Feeding deer in Wisconsin is banned in any county touched by chronic wasting disease (CWD) or bovine tuberculosis, and even where it’s still legal you’re limited to 2 gallons of non-animal material placed close to a home or, during hunting season, spaced out under strict acreage rules. Statute 29.336 sets the framework, and the list of banned counties changes as new cases are confirmed.
Where Feeding Is Banned
Under Statute 29.336(2), the DNR must ban all deer feeding, whether for hunting or for backyard viewing, in three categories of counties: any county that contains a CWD control zone, any county where a positive CWD or bovine TB test has been confirmed in any animal after December 31, 1997, and any county within a 10-mile radius of a confirmed positive location.1Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Code 29 – Wild Animals and Plants – 29.336 Feeding Deer
The map shifts. Bans triggered by a single positive test can be lifted after a set period without new cases, and new detections pull new counties in. The only reliable way to know whether feeding is currently legal where you live is to check the DNR’s baiting and feeding regulations page before you place anything on the ground.2Wisconsin DNR. Baiting and Feeding Regulations
Rules for Feeding Deer to Watch Them
If your county isn’t under a ban, you can put out feed for viewing, but Statute 29.336(3) requires all four of these conditions at once:1Wisconsin State Legislature. Wisconsin Code 29 – Wild Animals and Plants – 29.336 Feeding Deer
- The feeding site must be within 50 yards of an owner-occupied home or a business generally open to the public.
- It must be at least 100 yards from any road with a posted speed limit of 45 mph or higher.
- No more than 2 gallons of material can be at the site at any time.
- The feed cannot contain animal parts or animal byproducts.
The 50-yard rule catches most people. A feeder at the back edge of a large lot won’t qualify if it sits farther than 50 yards from the house.
Rules for Baiting During Hunting Season
In non-ban counties during an open deer season, Statute 29.336(4) and NR 10.07 allow baiting under these limits:3Wisconsin State Legislature. NR 10.07 – Wisconsin Administrative Code
- No more than 2 gallons of material at any feeding site.
- Feeding sites must be at least 100 yards apart.
- No more than 2 gallons total across any 40-acre area.
- No animal parts or animal byproducts in the material.
Hunting bait doesn’t have the dwelling-distance rule that viewing feed does, but the spacing and acreage caps are tighter. Two gallons per 40 acres is the ceiling regardless of how many potential sites you own.
What Counts as Feed
Statute 29.336(1) defines feeding deer as placing any material to feed or attract deer in the wild. That sweeps in corn, grain, fruit, vegetables, commercial deer feed, salt blocks, and mineral licks. Whatever the material, it cannot contain animal parts or animal byproducts.
Food Plots
Standing crops planted and left as wildlife food plots are not “feeding” under Wisconsin regulations, and neither is material from natural vegetation or normal agricultural or gardening activity. You can hunt over a standing food plot statewide. The line moves the moment you manipulate the crop. Mow it, shred it, disc it, or knock it down to scatter grain, and it becomes bait subject to all the volume and spacing rules above.
Bird Feeders
Bird and small-mammal feeders remain legal even in CWD ban counties, but only if they sit within 50 yards of a dwelling and are built or placed so deer can’t reach them.4Wisconsin DNR. Help Maintain a Healthy Herd: Avoid Baiting and Feeding Deer A ground-level platform feeder in a ban county invites a warden visit. Elevated feeders with baffles or enclosed tube feeders are safer. If deer are regularly cleaning up spillage beneath your feeder, enforcement can still follow regardless of intent.
Local Ordinances and HOA Rules
Cities and towns can add restrictions on top of state law, and many urban and suburban areas ban wildlife feeding outright to cut down on property damage, vehicle collisions, and nuisance calls. The DNR tells hunters to check local ordinances before placing bait or feed.2Wisconsin DNR. Baiting and Feeding Regulations
Homeowners’ associations can restrict feeding on private property too. If the CC&Rs prohibit wildlife feeding or treat it as a nuisance, the board can enforce that on its own. You won’t get a state citation from an HOA rule, but you can face fines or legal action from the association.
Penalties
Fines come from the DNR bond schedule and scale with the volume involved:5Wisconsin Courts. DNR Deposit/Bail/Bond Schedule
- Unauthorized feeding (NR 19.60) or baiting under 5 gallons: $343.50 total, including a $100 base forfeiture plus court costs and surcharges.
- Baiting with 5 to 25 gallons: $544.50 total.
- Baiting with more than 25 gallons: $745.50 total.
Repeat offenses or large-scale operations can be charged under the general wildlife penalty provisions of Statute 29.971, which allows forfeitures up to $1,000.
A citation can also cost you hunting privileges. Wisconsin belongs to the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact, so a license suspension here is honored in every other member state as if the violation happened there.6Wisconsin DNR. Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact One baiting ticket in a Wisconsin county can shut you out of hunting across the country.
Reporting and Contesting Citations
Conservation wardens investigate complaints, and anyone can report suspected illegal feeding to the DNR hotline at 1-800-847-9367 by call or text, or online. Tips can be anonymous, and the identity of a named reporter is protected by statute.7Wisconsin DNR. Report a Violation
If you’re cited, you can pay the forfeiture or request a hearing in circuit court. Contesting is worth considering if your feeding fit within a legal exception or if a county ban had expired before the date on your ticket.