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Northern Region county guide
Langlade County Hunting
Registered deer since 1960, CWD sampling since 2015, bear and turkey figures, wildlife areas and county forest acres, and the season dates that reach Langlade County this fall and next spring.
Photo: aarongunnar (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Langlade County spans 871 square miles in the Northwoods, governed from Antigo. The Census Vintage 2024 estimate is 19,535 residents (+0.2% since 2020). It is a split county for deer: 61% Northern Forest and 39% Central Farmland. The closest DNR counter is the DNR Rhinelander Service Center in Rhinelander. Langlade County touches 3 state wildlife areas, 5 state natural areas and 18 other public properties.
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 Langlade County
Langlade County: units, quotas, Holiday Hunt
Natural Resources Board quotas for 2026 total 4,735 antlerless deer in the units listed here. Farmland hunters get 2 antlerless tags included with each license for this county's Farmland unit, tied to public or private land. No free tags come with forest units such as DMU 119, DMU 120 and DMU 123; hunters buy bonus antlerless authorizations instead. Remaining bonus authorizations stay on sale at $12 for residents and $20 for visitors until the unit sells out.
| DMU | Zone | Quota 2026 | Public bonus | Private bonus | Unsold Oct 19 | Farmland tags per license |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 119 | Northern Forest | 1,190 | 1,250 | 4,650 | 487 / 3,743 | — |
| DMU 120 | Northern Forest | 545 | 500 | 1,800 | 124 / 1,163 | — |
| DMU 123 | Northern Forest | 795 | 1,500 | 2,200 | 788 / 1,624 | — |
| DMU 126 | Northern Forest | 1,105 | 1,735 | 3,180 | 0 / 1,105 | — |
| Langlade Central Farmland | Central Farmland | 1,100 | 750 | 3,300 | 723 / 3,253 | 2 |
Holiday Hunt: no
Neither the Holiday Hunt nor extended archery reaches Langlade County this year.
Gun season
Gun deer opens the Saturday before Thanksgiving: Nov 21 to Nov 29, 2026. Muzzleloader follows Nov 30 to Dec 9, 2026, then four antlerless-only days 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.
Langlade County registered deer by year
Hunters registered 2,007 deer in the Langlade unit in 2025: 905 bucks and 1,102 antlerless. That is 4% below the 2015 figure of 2,100; the best year since 1960 was 2000 at 8,266. Because forest DMUs were carved out of Langlade County in 2025, the 2025 figure covers only its Central Farmland unit; earlier years follow the boundaries of their day.
| Year | Bucks | Antlerless | All deer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 905 | 1,102 | 2,007 |
| 2024 | 1,963 | 1,678 | 3,641 |
| 2023 | 1,908 | 1,459 | 3,367 |
| 2022 | 2,378 | 1,716 | 4,094 |
| 2021 | 1,853 | 807 | 2,660 |
| 2020 | 1,766 | 1,147 | 2,913 |
| 2019 | 1,508 | 1,348 | 2,856 |
| 2018 | 2,272 | 2,012 | 4,284 |
| 2017 | 2,315 | 1,923 | 4,238 |
| 2016 | 2,116 | 922 | 3,038 |
DMU totals for 2025
| DMU | Bucks | Antlerless | All |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 119 | 1,502 | 1,014 | 2,516 |
| DMU 120 | 726 | 429 | 1,155 |
| DMU 123 | 1,027 | 699 | 1,726 |
| DMU 126 | 2,104 | 1,184 | 3,288 |
This fall so far (preliminary)
| Unit | Antlered | Antlerless | So far |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 119 | 136 | 100 | 236 |
| DMU 120 | 62 | 48 | 110 |
| DMU 123 | 80 | 55 | 135 |
| DMU 126 | 151 | 127 | 278 |
| Langlade | 63 | 98 | 161 |
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.
Langlade County CWD sampling and bait rules
Chronic wasting disease has turned up in Langlade County: 1 positive wild deer out of 2,176 sampled through Oct. 18, 2026. Sampling in CWD year 2025 reached 145 deer, with 0 positives. Hunters in Langlade County may not bait deer; the county is on the DNR ban map. Adult deer given to the program must be tested.
| CWD year | Tested | CWD found |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 6 | 0 |
| 2025 | 145 | 0 |
| 2024 | 159 | 0 |
| 2023 | 169 | 0 |
| 2022 | 144 | 1 |
| 2021 | 118 | 0 |
| 2020 | 117 | 0 |
| 2019 | 136 | 0 |
| 2018 | 122 | 0 |
| 2017 | 31 | 0 |
| 2016 | 7 | 0 |
CWD across Wisconsin · Feeding rules
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.
Other game in Langlade County
Bear zone and harvest
The DNR bear map puts Langlade County in zone B (78%) and C (22%); zone B permits hounds. Langlade County ranked 7th for bears in 2025 with 169 registered.
| Bear zone | 2026 goal | Winners | Low points | Applicants | Taken 2025 | Hounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone B | 850 | 1,545 | 11 | 5,071 | 841 | Yes |
| Zone C | 875 | 4,465 | 2 | 7,605 | 661 | No |
| Year | Bears | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 169 | 87 | 82 |
| 2024 | 201 | 103 | 98 |
Gobblers
Spring gobbler hunting here uses zone 5 authorizations, by period A through F. Zone 5 carried 12,008 spring authorizations in 2025.
| Zone | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2025 success | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 5 | 11,999 | 12,000 | 11,998 | 12,010 | 12,008 | 20% | 2,446 |
Ducks, geese, grouse, rabbits
Grouse hunters here follow Zone A: Sep 12, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027.
Bear zone map and dates · Turkey zones 1 to 7
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.
Langlade County: state, county and federal land
26 public properties in Langlade County are pinned on the map, with 0 more just over the line. County forest land here totals 130,717 acres (DNR acreage report, July 1, 2021). Open MFL acreage in Langlade County: 39,395, per the 2026 DNR report.
- National forest ranger district (1)Lakewood-Laona Ranger District (Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest) (343,903 acres*)
- County forest (1)Langlade County Forest (130,717 acres)
- Conservation easement: 1Pelican River Forest Conservation Easement (67,369 acres*)
- State fishery areas, 14 listedUpper Wolf River Fishery Area (9,205 acres), Yellow Lake Statewide Habitat Area (2,536 acres*), Woods Flowage Fishery and Wildlife Area (1,219 acres), Evergreen River Fishery Area (1,149 acres), Lambert Springs Fishery Area (166 acres), Langlade Rearing Station (120 acres), Rabes Lake Fishery Area (120 acres), Demlows Lake Fishery Area (73 acres), Martin Springs State Spring Ponds (71 acres), Clubhouse Lake-Sunshine Springs Fishery Area (42 acres), Eau Claire River Fishery Area (42 acres), Daneault Springs Fishery Area (39 acres), Crystal Springs Rearing Station (30 acres), Knoke Spring State Spring Ponds (21 acres)
- State wildlife areas (3)Peters Marsh Wildlife Area (1,770 acres), Ackley Wildlife Area (1,103 acres), Rolling Stone Lake State Habitat Area (19 acres)
- 5 state natural areasWolf River Woods State Natural Area (403 acres), Lawrence Lake State Natural Area (246 acres), Oxbow Rapids, Upper Wolf River State Natural Area (153 acres), Hunting River Alders State Natural Area (150 acres), Swamp Creek Fen State Natural Area (80 acres)
- Ice Age Trail area: 1Crocker Hills State Ice Age Trail Area
Also covering part of the county: DNR Statewide Habitat Areas (unnamed parcels), DNR Statewide Fisheries Program Lands, Wisconsin Forest Legacy Program Easements (unnamed tracts), DNR Gift Lands, Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.
Public land index · About county forests · MFL lands
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.
Langlade County: opening and closing days
From bear baiting in September to the last spring turkey period, 39 season segments apply to Langlade County.
| Species | Hunt type | Zone or unit | Opening | Closing | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 B | Sep 9, 2026 | Sep 15, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear (Class A license by drawing) | Bear Zone C | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear (Class A license by drawing) | Bear Zone B | Sep 16, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear (Class A license by drawing) | Bear Zone B | Oct 7, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall turkey | Turkey Zone 5 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 5 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 5 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 5 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 5 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 5 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 5 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 5 | 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.
Langlade County base towns and next-door counties
Population figures for Langlade County towns are Census 2024 estimates; unincorporated places have none.
- Antigocounty seat · 8,096 residents · 18,960 acres of public land in 10 miles
- Post Lake75,672 acres of public land in 10 miles
- Summit Lake82,723 acres of public land in 10 miles
Neighbouring Wisconsin counties: 7.
Towns: Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; adjacency from the Census county adjacency file.
Langlade County first and last legal light
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.
| Date | Season moment | Northern Area | Southern Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 12, 2026 | Archery, fall turkey and grouse opener | 6:03 a.m. to 7:35 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 7:34 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Pheasant and duck dates | 6:47 a.m. to 6:29 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 6:32 p.m. |
| Nov 1, 2026 | Early November | 6:08 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer opener | 6:36 a.m. to 4:42 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. to 4:48 p.m. |
| Dec 1, 2026 | Muzzleloader week | 6:48 a.m. to 4:36 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 4:43 p.m. |
| Dec 24, 2026 | Holiday Hunt opener | 7:07 a.m. to 4:38 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 4:46 p.m. |
| Jan 3, 2027 | Archery close (most units) | 7:09 a.m. to 4:47 p.m. | 7:03 a.m. to 4:54 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 C offset of 8 minutes for longitude 89.07 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Burn bans and permits in Langlade County
Langlade County status today: open the Wisconsin county list.
- When a permit is needed: 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): Langlade County is not on this list.
- Burn bans come from: 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).
- Warming fires: DNR-managed lands (NR 45.07): no fire on the ground and no burning refuse except in designated fireplaces or fire rings.
Langlade County: where to shoot
Langlade County holds 1 listed range, including Langlade (County forest) from the DNR public range map.
rifle, trap, shotgun on file
Upcoming in Langlade County
| When, name | Type | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 2-4, 2027: Antigo Ice Arena Gun Show | Gun show | Event page |
Ranges from the DNR public range map and directory listings, checked October 19, 2026.
After the shot in Langlade County
Distances are straight-line miles from the middle of Langlade County; call before you drive.
Offices for licenses and questions
Field offices are appointment only; service center counters open 8:30-4 on weekdays.
Getting a deer processed
For a mount
Guides and game farms
Gear shops
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.
Langlade County FAQ
What deer zone is Langlade County in?
The Northern Forest and Central Farmland Zones, covered by 5 units: DMU 119, DMU 120, DMU 123, DMU 126 and Langlade Central Farmland.
What late deer seasons does Langlade County have?
None beyond the statewide December antlerless hunt.
How many antlerless deer were taken in Langlade County?
1,102 in 2025, out of 2,007 in all.
What is the 2026 antlerless quota in Langlade County?
4,735 across 5 units, counting each unit whole.
Can bears be baited in Langlade County?
Bear baiting has its own rules: April 15 to the end of bear season, 10 gallons per site, in a hollow log or stump.
Do I need to test a donated deer from Langlade County?
Yes for adult deer.
How successful are turkey hunters in Langlade County?
Zone 5 spring success was 20% in 2025.
How many bears were taken in Langlade County?
169 in 2025.
Can I register a deer by phone in Langlade County?
Yes: 1-844-426-3734 (844-GAME-REG), by 5 p.m. the day after recovery.
What does Langlade County offer in public hunting land?
The land list has 26 properties here, plus 130,717 acres of county forest and 39,395 open MFL acres.
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.
Langlade County: before the opener
Bonus antlerless tags sell out in some units; buy early on Go Wild.
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: aarongunnar (CC BY-SA 2.0); Susan Young (Public Domain Mark 1.0); USDA Forest Service Eastern Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0); USDA Forest Service Eastern Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Anne Marie Peterson from Madison, WI, US (CC BY-SA 2.0); royal_broil (CC BY-SA 2.0); Doc Searls from Santa Barbara, USA (CC BY 2.0); Mark Nenadov (CC BY 2.0); Ligocsicnarf89 (CC BY 4.0).