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DNR Northern Region
Ashland County Hunting
A DNR-sourced guide to Ashland County in the Northwoods: 2026-27 seasons, 4 DMUs with their quotas, registered deer by year, county and state land, towns and the shops that serve hunters.
Photo: Joshua Mayer (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Ashland is the seat of Ashland County, a 1,045 square mile county in the DNR Northern Region. 16,196 people call it home, per the 2024 Census estimate (+1.0% against 2020). Deer management here is Northern Forest Zone throughout (4 units). Its nearest DNR service center is DNR Woodruff Service Center in Woodruff, 68 miles from the county centre. Public hunting runs through 15 listed properties; the largest by acreage is Great Divide Ranger District (Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest).
Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates (population), DNR region from the DNR staff pages, deer zones from the DNR deer zone layer, service centers from DNR office locations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Ashland County
Antlerless quota and bonus tags in Ashland County
The DNR set a combined 2026 antlerless quota of 2,505 for the 4 units that cover Ashland County; units that cross into other counties count in full. Bonus authorizations are the only antlerless option in DMU 106, DMU 113 and DMU 117. Go Wild sells bonus antlerless tags for $12 resident and $20 nonresident, limited to one purchase a day.
| Unit | Zone | Antlerless quota 2026 | Bonus public | Bonus private | Available Oct 19 | Free per license |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 106 | Northern Forest | 710 | 650 | 2,300 | 521 / 2,092 | — |
| DMU 113 | Northern Forest | 1,155 | 1,900 | 2,750 | 1,369 / 2,244 | — |
| DMU 117 | Northern Forest | 550 | 1,000 | 1,100 | 620 / 619 | — |
| DMU 118 | Northern Forest | 90 | 150 | 150 | 23 / 0 | — |
No Holiday Hunt
Forest Zone units hold neither the Holiday Hunt nor extended archery, so archery in Ashland County closes Jan 3, 2027.
Nine-day gun season
Mark Nov 21 for the gun opener; the run of firearm seasons ends with the antlerless-only hunt Dec 10 to Dec 13, 2026.
Quotas and initial bonus counts from the DNR 2026 antlerless quota and initial permit availability (approved June 24, 2026); unsold counts and free Farmland tags from the bonus availability page as of Oct. 19, 2026; Holiday Hunt and extended archery from the 2026 season map; dates from the deer regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Ashland County deer numbers by unit
The DNR has no harvest history for the 2025 forest DMU boundaries, so Ashland County is shown through the 2025 totals of its units.
Northwoods and Central Forest units
2026 season to date, preliminary
| Unit | Antlered | Antlerless | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 106 | 55 | 58 | 113 |
| DMU 113 | 100 | 76 | 140 |
| DMU 117 | 54 | 51 | 105 |
| DMU 118 | 47 | 14 | 61 |
DNR Deer Metrics harvest history (registered deer, all seasons and weapons; values read from the DNR chart), 2025 forest DMU figures from the same source, and the DNR 2026 total harvest to date (preliminary). Checked October 19, 2026.
CWD and baiting in Ashland County
Ashland County has never had a CWD-positive wild deer in the DNR summary (835 tests to date). Bait for deer is legal in Ashland County: up to 2 gallons per 40 acres, no animal parts, no mechanical feeders. Donated deer from here go without a required test.
| CWD year | Samples | Detected |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 2 | 0 |
| 2025 | 20 | 0 |
| 2024 | 18 | 0 |
| 2023 | 18 | 0 |
| 2022 | 18 | 0 |
| 2021 | 24 | 0 |
| 2020 | 25 | 0 |
| 2019 | 37 | 0 |
| 2018 | 8 | 0 |
| 2017 | 3 | 0 |
| 2016 | 1 | 0 |
CWD by county · Bait law explained
CWD sampling from the DNR CWD summary by county (wild deer, data released through Oct. 18, 2026; CWD year runs April 1-March 31, 2026 partial); baiting from the DNR baiting and feeding page and its map; donation testing from the Deer Donation Program. Checked October 19, 2026.
Beyond deer in Ashland County
Bears in Ashland County
Bear zone A covers Ashland County; hound hunting is legal in A. 144 bears came from Ashland County in 2025 (75 male, 69 female).
| Zone | Harvest goal | 2026 permits | Minimum points | Applicants 2026 | 2025 bears | Hounds OK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone A | 1,100 | 1,675 | 11 | 11,648 | 1,161 | Yes |
| Year | County bears | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 144 | 75 | 69 |
| 2024 | 147 | 83 | 64 |
Spring turkey
For spring turkeys, Ashland County falls in zone 6 (54%) and 7 (46%); each authorization names one zone and one of the six periods, A to F. In 2025 the DNR issued 10,402 spring authorizations across zone 6/7.
| Zone | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Success | 2025 harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 6 | 5,390 | 5,402 | 6,001 | 6,004 | 6,001 | 23% | 1,362 |
| Zone 7 | 4,396 | 4,400 | 4,400 | 4,406 | 4,401 | 16% | 726 |
Elk
Part of Ashland County lies in the Northern Elk Management Zone (approximately 68% public land), with a 2026 quota of 8 bulls, subject to 50% declaration by the Ojibwe tribes (ceded territory). 2025 harvest in the zone: 7 elk; applicants: 17,737.
| Unit group | Licenses 2026 |
|---|---|
| A (Unit 1) | 1 bull license |
| B (Unit 2) | CLOSED |
| C (Units 3, 4, 5) | 1 bull license |
| D (Units 6, 7) | 2 bull licenses |
Waterfowl and upland zones
Ruffed grouse: Zone A, open Sep 12, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027.
Bear zones A to F · Turkey periods by zone
Bear zones from the DNR bear zone layer; targets, permits and points from the 2026 bear drawing summary; harvest from the DNR 2025 bear report and 2024 report; turkey levels from the DNR turkey reports (2025 levels; 2027 not yet published); elk from the DNR elk page; bird zones from the DNR zone layers. Checked October 19, 2026.
Public hunting ground across Ashland County
Here are all 15 properties with public hunting ground in Ashland County, largest first. The Ashland County Forest held 40,305 acres in the DNR report of July 1, 2021, the newest the DNR publishes. 47,317 acres of open Managed Forest Law land in Ashland County allow hunting on foot by anyone.
- National forest ranger district, 1 listedGreat Divide Ranger District (Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest) (376,517 acres*)
- 1 national lakeshoreApostle Islands National Lakeshore (42,863 acres*)
- County forest, 1 listedAshland County Forest (40,305 acres*)
- 1 riverway or scenic waters areaTurtle Flambeau Scenic Waters Area (35,736 acres*)
- State wildlife areas, 4 listedHay Creek-Hoffman Lake Wildlife Area (14,489 acres*), White River Wildlife Area (1,272 acres), Town of Morse State Habitat Area (722 acres), Devil's Creek State Habitat Area (7 acres)
- State parks: 2Copper Falls State Park (3,532 acres), Big Bay State Park (2,524 acres)
- 2 state fishery areasWhite River Fishery Area (Bayfield and Ashland Counties) (4,529 acres*), Clam Lake Fishery Area (8 acres)
- State natural areas (3)Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area (963 acres), Copper Falls State Natural Area (746 acres), White River Boreal Forest State Natural Area (446 acres)
Multi-county units and DNR groupings that also reach the county: Natural Area – Dedication, Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.
Next door: Town of Saxon State Habitat Area (7 miles, 359 acres), South Shore Lake Superior Fishery Area – Fish Creek Unit (13 miles, 1,915 acres), Whittlesey Creek National Wildlife Refuge (14 miles, 469 acres), White River Breaks State Natural Area (15 miles, 160 acres), Big Rock Pines State Natural Area (16 miles, 159 acres).
Bosner Creek Conservation Easement Area, Devil's Creek Fishery Area-Ashland and Copper Falls State Park State North Country Trail Area are closed to hunting.
Statewide land list · County forest rules · MFL hunting rules
Public land from the DNR managed lands layer and property pages, DNR state natural area, county forest and federal records; county forest acres from the DNR county forest acreage report (July 1, 2021); MFL open acres from the DNR MFL report; leases from the DNR VPA-HIP and THAP lists. Acres within 10 miles of the county seat are a GIS measure. Checked October 19, 2026.
Ashland County season calendar, 2026-27
Archery, the nine-day gun hunt, muzzleloader, bear, turkey, upland birds, rabbits, furbearers and the duck and goose splits for Ashland County.
| Game | Hunt | Zone | First day | Last day | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery and crossbow | Statewide | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth and disabled gun deer 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 | Statewide antlerless-only (December 4-day hunt) | Statewide | Dec 10, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear (Class A license by drawing) | Bear Zone A | Sep 9, 2026 | Sep 15, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear (Class A license by drawing) | Bear Zone A | Sep 16, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear (Class A license by drawing) | Bear Zone A | Oct 7, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Elk | Elk (archery, crossbow and firearm) | Northern Elk Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall turkey | Turkey Zone 6/7 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 6/7 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 6/7 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 6/7 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 6/7 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 6/7 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 6/7 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 6/7 | 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 (hunting and trapping) | Northern Zone (State Hwy. 64 line) | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 25, 2026 | |
| Bobcat | Bobcat Period 1 (hunting and trapping) | Southern Zone (State Hwy. 64 line) | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 25, 2026 | |
| Bobcat | Bobcat Period 2 (hunting and trapping) | Northern Zone (State Hwy. 64 line) | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Bobcat Period 2 (hunting and trapping) | Southern Zone (State Hwy. 64 line) | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Unprotected species | Unprotected species (opossum, skunk, weasel, woodchuck, porcupine, starling, English sparrow, chukar, coturnix quail, etc.) | 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.
Ashland County seat, towns and border counties
The 6 towns below have their own page, with the county seat first.
- Ashlandseat · 7,940 townspeople · 6,255 public acres in a 10-mile circle
- Birch Hill31,792 public acres in a 10-mile circle
- Butternut366 townspeople · 31,503 public acres in a 10-mile circle
- Clam Lake173,265 public acres in a 10-mile circle
- Glidden89,026 public acres in a 10-mile circle
- Mellen686 townspeople · 85,788 public acres in a 10-mile circle
Ashland County meets 4 in-state counties and Cook (MN), Gogebic (MI), Lake (MN) and Ontonagon (MI) in a neighbouring state.
Towns: Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; adjacency from the Census county adjacency file.
Ashland County shooting time on key dates
At Ashland County the offset is 12 minutes (Zone D). The times below already include it for both DNR shooting-hours areas.
| Date | Hunt | Northern Area hours | Southern Area hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 12, 2026 | Archery, fall turkey and grouse opener | 6:07 a.m. to 7:39 p.m. | 6:09 a.m. to 7:38 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Pheasant and duck dates | 6:51 a.m. to 6:33 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 6:36 p.m. |
| Nov 1, 2026 | Early November | 6:12 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. | 6:09 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer opener | 6:40 a.m. to 4:46 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. to 4:52 p.m. |
| Dec 1, 2026 | Muzzleloader week | 6:52 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. | 6:47 a.m. to 4:47 p.m. |
| Dec 24, 2026 | Holiday Hunt opener | 7:11 a.m. to 4:42 p.m. | 7:05 a.m. to 4:50 p.m. |
| Jan 3, 2027 | Archery close (most units) | 7:13 a.m. to 4:51 p.m. | 7:07 a.m. to 4:58 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 D offset of 12 minutes for longitude 90.68 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Can you burn in Ashland County?
Ashland County status today: open the Wisconsin county list.
- Burn permit: Within DNR forest fire protection areas, whenever the ground is not completely snow-covered.
- Counties outside DNR burning-permit authority (per DNR daily restrictions on 2026-10-27): Ashland County is not on this list.
- Who declares bans: The Wisconsin DNR, through daily county burning restrictions and permit suspensions within its forest fire protection areas (NR 30.05 emergency burning regulations; NR 45.07(3) emergency use and burning rules on DNR lands by posted notice).
- Campfires while hunting: DNR-managed lands (NR 45.07): no fire on the ground and no burning refuse except in designated fireplaces or fire rings.
Ashland County gun ranges and clubs
2 ranges listed inside Ashland County, Flambeau River / Hay Creek Shooting Range among them on the DNR public range map.
rifle on file
archery, 3D archery on file
County shoot dates
| Date, shoot | Format | Page |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 23-24, 2027: Ashland 2-Day Gun & Knife Show at Bay Area Civic Center- “Ice Arena” | Gun show | Listing |
Ranges from the DNR public range map and directory listings, checked October 19, 2026.
Ashland County: processing, mounts and gear
Where Ashland County has few listings, bordering counties fill the gap.
Agency desks nearby
The service center counter opens weekdays 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Field offices need an appointment.
Venison processing
Taxidermists nearby
Hunting preserves
Gun, archery and outdoor stores
DNR service centers and field offices from DNR office locations; processors from the Deer Donation Program list, DNR CWD sampling station partners and directory listings; shops from the DNR license agent layer and directories. Checked October 19, 2026; call ahead. All Wisconsin hunting services.
Ashland County, answered
Can I use a feeder for deer in Ashland County?
No. Automatic and gravity feeders are never legal for deer bait in Wisconsin.
How many deer were tested for CWD in Ashland County in 2025?
20 in CWD year 2025, 0 positive.
How many turkey permits does Ashland County get?
Zone 6/7 had 10,402 spring authorizations in 2025; 2027 levels are not out yet.
How many points do I need for a Ashland County bear tag?
Zone A needed 11 preference points in the 2026 drawing.
What is GameReg?
Wisconsin's harvest registration system at gamereg.wi.gov or 1-844-426-3734.
Can I hunt state natural areas in Ashland County?
Most DNR-owned SNAs are open; 3 are listed here. Check each page for closures.
Which processor should I call first in Ashland County?
Pearce's Sausage Kitchen, the nearest listing; call ahead in season.
Do duck hunters in Ashland County need orange?
No. Waterfowl hunters are exempt.
What DMU should I pick for Ashland County on Go Wild?
The unit where you will hunt: DMU 106, DMU 113, DMU 117 and DMU 118. Farmland tags and bonus tags are unit specific.
Are elk licenses split by unit in Ashland County?
Yes. For 2026 licenses are unit-group specific, bull and antlerless separately.
Answers from the DNR Fall 2026-Spring 2027 regulations, registration rules, blaze orange rules, DNR harvest and CWD data and the sources cited above. Checked October 19, 2026.
Ashland County, final word
State wildlife areas post refuges and closed areas; read the property page before you go.
Sources: DNR Fall 2026-Spring 2027 hunting regulations, season dates, Wisconsin DNR hunting, Census and the agencies linked in each section. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: RuggyBearLA (CC BY-SA 2.0); USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0); wackybadger (CC BY-SA 2.0); wackybadger (CC BY-SA 2.0); USDA Forest Service Eastern Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0); BobbbyLight (CC BY 2.0).