# HORICON MARSH, WI...has anyone here actually hunted it?



## Waterfowlerguy (Mar 4, 2004)

I am just curious if anyone here has actually hunted Horicon Marsh in WI. I have read it is the largest freshwater cattail marsh and it is listed as an international wetland of importance but neither of those things tell me much. If anyone here has hunted it I would like to hear about it.
If so post or PM me I would like to know about your experience.


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## Dan Bueide (Jul 1, 2002)

During my two sentence in Milwaukee, I hunted Horicon about 4-5 times. As I recall, the Marsh itself was a refuge or rest area - in any event off limits. Some guys would lease fields around the area, but the bulk of the "hunting" was pass shooting by daily blind/pit rental just outside the refuge boundary. No dekes, just a designated firing location. The farmers typically charged $10-20 per day.

Good Lord would the steel fly as the birds left to feed. It was a sky-busting convention. It's been about 12 years, but I seem to recall the state or Fed guys would actually fly low over the marsh in a plane to roust the geese.

Take what you can get, I guess, but wasn't really much fun. There may have been some decent decoying well away from the marsh. The marsh did hold a pile of geese, though.


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## Matt Jones (Mar 6, 2002)

I believe Horicon is about 30,000 acres...about 20,000 is owned by the feds and 10,000 is owned by the state. The state part is open to hunting, and can have some good duck hunting. The marsh is one of the largest staging areas for MVP geese and the state is very restrictive on the taking of geese around Horicon for this reason, because they are only allowed a certain quota for MVP's...and they haven't fared that well in recent times. Last year hunters who applied for the Horicon goose zone were given 6 tags I believe (which was the highest amount in years). All geese shot must be tagged and called in. With a bad nesting season for MVP's this year the quota is going to be dropped on them significantly and you'll see fewer tags given out for the Horicon zone.


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## gonegoosey (Jul 2, 2004)

Waterfowl U.S.A. holds a hunt there. go to the waterfowl U.S.A. web sight and they have info on Horocon.


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## rr504 (Jul 29, 2004)

Well, being a CheeseHead, I know just a little about Horicon.

Great goose staging area and you can get some decent duck action too, just don't try it on weekends. They have valet parking for the boats in some places 

The talk here is the Horicon permit holders will be getting 2 tags this year. If you select a Horicon tag, you can not hunt geese anywhere else in the state, which makes no sense at all.

I took tags a couple years ago, because its generally a sure thing. I stick with the exterior zone now, hunt whenever you want, just your regular daily and possession limits.

Russ


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## Guest (Jul 30, 2004)

Yeah, but you still have to call in and report all of the geese you shoot in a day in the exterior zones. Question is, what's our later season gonna be like if we can shoot 5 a day early???? I'd rather have the season last a little longer.


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