Checking the clock before you head into the Wisconsin woods isn't just about being a rule-follower. It’s about safety, ethics, and honestly, staying out of trouble with the DNR. If you are looking for shooting hours Wisconsin today, specifically for Sunday, January 18, 2026, you've got to understand how the state's zone system actually works.
It isn't a one-size-fits-all time for the whole state. Basically, if you are sitting in a stand near Sheboygan, your legal light ends minutes before someone hunting over in La Crosse.
The Numbers for Sunday, January 18, 2026
For most big game and small game currently in season, the rule is 30 minutes before sunrise to 20 minutes after sunset.
In the Southern Area (Zone A, using Sheboygan as the base), sunrise is at 7:16 a.m. and sunset is at 4:43 p.m. This means your legal shooting window opens at 6:46 a.m. and closes at 5:03 p.m. Heading north? If you're up near Rhinelander or the Powers, Michigan base area, sunrise is roughly 7:32 a.m. and sunset is 4:44 p.m. That puts the northern "base" hours from 7:02 a.m. to 5:04 p.m. But wait. You probably aren't standing exactly on the Lake Michigan shoreline. As you move west across the state, you have to add minutes to these base times. It's a calculation that trips up a lot of folks.
How the Zone Adjustments Actually Work
Wisconsin is sliced into six longitudinal zones (A through F). For every zone you move west, you add four minutes to the clock.
- Zone B: Add 4 minutes.
- Zone C: Add 8 minutes.
- Zone D: Add 12 minutes.
- Zone E: Add 16 minutes.
- Zone F: Add 20 minutes.
So, if you are hunting in Hudson (Zone F), you’re looking at a full 20-minute delay compared to the lakefront. That extra 20 minutes of light in the evening is a godsend when you're waiting for a late-moving coyote or a rabbit, but don't jump the gun in the morning.
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What Can You Actually Hunt Today?
It's mid-January. The orange army from the November gun season is long gone. But the woods aren't empty.
Right now, the Archery and Crossbow deer season is still live in select areas. While the statewide season wrapped up on January 4th, many "Metro" subunits and specific Farmland counties stay open through January 31, 2026. This is the "late-late" season. It's cold. The deer are yarding up. If you're in one of these extended zones, you're still following that 30-before/20-after rule.
Small game is the big draw right now. Cottontail rabbit and Squirrel (Gray and Fox) seasons are wide open. They run all the way until February 28th.
Ruffed grouse hunters in Zone A are also still in the game until the end of today, January 18th. This is actually the closing day for Grouse in the northern zone. If you're out there today, make it count.
The Coyote Exception
Now, let's talk about the rule-breaker: the coyote.
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Coyote hunting in Wisconsin is basically a free-for-all when it comes to the clock. It is open year-round, and there are no restricted shooting hours. You can hunt them at night.
However—and this is a big "however"—if you are hunting during an open deer season with a firearm, or if you are using a bow/crossbow during the archery season, you still have to stick to the standard hunting hours. Since the extended archery season is currently active in many counties, most hunters will still find themselves bound by the sunrise/sunset tables to avoid any "shining" or illegal night hunting citations.
Real-World Nuance: Why "Legal" Light Isn't Always "Good" Light
I’ve spent plenty of mornings in a Clark County blind where the clock said I was legal, but the heavy hemlock canopy and a thick cloud deck meant I couldn't see my pins, let alone a target.
Legal shooting hours are a hard limit, not a suggestion. But ethical shooting is about your own eyes. Just because the table says you can shoot at 6:54 a.m. doesn't mean you should if you can't clearly identify what’s in your sights.
The Wisconsin DNR is pretty strict about this. Every year, someone gets a ticket for shooting five minutes late because they thought the "glow" on the horizon counted as light. It doesn't.
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Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Trusting your phone's weather app: Most apps give you sunrise/sunset for your exact GPS location. That's great, but the DNR regulations are based on specific base cities (Sheboygan and Powers). Always use the official DNR pamphlet math to be 100% safe.
- Forgetting the weapon type: If you’re hunting migratory birds (though most are gone by mid-January), the closing time is exactly at sunset, NOT 20 minutes after.
- The "Pheasant 9 a.m." Trap: While it doesn't apply today (late season), many people forget that on opening days, pheasant hunting doesn't start until 9:00 a.m. Always check for species-specific openers.
Actionable Steps for Your Hunt Today
First, pull up a map and find your zone. If you are in the Wausau area, you're likely in Zone C—add 8 minutes to the base time.
Second, check if you are in an Extended Archery county. If you're not in a Metro unit or a designated Farmland county, deer season is closed for you, and you should be focused on small game or predators.
Third, verify your target. Since Ruffed Grouse (Zone A) and several other seasons are hitting their final days or have recently closed, make sure your specific county hasn't had an early shutdown due to local quotas.
Finally, keep a printed or downloaded copy of the Wisconsin shooting hours table on your phone. Cell service in the coulees or the big woods of the north can be spotty at best. Knowing exactly when to pack it in ensures you stay on the right side of the law and the wardens.
Pack the hand warmers. It’s a cold one out there today. Check the ice thickness if you're crossing any creeks, and make sure that watch is synced to the official time. Good luck.