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The Northwoods
Price County Hunting
What the DNR sets for Price County: deer zone and units, antlerless quota and Farmland tags, baiting status, bear zone A, turkey zone 7/6/4, plus harvest history and public ground.
Photo: aarongunnar (CC BY-SA 2.0)
The Census measures Price County at 1,254 square miles of land; Phillips is the county seat. About 14,087 people lived there in 2024, 0.2% more than the 2020 base. Every acre falls in the Northern Forest Zone; 6 DMUs cover it. Licenses and questions go to the DNR Woodruff Service Center (Woodruff), about 38 miles away. The land list holds 14 properties with ground in Price County, led by Medford-Park Falls Ranger District (Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest) at 281,708 acres.
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.
2026-27 deer units for Price County
Across the 6 quota units touching Price County, the 2026 antlerless quotas add to 4,950 deer (whole units, not just the county share). Forest units (DMU 112, DMU 113, DMU 115, DMU 116, DMU 117 and DMU 119) include no free antlerless tags; antlerless hunting there runs on bonus authorizations, and DMU 116 has none for sale. Bonus tags: $12 resident, $20 nonresident, first come first served at one per day.
| Unit | Zone | 2026 antlerless quota | Bonus, public | Bonus, private | Left Oct 19 (pub/priv) | Free Farmland tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 112 | Northern Forest | 625 | 1,760 | 1,735 | 1,437 / 1,333 | — |
| DMU 113 | Northern Forest | 1,155 | 1,900 | 2,750 | 1,369 / 2,244 | — |
| DMU 115 | Northern Forest | 1,430 | 1,000 | 5,000 | 637 / 3,517 | — |
| DMU 116 | Northern Forest | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 / 0 | — |
| DMU 117 | Northern Forest | 550 | 1,000 | 1,100 | 620 / 619 | — |
| DMU 119 | Northern Forest | 1,190 | 1,250 | 4,650 | 487 / 3,743 | — |
Forest units
The Holiday Hunt and extended archery are Farmland Zone seasons; forest units do not get them.
Gun deer opener
The nine-day gun deer season runs Nov 21 to Nov 29, 2026, followed by muzzleloader Nov 30 to Dec 9, 2026 and the statewide 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.
Deer harvest in Price County
Price County has no county-named deer unit, so the DNR publishes no county harvest series. The forest DMUs below are 2025 figures for whole units, which cross county lines.
Forest units: 2025 deer
| Unit | Buck | Antlerless | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 112 | 813 | 585 | 1,398 |
| DMU 113 | 990 | 786 | 1,776 |
| DMU 115 | 1,549 | 1,464 | 3,013 |
| DMU 116 | 917 | 301 | 1,218 |
| DMU 117 | 523 | 372 | 895 |
| DMU 119 | 1,502 | 1,014 | 2,516 |
Preliminary 2026 registrations
| DNR row | Bucks | Antlerless | All |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 112 | 54 | 55 | 109 |
| DMU 113 | 100 | 76 | 140 |
| DMU 115 | 136 | 152 | 288 |
| DMU 116 | 105 | 8 | 113 |
| DMU 117 | 54 | 51 | 105 |
| DMU 119 | 136 | 100 | 236 |
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.
Price County chronic wasting disease results
CWD has not been detected in wild deer from Price County across 1,757 samples. Price County is unshaded on the DNR ban map, so limited deer baiting is legal. Donation rule: no test needed.
| Year | Deer sampled | Positives |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 5 | 0 |
| 2025 | 42 | 0 |
| 2024 | 39 | 0 |
| 2023 | 47 | 0 |
| 2022 | 61 | 0 |
| 2021 | 62 | 0 |
| 2020 | 59 | 0 |
| 2019 | 275 | 0 |
| 2018 | 52 | 0 |
| 2017 | 23 | 0 |
| 2016 | 3 | 0 |
| 2015 | 3 | 0 |
CWD rules and kiosks · Which counties ban bait
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.
Price County: bears, gobblers and birds
Black bear
Black bear hunting here falls under zone A, drawn by preference points, with dogs allowed in A. Bear registrations in Price County: 215 in 2025, 270 the year before.
| Zone | Target | Drawn 2026 | Points | Applied | 2025 state harvest | Dogs allowed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone A | 1,100 | 1,675 | 11 | 11,648 | 1,161 | Yes |
| Season | Harvest | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 215 | 124 | 91 |
| 2024 | 270 | 138 | 132 |
Turkey authorizations
The DNR turkey map places Price County in zone 7 (42%), 6 (31%) and 4 (28%). Levels below are 2025, the latest published. 2025 spring authorization total for zone 7/6/4: 45,399.
| Turkey zone | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Success 2025 | Birds 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 7 | 4,396 | 4,400 | 4,400 | 4,406 | 4,401 | 16% | 726 |
| Zone 6 | 5,390 | 5,402 | 6,001 | 6,004 | 6,001 | 23% | 1,362 |
| Zone 4 | 34,115 | 34,373 | 34,964 | 34,994 | 34,997 | 24% | 8,472 |
Elk zone
Price County is elk country in the Northern Elk Management Zone; the 2026 season runs one stretch, Oct 17 to Dec 13, 2026, under a quota of 8 bulls, subject to 50% declaration by the Ojibwe tribes (ceded territory). The 2025 hunt there took 7 elk.
| Group | Quota |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Small game and birds
Ruffed grouse Zone A runs Sep 12, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027 with a daily bag of 5.
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.
Price County public properties with acreage
Price County counts 14 public properties open to hunting; posted refuges and closed parcels inside them still apply. Price County is one of 30 counties with a county forest, 92,294 acres as of July 2021. MFL open lands, private forests the public may hunt, cover 57,805 acres here.
- National forest ranger district (1 here)Medford-Park Falls Ranger District (Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest) (281,708 ac*)
- County forest (1 here)Price County Forest (92,294 ac)
- State forest in the county (1)Flambeau River State Forest (89,772 ac*)
- State wildlife areas (2 here)Kimberly Clark Wildlife Area (8,701 ac), Spring Creek Wildlife Area (914 ac)
- State natural areas: 3Bass Lake Peatlands State Natural Area (954 ac*), Oxbo Pines State Natural Area (287 ac*), North Fork Pines State Natural Area (82 ac)
- State trail (1 here)Tuscobia State Trail (1,088 ac*)
- State fishery areas in the county (4)Niebauer Springs Fishery Area (199 ac), Cranberry Lake Fishery Area (10 ac), Pike Lake Public Access (2 ac), South Fork Flambeau River State Public Access (2 ac)
- Public access site: 1Lac Sault Dore State Public Access (24 ac)
Larger units with ground here: Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.
Beyond the line: Swamp Lake State Natural Area (18 miles, 1,042 ac), Lake of the Pines Conifer-Hardwoods State Natural Area (18 miles, 53 ac), Bootjack Bog State Natural Area (18 miles, 2,089 ac), Hanson Lake Wetlands State Natural Area (20 miles, 302 ac).
Skip Carpenter Creek Conservation Easement Area; DNR lists no hunting there.
Every public property · County forest list · About MFL open land
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.
Every Price County season on one table
Private and public land share these dates. A state park, refuge or Fort McCoy can close sooner, so read the property page before you go.
| Animal | Segment | Scope | Starts | Ends | Open 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 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 7/6/4 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 7/6/4 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 7/6/4 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 7/6/4 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 7/6/4 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 7/6/4 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 7/6/4 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 7/6/4 | 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 (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.
Towns of Price County, then its neighbours
Public acres beside each Price County town are a GIS total for a 10-mile circle, not a DNR figure.
- Phillipscourthouse town · 1,489 inhabitants · 45,856 public acres within 10 miles
- Park Falls2,375 inhabitants · 47,202 public acres within 10 miles
- Prentice565 inhabitants · 14,704 public acres within 10 miles
Price County borders 8 Wisconsin counties.
Towns: Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; adjacency from the Census county adjacency file.
Hunting hours for Price County
Big game and small game hunters get 20 minutes after sunset in Wisconsin, not 30. Waterfowl and spring gobbler hunters quit at sunset.
| When | Event | North | South |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 90.36 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Burn bans and permits in Price County
See the Wisconsin county list for Price County today.
- Permit season: 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): Price 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).
- 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.
Price County gun ranges and clubs
1 range listed inside Price County, Cranberry Creek among them on the DNR public range map.
Ranges from the DNR public range map and directory listings, checked October 19, 2026.
Butchers, mounts and stores near Price County
Wisconsin publishes no list of licensed taxidermists or guides, so those rows come from DNR CWD partners and directories.
DNR counters and field offices
Weekday counter hours at DNR service centers run 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Processors nearby
Taxidermy shops
Guides nearby
Sporting goods
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.
Price County on the Wisconsin events calendar
On file here: 1 upcoming event (Whitetails Unlimited banquet).
Scheduled
| On | Event | Where held | Sign-up | Found at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 7, 2026 | Flambeau WI Chapter Banquet / Whitetails Unlimited banquet | Northwoods Supper Club Fifield Price Co. | Buy tickets | Source |
Price County hunters often ask
Can I hunt over a food plot in Price County?
Yes. Standing crops and food plots are legal, but you may not plant one on DNR land.
Can I hunt bears with hounds in Price County?
Yes, in zone A.
Can turkeys be hunted in the fall in Price County?
Yes: Sep 12, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027, using a fall authorization for the zone.
Where should I start on public land in Price County?
Try the biggest first: Medford-Park Falls Ranger District (Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest), Price County Forest and Flambeau River State Forest.
Where do I register a bear from Price County?
In the county of kill or an adjoining county, through GameReg by 5 p.m. the next day; mail two premolar teeth by Oct. 15.
Does my hat need to be orange in Price County?
If you wear one during a firearm deer season, it must be at least 50% orange or pink.
Where do hunters in Price County take deer for cutting?
Commonly Heritage Meats, TJ's Butcher Block and Hickory Nutz Sausage; call ahead in November.
Is there elk hunting in Price County?
Yes, by drawing, in the Northern Zone.
Does Price County have more than one deer unit?
Yes: DMU 112, DMU 113, DMU 115, DMU 116, DMU 117 and DMU 119.
Where do I see the bonus tags left in Price County?
On the DNR bonus availability page; this page shows the counts as of Oct. 19, 2026.
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.
Heading to Price County
Every date here is for the 2026-27 Wisconsin seasons; check the DNR site again before the trip.
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: wackybadger (CC BY-SA 2.0); USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0); USDA Forest Service Eastern Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0); USDA Forest Service Eastern Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0); wackybadger (CC BY-SA 2.0); USDA Forest Service Eastern Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0); wackybadger (CC BY-SA 2.0); aarongunnar (CC BY-SA 2.0); wackybadger (CC BY-SA 2.0); aarongunnar (CC BY-SA 2.0).