Waukesha County Land Conservancy

Q: How many properties are open for hunting?

A: We have two properties that are in our deer hunting lottery which require a Waukesha County Land Conservancy permit, and a few more that are open to the public which do not require a permit from Waukesha County Land Conservancy. Please see the links above for more information.

Q: When do new hunting lottery applications get posted on the WCLC website?

A: Applications will be posted annually, early to mid-April, with applications being due August 1st of each year.

Q: When will permits be awarded?

A: Late August. Permit winners will be alerted via email or paper mail (if we do not have their email address) as soon as possible after the application closing date.

Q: How are permits pulled in the hunting lottery? Can you explain the process?

A: All names are put into a bowl for each prospective property, and staff blindly pull names from the bowl. Hunters with buddies have twice the chance to be pulled for the property. If a hunter with a buddy is chosen, that buddy is also awarded a permit.

Q: How many permits are pulled for each of the two properties?

Q: Explain the hunting regulations at Ottawa Wildlife Refuge.

A: The northern parcel is regulated by the hunting lottery, and only 16 permits are allowed annually. The center parcel is prohibited to hunt due to a deed restriction. The southernmost parcel is open to hunting and does not require a permit. We ask that you only hunt this parcel if you have access to GPS equipment and are sure you will not trespass on neighboring land. We also ask that you send your contact information to Waukesha County Land Conservancy if you choose to hunt this parcel so we can send out our Hunter Surveys at the end of the season to better understand harvests.

Q: Can you provide location information for each preserve?

A: Please see the open hunting preserves page and the deer hunting lottery page for maps. Each map will have a “nearby address” and a “tax parcel ID” that you can use to get you to the preserve.

Q: Do I purchase “private” or “public” hunting tags to hunt your preserves?

A: “Private”. Although our preserves are open to the public, we are considered a private landowner by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Q: I see your properties are “Earn-a-Buck”. How should I inform you that I’ve shot a doe?

A: At this time, our hunting program is on the honor system. We do not require you to submit information to prove you’ve shot a doe before a buck. However, we would like everyone to follow the rules and submit harvest information at the end of the season.

Q: Can I hunt species other than deer on Waukesha County Land Conservancy preserves?

A: Waukesha County Land Conservancy only allows the hunting and trapping of species other than deer on the “open” preserves. Please see the links on our open hunting preserves page for more information.

Have a question not listed here or on any of our other hunting pages? 

Send us an email so we can answer your question and add it to our list!