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Hunt - Fish - Trap

Male pheasant in a corn field

Hunting, fishing, and trapping are allowed in the Kickapoo Valley Reserve, except for a 300-foot buffer area around buildings.  Please keep in mind that there are other users on the Reserve, such as hikers, bikers, and horseback riders.  

Beginning in September of 2021, the Kickapoo Valley Forest School (KVFS), a public charter of the La Farge School District, will be sited on the Kickapoo Valley Reserve.  There will be Kindergarten age students in and around the Visitor Center and grounds rounds daily.  In the 2022-2023 school year and beyond, 1st and 2nd grades will be added to KVFS. The Kickapoo Reserve Management Board policy will be NO firearms, dangerous weapons or hunting will be allowed within 1000 feet of the KVR Visitor Center or grounds. 

The Kickapoo Valley Reserve follows all regulations and rules as indicated by state laws. Consult Wisconsin 
Department of Natural Resources publications for these regulations. Hunting, trapping, and fishing licenses are not available at the Kickapoo Valley Reserve visitor center.

Parking:
All vehicles parked at river access sites; Landing 5, Landing 7, Landing 10, Landing 12, and Landing 14, must display a KVR day use, annual, camping, or vehicle parking permit. Those actively hunting, fishing, and trapping on the Reserve are exempt from day/annual use or parking permits; however, if a sportsman's vehicle is parked in one of the above listed canoe landings, KVR permit must be displayed. Camping on the Reserve requires the purchase of a camping permit.  Scouting is considered hiking and requires a KVR use permit.

What you need to know about hunting on the KVR:

Can I set up a trail camera on the KVR?
No, trail cameras are not allowed on the Kickapoo Valley Reserve.

Can I use a hunting blind or tree stand on the KVR?
Hunting blinds and tree stands are allowed on the Kickapoo Valley Reserve but must be removed at the end of each day.  

Do I need a day or annual use permit to hunt on the KVR?
Hunters, trappers and fishers are not required to have a KVR annual or day use permit as long as they are actively hunting, trapping or fishing.  If scouting, a use permit is required.  Anyone parking at a river access point is required to pay a $5 permit fee or display a current year annual permit.

Are there any restricted areas?

Yes, there are two sets of buildings on the KVR.  One is the Visitor Center, located a mile north of the Village of La Farge on State Hwy 131, and the other is the KVR Maintenance Building, located at the end of Corp Rd. There is a no hunting in a 300 ft. perimeter around both of these buildings.  In addition to the 300 ft perimeter, there is a 1000 ft school zone around the Visitor Center.  

Map of School Zone

 

 

 
 
Popular Activities include:

Hunting: 
White-tailed deer: The Reserve is available for archery and gun seasons. Tree stands are allowed, provided they do not use screw pegs and are removed by the end of each day. The Reserve has relatively low pressure for archery season but has extensive use for rifle season, especially opening weekend.

Turkey: Turkey populations are very abundant on the Reserve. The Reserve is open for spring and fall seasons.

Pheasant: The Kickapoo Valley Reserve is a pheasant release zone. Birds are released near open areas throughout the entire Reserve.  Pheasant tags are not required on the KVR. Consult Wisconsin DNR Small Game Hunting Regulations for details.

Small Game:  The Reserve contains numerous small game opportunities.

Trapping:
The Reserve offers trapping opportunities for muskrat, beaver, and other mammals.

Fishing:
Trout fishing in Weister, Warner, and Billings Creeks has become more popular due to stream restoration efforts and improvement in water quality. The Kickapoo River is also known to have its share of anglers. Please consult Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources guidebooks for regulations.

 

The Kickapoo Reserve Management Board acknowledges that the state and federal lands that comprise the Reserve fall within the ancestral homelands of First Nations people including the Hooçak Nation. We recognize the sovereignty of the Hooçak and other First Nations and will work towards a shared future by continuing to create collaborative opportunities to protect and preserve these lands.

Kickapoo Valley Reserve | S3661 State Highway 131 | La Farge, Wisconsin 54639 
Phone: 608-625-2960 | FAX: 608-625-2962
kickapoo.reserve@krm.state.wi.us

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