy, Wisconsin. Just wondering if anyone on here had hunted that area, and I was curious as to how the turkey hunting goes up there. Good numbers, lots of hunters, etc.

[dejake]

Thank you for your service.

[bbcoach]

First let me say THANK YOU for giving of yourself and your family to ensure we continue to have the right to hunt and have the freedoms that so many take for granted.  I hunted around Millston this past spring and had a GREAT time.  Not sure how Fort McCoy's regs are but Wisconsin has a draw system.  You have to put in for your spring and fall hunting turkey permits well in advance, so check their deadlines.  The draw is for one week, broken into 5 weeks and is by zones.  I would recommend checking the DNR website for this info.  There seems to be plenty of public land to hunt but you'll have to do your homework and then put some boots on the ground to locate some birds.  My friend and I drew the last week of the season and most of the breeding was over.  We did locate birds, called in several hens to within 5 yards but the gobblers were very stubborn.  They would gobble but they wanted you to come to them.  We did call one to about 75 yards but he wouldn't finish.  Good Luck with your new assignment and your hunting in Wisconsin.

[Brantley]

Thanks gentlemen for the support! I will definitely get ahead by putting in for the tags. Last question: you guys hunting easterns up there?

[Brantley]

Also, the birds roost over water down here. Do your birds prefer creeks, ridges?

[wisconsinteacher]

We have eastern birds that like to be over water at night from what I have learned.  As far as where you will be located, (zone 1) there will be tags left over for the last 3-4 seasons so if you draw season 1 or 2, you could buy more tags and hunt for a good month straight. (zone 1 did not sell out for the last week of the season this year). I am north of you a few hours and still hunted seasons 3-6 this spring.  Applications are due December 10th and are $3 for residents.  I don't know what your status will be so it might be a few dollars more. 

I hunted week 5 near your area and was able to get a nice bird.  The birds would gobble but had hens all over them and it made it hard but fun.

From what I have learned is that most land owners will apply for the first few weeks and will get tags as landowners.  From there guys will be excited about the fishing opener (first weekend in May) and will be busy fishing, farming or with kids playing ball and will not be hunting.  Lastly, they will not want to deal with the bugs so you stand a good chance getting on private land later in the year.

Good luck and thank you for your service to our nation.

[Halfski]

If you are in active service, you would get resident rates for turkey tags in Wisconsin ($10 per tag, and they are virtually unlimited in the unit surrounding  Fort McCoy - at least for the later time periods).  You probably shouldn't limit yourself to hunting Fort McCoy.  If you drive a little north you should have no problem getting permission to turkey hunt on private land.  There are a lot of turkeys in that area!  This year there were A LOT of jakes this year, so there should be a good population of 2-year olds next Spring.  Good luck!

[Greg Massey]

Don't know about hunting in Wisconsin ...But I want to THANK YOU for your service....I know Wisconsin is famous for corn and cheese...also its famous for mercury motors....

[West Augusta]

Send me some Cheese curds.  Dang I miss them.