It’s not hard to spot a deer in Wisconsin – these wild creatures can be seen in any of the state’s rural areas, and even many of the our largest cities, too. But if you want to view some deer really close up, see deer from around the world, and learn about all aspects of a deer’s life cycle, head to a unique park in Wisconsin Dells. The Wisconsin Deer Park offers a one-of-a-kind wild experience that appeals to animal lovers of all ages. Here’s what you need to know about this unique animal park.

The Wisconsin Deer Park has been around for a long time. It was founded back in 1952 by Russ Tollaksen, who wanted to show off deer and other forest animals in their natural habitat.

He built the park and managed the property until 1976. It remains a family business - Tollaksen’s son Peter owns the park and his grandson Aaron runs the operation.

The park is near all of the major hotels, resorts, and attractions in Wisconsin Dells, a center of state tourism. It’s just south of town on Highway 12.

There’s a lot to discover in the park. It sprawls across 40 acres and visitors take a four-block stroll that introduces them to some creatures they won’t forget.

The parks holds more than 100 deer and many are very different from ones you’ll see roaming Wisconsin – they come from seven different counties. Visitors can walk through the park’s animal exhibits to feed, pet, and photograph the animals.

There’s a lot to see in the park, including game birds, horses, llamas, emus, goats, lemurs, and more. But the deer are the stars here.

This animal park encourages people to visit in different seasons to they can see all the changes that the deer in Wisconsin go through -  it’s open from April-October. See more information about this unique park at the Wisconsin Deer Park website. Once you’ve fed the deer and filled up your phone with cute photos, here are some more awesome places to see wildlife up close in Wisconsin.