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Northern Region · 2026-27
Rusk County Hunting
Deer units and bonus tags, Holiday Hunt status, CWD test results by year, the baiting rule, bear, turkey and waterfowl zones and every public property in Rusk County, from DNR data.
Photo: wackybadger (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Rusk County covers 914 square miles of land and 17 of lakes and rivers, with the courthouse in Ladysmith. It counted 14,168 people in 2024, about 16 for each square mile of land. For deer it is entirely Northern Forest ground, split into 5 DMUs. The DNR Spooner Service Center in Spooner is the nearest of the twelve DNR service centers. 16 public propertys on the DNR, county and federal lists sit at least partly inside the line, 7 state wildlife areas among them.
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.
Rusk County DMUs and antlerless authorizations
For 2026 the antlerless target in these units is 6,375 deer, set by unit before bonus sales opened in August. Forest Zone units come without free Farmland tags, so antlerless deer in DMU 109, DMU 110 and DMU 111 need a bonus authorization. A bonus authorization costs $12 (resident) or $20 (nonresident) on Go Wild, one per hunter per day while they last.
| DMU | Management zone | Quota | Public-land bonus | Private-land bonus | Left at Oct 19 | Farmland tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 109 | Northern Forest | 1,870 | 3,200 | 6,000 | 2,715 / 5,713 | — |
| DMU 110 | Northern Forest | 1,765 | 1,000 | 6,950 | 421 / 6,419 | — |
| DMU 111 | Northern Forest | 685 | 750 | 2,500 | 576 / 2,184 | — |
| DMU 112 | Northern Forest | 625 | 1,760 | 1,735 | 1,437 / 1,333 | — |
| DMU 115 | Northern Forest | 1,430 | 1,000 | 5,000 | 637 / 3,517 | — |
Forest Zone seasons
Rusk County sees no extended season; the December 4-day antlerless hunt is the last firearm hunt.
The nine-day
Rifles and shotguns: Nov 21 to Nov 29, 2026. Muzzleloaders: Nov 30 to Dec 9, 2026. Antlerless only: 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 registrations, Rusk County
For Rusk County the DNR reports deer by forest DMU only. The table gives each unit's 2025 harvest, including ground outside the county.
2025 forest unit totals
| DMU | Buck harvest | Antlerless harvest | Sum |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 109 | 1,590 | 1,091 | 2,681 |
| DMU 110 | 1,787 | 1,757 | 3,544 |
| DMU 111 | 779 | 587 | 1,366 |
| DMU 112 | 813 | 585 | 1,398 |
| DMU 115 | 1,549 | 1,464 | 3,013 |
Rusk County so far in 2026 (preliminary)
| Unit | Bucks | Antlerless | Registered |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 109 | 111 | 111 | 222 |
| DMU 110 | 141 | 172 | 313 |
| DMU 111 | 61 | 79 | 140 |
| DMU 112 | 54 | 55 | 109 |
| DMU 115 | 136 | 152 | 288 |
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.
Has CWD reached Rusk County?
No CWD-positive wild deer has been found in Rusk County; 1,690 have been sampled there since 1999. One of 12 counties outside the ban, Rusk County allows bait for deer in small amounts. No CWD test is required to donate deer here.
| Year | Tested | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 | 53 | 0 |
| 2024 | 55 | 0 |
| 2023 | 88 | 0 |
| 2022 | 70 | 0 |
| 2021 | 68 | 0 |
| 2020 | 71 | 0 |
| 2019 | 146 | 0 |
| 2018 | 47 | 0 |
| 2017 | 18 | 0 |
| 2016 | 3 | 0 |
| 2015 | 3 | 0 |
More on CWD · Ban map and limits
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.
Rusk County bear and turkey numbers
Black bears
Rusk County lies in bear zone D (54%) and A (46%). Class A bear licenses come by preference-point drawing, and hounds are allowed in zone D/A. The 2025 bear harvest in Rusk County was 255, 2nd among Wisconsin counties.
| Bear zone | Target 2026 | Licenses drawn | Points needed | Applicants | Harvest 2025 | Dogs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone D | 1,100 | 3,855 | 2 | 6,847 | 906 | Yes |
| Zone A | 1,100 | 1,675 | 11 | 11,648 | 1,161 | Yes |
| Year | Total | Boars | Sows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 255 | 128 | 127 |
| 2024 | 291 | 149 | 142 |
Turkey zone and permits
Turkey zone 6 (53%) and 4 (47%) covers the county. Spring 2027 permit levels have not been published; the table gives 2025 levels by zone. 40,998 spring authorizations went to zone 6/4 in 2025.
| Spring zone | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2025 rate | Registered 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 near Rusk County
The Clam Lake Elk Range, now the Northern Elk Management Zone, overlaps Rusk County; licenses are by unit group, quota 8 bulls, subject to 50% declaration by the Ojibwe tribes (ceded territory). In 2025 the zone saw 7 elk harvested from 17,737 applicants.
| Group (units) | 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 |
Birds and small game in Rusk County
For ruffed grouse, Zone A applies (Sep 12, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027).
Bear zones · Compare turkey zones
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.
Rusk County wildlife areas, forests and natural areas
Rusk County overlaps 16 properties on the land list, from state wildlife areas to natural areas and trails. County forest: 89,284 acres, from the DNR report dated July 1, 2021. Private land enrolled in Managed Forest Law and open to the public adds 38,257 acres in Rusk County. Look up the 1 leased private parcel in Rusk County through VPA-HIP and THAP.
- State forest: 1Flambeau River State Forest (89,772 ac*)
- County forest in the county (1)Rusk County Forest (89,284 ac)
- State wildlife areas in the county (7)Silvernail Wildlife Area (1,041 ac), Potato Creek Wildlife Area (941 ac), Washington Creek Wildlife Area (516 ac), Ten Mile Creek Wildlife Area (Rusk County) (407 ac), South Fork Main Creek State Habitat Area (110 ac), Fish Lake State Habitat Area (95 ac), Island Lake Wildlife Area (39 ac)
- State natural areas (3 here)Skinner Creek Hardwoods State Natural Area (228 ac), Hawkins Hemlock Hardwood Forest State Natural Area (40 ac), Hawkins Hemlock Hardwoods Forest State Natural Area (40 ac)
- State habitat area, 1 listedBig Weirgor Creek State Habitat Area (116 ac)
- Public access site (1 here)Chippewa River State Public Access (22 ac)
- Conservation easement, 1 listedJump River Conservation Easement Area (7 ac)
- State fishery area: 1Jump River Fishery Area (2 ac)
Close by, across the boundary: Plagge Woods State Natural Area (14 miles, 81 ac), Little Weirgor Creek State Habitat Area (14 miles, 41 ac), Chippewa County Forest (18 miles, 34,738 ac), Weirgor Springs Wildlife Area (18 miles, 1,955 ac), Sawyer County Forest (18 miles, 115,196 ac).
No hunting at Clear Lake State Public Access, Devil's Creek Conservation Easement Area, South Fork Main Creek Conservation Easement Area and Big Weirgor Creek Conservation Easement Area.
Public land hub · County forests · Open MFL land · Leased access 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.
Which seasons are open in Rusk County
Deer dates are statewide in Wisconsin; bear, turkey, grouse, cottontail and waterfowl dates follow zone lines, so only the rows for Rusk County are listed.
| Species | Season | Where it applies | Opens | Closes | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 D/A | Sep 9, 2026 | Sep 15, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear (Class A license by drawing) | Bear Zone D/A | Sep 16, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear (Class A license by drawing) | Bear Zone D/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 6/4 | 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 (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.
From Rusk County towns to the counties around it
Pick a base town in Rusk County; its page lists the closest public properties and legal hours.
- Ladysmithcounty seat · 3,187 people in 2024 · 3,414 acres open to hunters within 10 miles
- Bruce754 people in 2024 · 23,421 acres open to hunters within 10 miles
- Hawkins327 people in 2024 · 58,148 acres open to hunters within 10 miles
- Sheldon257 people in 2024 · 17,391 acres open to hunters within 10 miles
Bordering Rusk County: 6 Wisconsin counties.
Towns: Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; adjacency from the Census county adjacency file.
When you can shoot at Rusk County
Two tables cover the state, one for the Northern Area and one for the Southern Area, each for Zone A. West of 88 degrees you add 4 minutes per degree of longitude.
| Day | Season | North table | South table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 12, 2026 | Archery, fall turkey and 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 91.14 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Fires, permits and bans around Rusk County
See the Wisconsin county list for Rusk County today.
- 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): Rusk 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.
Rusk County ranges and matches
2 ranges in Rusk County, from the DNR range layer and directory listings checked October 19, 2026.
rifle, handgun, archery on file
trap, sporting clays, shotgun on file
Matches and shows here
| When and what | Kind | Go |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 16, 2027: 7th Annual Flambeau Falcon's Bullseye Tournament and Fun Shoot | NASP | Details |
Ranges from the DNR public range map and directory listings, checked October 19, 2026.
Rusk County hunting services
Each group starts with Rusk County listings and fills in from neighbours.
Who to call at the DNR
Walk in at a service center on weekdays (8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.); call ahead for a field office.
Deer processors
Mounts and taxidermy
Guided hunts
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.
Rusk County on the Wisconsin events calendar
On file here: 1 upcoming event (NWTF banquet).
Still to come
| Held | What | Where | Register | Source page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 16, 2027 | RC Gobblers NWTF Banquet / NWTF banquet | Ladysmith Rusk Co. | Buy tickets | Source |
Fishing in Rusk County
Lakes, rivers, boat ramps and bait shops for Rusk County are on State Fishing Spots, our sister site.
Rusk County questions from hunters
What is the deadline to register a deer in Rusk County?
5 p.m. the day after you recover it; the confirmation number starts with W.
Do bowhunters wear orange in Rusk County?
Yes, whenever a firearm deer season is open.
Which venison processors are nearest Rusk County?
Prime Cuts Meat Market, Inge's Custom Meats and Lotts-A-Meat, in order of distance.
How do I register an elk from Rusk County?
In person with the DNR by 5 p.m. the day after recovery; GameReg is not used for elk.
Is Rusk County a Farmland or Forest county for deer?
Northern Forest.
How much is a bonus antlerless tag for Rusk County?
$12 resident, $20 nonresident, one per day while they last.
Does the DNR publish deer harvest for Rusk County?
Not by county. It reports the forest DMUs, and only 2025 exists for the new boundaries.
Has chronic wasting disease turned up in Rusk County?
No: none of 1,690 wild deer tested was positive.
Can I feed deer in my yard in Rusk County?
Feeding is allowed under the same 2-gallon limits as bait.
How many bear permits are there for Rusk County?
Zone D drew 3,855 permits for 2026 against a harvest target of 1,100.
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.
Double-check before Rusk County
The DNR can change quotas, bonus sales and bans between seasons. The regulations booklet is the legal reference.
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: Jeff the quiet (CC0 1.0); tuchodi (CC BY 2.0); wackybadger (CC BY-SA 2.0); wackybadger (CC BY-SA 2.0); royal_broil (CC BY-SA 2.0); Doc Searls from Santa Barbara, USA (CC BY 2.0); Anne Marie Peterson from Madison, WI, US (CC BY-SA 2.0); USFWS Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0).