Pheasant season now open

Pheasant season now open

The Wisconsin DNR reminds hunters and the general public that the 2026 pheasant season opened the morning of Oct. 17. It runs through Sunday, Jan. 3, 2027, and carries a bag limit of two roosters per day for the remainder of the season.

Pre-stocking efforts began the week of Oct. 12 to ensure birds are on the landscape for the season opener. The DNR plans to stock approximately 65,000 pheasants from the state game farm on 82 properties statewide. Stocking for the 2026 pheasant season will end on Nov. 19. This is earlier than in years past and is a necessary cost-saving measure due to budget shortfalls.

Several pheasant hunting properties close at noon on weekdays beginning Oct. 19 through Nov. 3. Hunters are encouraged to double-check the legal shooting hours on the properties they intend to hunt in the online hunting regulations.

The Richard Bong State Recreation Area, which supports a managed pheasant hunt and releases pheasants daily, will be the only property that will stock pheasants the week of Nov. 30. Daily pheasant hunting permits are required. More information can be found on the Richard Bong hunting website.

Hunters are reminded to double-check the DNR’s Pheasant Stocking Information webpage for a list of the properties that will be stocked with pheasants this fall. Some properties that were stocked last year are not being stocked this year, and some new properties were added to the list as well. Select the county you intend to hunt in to see which properties in that county will be stocked.