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Wildlife area, the Northwoods
Potato Creek Wildlife Area hunting notes
941 acres of wildlife area in Rusk County, with 2026-27 zones, quotas, rules, CWD testing and a map.
Photo: aarongunnar (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Potato Creek Wildlife Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Potato Creek Wildlife Area
- Parking areaParking · 1.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 1.4 mi from the centreDirections
Parking, trailhead and gate locations come from OpenStreetMap contributors. Roads into public land can be gated or seasonal; check with the managing agency before you go.
Potato Creek Wildlife Area, by its record
Count Potato Creek Wildlife Area among the state wildlife areas of Rusk County. It falls in the DNR Northern Region, the Northwoods. The Wisconsin DNR manages the land. By size (941 acres) it is number 123 among 285 state wildlife areas on our list. Head southwest from Bruce for about 10 miles.
From the source page (WI DNR Managed Lands GIS ACRES field, sum of parcels open to hunting); region from the DNR county layer. Checked October 19, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Potato Creek Wildlife Area
Zone lines at Potato Creek Wildlife Area
Deer rules follow the Northern Forest zone and DMU 110. For 2026 the antlerless quota stands at 1,765. In Bear Zone D the DNR drew 3,855 permits for a target of 1,100 bears; drawn hunters needed 2 points. Turkey Zone 4: 34,997 spring authorizations in 2025 and 24% hunter success. No ban in Rusk County: deer bait up to 2 gallons per 40 acres.
Potato Creek Wildlife Area deer management units
| DMU | Zone | 2026 antlerless | Public bonus | Private bonus | Free per license |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 110 | Northern Forest | 1,765 | 421 | 6,419 | — |
Bear, turkey, grouse and waterfowl lines through Potato Creek Wildlife Area
| Zone | Setting | Data | Also | Last season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear D | Hound hunting | 1,100 target, 3,855 permits | 2 points | 931 bears in 2025 |
| Turkey 4 | 34,997 spring tags (2025) | 24% success | 8,472 gobblers | 1,500 fall bonus |
| Grouse A | Sep 12–Jan 3 | 5 a day | ||
| Ducks | Northern | Sep 26–Nov 24 | ||
| Canada geese | Northern | Sep 16–Dec 16 | ||
| Wolf zone 3 | Closed | Federal protection |
Zones from the DNR zone layers as recorded in lands.json; quotas and bonus tags from the 2026 antlerless quota table; bear figures from the 2026 bear drawing summary and 2025 bear harvest; turkey from the 2025 spring turkey report; CWD and baiting lists from the DNR. Checked October 19, 2026.
Hunting Potato Creek Wildlife Area within the rules
Who may hunt Potato Creek Wildlife Area
It works like other DNR wildlife ground: statewide seasons, regular licenses, posted closures and NR 45 property rules.
Statewide rules that reach Potato Creek Wildlife Area
Wisconsin asks for 50% blaze orange or fluorescent pink above the waist in firearm deer seasons, archers included, waterfowlers not. Ground blinds on DNR land in a firearm deer season show at least 144 square inches of solid orange or pink, visible from all sides. Unattended stands carry your name or customer ID; they may be left out north of State Hwy. 64 (up to two per county), never south of it. Registration through GameReg closes at 5 p.m. on the day after recovery.
Potato Creek Wildlife Area license list
Residents often take the Conservation Patron, which bundles the hunting licenses. Antlerless tags on public land must be public-access tags.
Access from the source page; closures from the DNR closed and restricted areas layer; stocking and dove fields from the DNR upland bird layers; rules from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 regulations; prices from Go Wild. Checked October 19, 2026.
Potato Creek Wildlife Area: the game on record
The source names whitetails, black bears, wild turkeys, ducks and geese, squirrels, cottontails and hares and raccoons, foxes and coyotes for Potato Creek Wildlife Area.
White-tailed deer
Black bear
Wild turkey
Ducks and geese
Small game
Furbearers
Every other open season that reaches Rusk County applies too, within the property rules.
Species from the property record (species named by the source); bag limits from the DNR regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Potato Creek Wildlife Area hunting dates, fall 2026 to spring 2027
21 species and 39 segments reach Potato Creek Wildlife Area. The last column compares each one with today.
| Quarry | Season | Zone | From | To | Status today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery and crossbow | Statewide | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth/disabled gun hunt | Statewide | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 11, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun deer (9-day) | Statewide | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Muzzleloader | Statewide | Nov 30, 2026 | Dec 9, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | December antlerless hunt | Statewide | Dec 10, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone D/A | Sep 9, 2026 | Sep 15, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone D/A | Sep 16, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone D/A | Oct 7, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Elk | Elk, all weapons | Northern Elk Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall turkey | Turkey Zone 6/4 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 6/4 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 6/4 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 6/4 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 6/4 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 6/4 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 6/4 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 6/4 | May 26, 2027 | Jun 1, 2027 | |
| Ruffed Grouse | Ruffed grouse | Grouse Zone A | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Pheasant | Pheasant | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Bobwhite Quail | Bobwhite quail | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 9, 2026 | |
| Hungarian partridge | Hungarian partridge | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Squirrel | Squirrel | Statewide | Sep 12, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Cottontail | Cottontail rabbit | Northern cottontail zone | Sep 12, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Snowshoe Hare | Snowshoe hare | Statewide | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| American Crow | Crow | Statewide | Nov 21, 2026 | Mar 24, 2027 | |
| Ducks | Youth waterfowl hunt | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Regular duck | Northern Duck Zone | Sep 26, 2026 | Nov 24, 2026 | |
| Teal | Early teal | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 9, 2026 | |
| Geese | Regular goose | Northern Goose Zone | Sep 16, 2026 | Dec 16, 2026 | |
| Canada goose | Early Canada goose | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 15, 2026 | |
| Raccoon | Raccoon (resident) | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Raccoon (nonresident) | Statewide | Oct 31, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Red and gray fox | Fox (red and gray) | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Coyote | Coyote (hunting) | Statewide | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| Bobcat | Bobcat, Period 1 | North of Hwy. 64 | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 25, 2026 | |
| Bobcat | Bobcat, Period 1 | South of Hwy. 64 | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 25, 2026 | |
| Bobcat | Bobcat, Period 2 | North of Hwy. 64 | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Bobcat, Period 2 | South of Hwy. 64 | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Unprotected species | Unprotected species | Statewide | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
From the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Fall 2026-Spring 2027 hunting regulations and season dates, checked October 19, 2026.
The land at Potato Creek Wildlife Area
This is the agency description, quoted.
Potato Creek Wildlife Area is a 1,000-acre property in the southwest corner of Rusk County at the outlet of Potato Lake. Located along a road section of the Ice Age Trail (Dzimiela Road). Access points exist on the north end at Kent Road, from the east at Dzimiela Road and south via Rose's Resort Road (public boat landing) at the lake outlet. The wildlife area is bisected by a shallow, warm water creek, which is flanked by wetlands of cattail, sedges, alder and floating bog.
The adjacent uplands contain substantial areas of mixed forest and grassland interspersed with scattered ponds to the south and east and upland hardwood forest to the north and west. A small, but high-quality stand of white cedar occurs on the northeast corner of the property. Vegetation consists of approximately 300 acres of wetlands, 400 acres of forested upland and 300 acres of grassland. This diverse landscape offers a variety of recreational opportunities, including birding, wildlife viewing, hiking, wild edibles gathering, canoeing, hunting and trapping.
The hunting sentence for Potato Creek Wildlife Area
- Established in the early 1950s, the property was developed as a waterfowl production and hunting area.
- Hunting (noted for deer, turkey, waterfowl, bear and small game)
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
Deer, bears and CWD around Potato Creek Wildlife Area
Rusk County has no county-named deer unit, so the DNR reports harvest by forest DMU; 2025 is the only year under the new boundaries. So far in 2026 (preliminary, Oct. 19): DMU 110 313 deer. In CWD year 2025, 53 Rusk County deer were tested and 0 came back positive. Since 1999: 1,690 sampled, 0 positive. Bear hunters registered 255 bears in Rusk County in 2025. Property-level harvest does not exist for Potato Creek Wildlife Area; county numbers stand in.
Deer table, Rusk County
| Deer unit | Bucks 2025 | Antlerless 2025 | Total 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 110 | 1,787 | 1,757 | 3,544 |
CWD results near Potato Creek Wildlife Area
| CWD year | Sampled | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 | 53 | 0 |
| 2024 | 55 | 0 |
| 2023 | 88 | 0 |
| 2022 | 70 | 0 |
| 2021 | 68 | 0 |
Bear table, Rusk County
| Season | Total bears | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 291 | 149 | 142 |
| 2025 | 255 | 128 | 127 |
Deer from DNR Deer Metrics harvest history and the 2026 harvest to date; CWD from the DNR CWD summary; bears from the DNR bear harvest reports. Checked October 19, 2026.
Where Potato Creek Wildlife Area hunters stay and shop
Every town listed has a hunting guide of its own on this site.
| Town | County | Distance | Population | Public ground (10 mi) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bruce | Rusk | 10 mi | 754 | 23,421 |
| Holcombe | Chippewa | 16 mi | — | 26,943 |
| Ladysmith | Rusk | 17 mi | 3,187 | 3,414 |
| Jim Falls | Chippewa | 21 mi | — | 6,843 |
County hunting overviews: Rusk County.
Potato Creek Wildlife Area: businesses in the area
Offices that answer for Potato Creek Wildlife Area
Rusk County is served by the DNR Spooner Service Center.
Towns and populations from the Census 2024 estimates; public acres within 10 miles from the land layers; businesses from store locators and listings (license-only agents left out); offices from DNR, USFS and USFWS pages. Checked October 19, 2026. Call ahead.
The closest public land to Potato Creek Wildlife Area
Potato Creek Wildlife Area is the large pin, with 10 neighbours around it. Their acreage adds up to 6,363.
| Property | Type | Acres | Straight line | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Island Lake | Wildlife area | 39 | 1.5 mi | southeast |
| Ohmart Wetlands | State natural area | 717 | 5.0 mi | south |
| Fish Lake | Wildlife area | 95 | 5.4 mi | southwest |
| Long Lake | Wildlife area | 16 | 5.5 mi | south |
| Ten Mile Creek (Rusk County) | Wildlife area | 407 | 6.5 mi | west |
| Chippewa Moraine | Ice Age Trail area | 350 | 7.3 mi | south |
| North of North Shattuck Lake | State natural area | 603 | 7.6 mi | south |
| Washington Creek | Wildlife area | 516 | 7.7 mi | east |
| Chippewa Moraine | Recreation area | 3,551 | 8.4 mi | south |
| Chippewa Moraine Lakes | State natural area | 69 | 8.7 mi | south |
Points from the DNR managed lands, SNA, county forest, FWS realty, USFS, NPS and DoD layers (WI DNR Managed Lands GIS (polygon centroid of hunting-open parcels) (polygon centroid)). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
DNR shooting hours for Potato Creek Wildlife Area
Wisconsin prints its shooting hours as tables. For deer, bear, elk, small game and fall turkey the day runs from 30 minutes before sunrise to 20 minutes after sunset; migratory birds and spring turkey stop at sunset.
| When | Event | North | South |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 12, 2026 | Bow, turkey, grouse opener | 6:11 a.m. to 7:43 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 7:42 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Pheasant and duck dates | 6:55 a.m. to 6:37 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 6:40 p.m. |
| Nov 1, 2026 | Early November | 6:16 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 5:17 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer opener | 6:44 a.m. to 4:50 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 4:56 p.m. |
| Dec 1, 2026 | Muzzleloader week | 6:56 a.m. to 4:44 p.m. | 6:51 a.m. to 4:51 p.m. |
| Dec 24, 2026 | Holiday Hunt opener | 7:15 a.m. to 4:46 p.m. | 7:09 a.m. to 4:54 p.m. |
| Jan 3, 2027 | Archery close (most units) | 7:17 a.m. to 4:55 p.m. | 7:11 a.m. to 5:02 p.m. |
Deer, bear, elk, small game and fall turkey table times from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources shooting hours tables, plus the Zone E offset of 16 minutes for longitude 91.40 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Potato Creek Wildlife Area: nearest ranges
Cornell Shooting Range in Chippewa County is the nearest DNR-map range, 17 miles out. Nearby club or private ranges are shown too.
rifle, handgun on file
trap, sporting clays, shotgun on file
rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire, archery, silhouette on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
Potato Creek Wildlife Area: the questions that come up
Which duck and goose zones cover Potato Creek Wildlife Area?
Use the Northern duck dates and the Northern goose dates. Regular duck hunting in the Northern Zone starts Sep 26.
What turkey tag do I need for Potato Creek Wildlife Area?
Your spring tag must be for Zone 4 and a period A-F.
What does the orange rule mean at Potato Creek Wildlife Area?
Yes, 50% orange or pink above the waist from the youth deer hunt through the Holiday Hunt.
Does the baiting ban cover Potato Creek Wildlife Area?
Allowed, up to 2 gallons per 40 acres. Not a CWD county.
How do I get permission to hunt Potato Creek Wildlife Area?
A regular Wisconsin license from Go Wild (gun deer $24 for residents); antlerless deer need a public-access tag.
Is there a check station for Potato Creek Wildlife Area?
Use GameReg online or call 844-426-3734 by 5 p.m. the day after.
Whose property is Potato Creek Wildlife Area?
The Wisconsin DNR oversees this DNR state wildlife area.
Which properties are close to Potato Creek Wildlife Area?
Nearest on the list: Island Lake Wildlife Area (2 miles), Ohmart Wetlands State Natural Area (5 miles) and Fish Lake State Habitat Area (5 miles).
In which Wisconsin county is Potato Creek Wildlife Area?
Bruce is closest (10 miles); the property is in Rusk County.
How many acres does Potato Creek Wildlife Area cover?
941 acres, per WI DNR Managed Lands GIS ACRES field, sum of parcels open to hunting.
Can I shoot antlerless deer on Potato Creek Wildlife Area?
Northern Forest zone; unit DMU 110. 1,765 antlerless deer is the 2026 quota.
Which animals are listed at Potato Creek Wildlife Area?
6 groups on the list: whitetails, black bears, wild turkeys, ducks and geese, squirrels, cottontails and hares and raccoons, foxes and coyotes.
What are the bear rules around Potato Creek Wildlife Area?
It is in Bear Zone D, target 1,100 bears in 2026.
Potato Creek Wildlife Area: confirm on the ground
A last look before the drive: the Potato Creek Wildlife Area map, your Go Wild licenses and any posted closures.
Sources for this page: DNR: Potato · DNR GIS · DNR: alpha; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Shenandoah National Park (Public Domain Mark 1.0); seabamirum (CC BY 2.0).