Home › Wisconsin › Public land › Douglas County Wildlife Area
Wildlife area · Northern region
Douglas County Wildlife Area for Wisconsin hunters
A hunter's summary of Douglas County Wildlife Area in Douglas County: zones and quota, rules, CWD numbers and local help.
Photo: aarongunnar (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Douglas County Wildlife Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Douglas County Wildlife Area
- Parking areaParking · 2.4 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.
Douglas County Wildlife Area: record card
Douglas County Wildlife Area: a DNR state wildlife area, located in Douglas County. Region on record: the DNR Northern Region. The Wisconsin DNR writes the rules on the ground. The 3,916 acres on record put it 40th of the 285 state wildlife areas we list. Base town: Solon Springs, some 4 miles away.
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 Douglas County Wildlife Area
Douglas County Wildlife Area deer unit, quota and game zones
The deer unit is DMU 101 and DMU 107, in the Northern Forest zone. The 2026 antlerless quota for those units is 120 and 2,155. For black bear this is Zone A, where hounds are legal; 1,675 permits for 2026. Turkey hunting falls under Zone 6, which had 6,001 spring permits in 2025. In Douglas County baiting is allowed, capped at 2 gallons per 40 acres.
The deer unit around Douglas County Wildlife Area
| DMU | Deer zone | Antlerless quota | Public-land bonus | Private-land bonus | Free tags per license |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 101 | Northern Forest | 120 | 0 | 0 | — |
| DMU 107 | Northern Forest | 2,155 | 4,503 | 2,891 | — |
Bear, turkey and bird zones at Douglas County Wildlife Area
| Zone | Rule | Numbers | Extra | 2025 result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear A | With hounds | 1,100 target, 1,675 permits | 11 points | 1,235 bears in 2025 |
| Wild turkey 6 | 6,001 spring tags (2025) | 23% success | 1,362 gobblers | — |
| Grouse zone A | Sep 12–Jan 3 | 5 a day | ||
| Ducks | Northern | Sep 26–Nov 24 | ||
| Geese | Northern | Sep 16–Dec 16 | ||
| Wolf zone 1 | Closed | Federally endangered |
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.
Rules on the ground at Douglas County Wildlife Area
Entry terms for Douglas County Wildlife Area
Anyone licensed can hunt and trap here in season. Watch for posted refuges and closed areas, and follow NR 45.
Wisconsin rules that follow you to Douglas County Wildlife Area
During any firearm deer season, everyone hunting except waterfowlers wears blaze orange or fluorescent pink on at least half the clothing above the waist, and on half of any cap. DNR land rule: 144 sq in of solid orange or pink on any ground blind in gun season. Leave no stand overnight south of Hwy. 64. North of the highway, two per hunter per county may stay from Sept. 1 to Jan. 31. GameReg registration is due by 5 p.m. the day after you recover the animal.
Douglas County Wildlife Area: licenses and tags
Go Wild carries every license. For antlerless deer on public ground, use a public-access tag for the right DMU.
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.
Game and bag limits at Douglas County Wildlife Area
Raccoons, foxes and coyotes, per the property record.
Furbearers
Other legal game follows the Douglas County season table below.
Species from the property record (species named by the source); bag limits from the DNR regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Every Douglas County Wildlife Area 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/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 | Metro sub-unit gun | Metro sub-unit: Superior | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 9, 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 | |
| White-tailed deer | Extended archery and crossbow | Metro sub-unit | Jan 4, 2027 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone A | Sep 9, 2026 | Sep 15, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone A | Sep 16, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone A | Oct 7, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall turkey | Turkey Zone 6 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 6 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 6 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 6 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 6 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 6 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 6 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 6 | 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.
Douglas County Wildlife Area described by the DNR
Quoted as published; nothing here is our wording.
Summer at Douglas County Wildlife Area. Photo Credit: Cathy Khalar Douglas County Wildlife Area is located between Solon Springs and Gordon in Douglas County. It is locally known as "The Bird Sanctuary." Find it 3 miles south of Solon Springs on Hwy 53 (or 3 miles north of Gordon on Hwy 53), west on County Road M about 3/4 mile, then northwest on Bird Road for about 1/4 mile to the information kiosk. The property is approximately 4,005 acres of pine barrens habitat consisting of brush prairie, warm season grasslands, small seepage lakes and wetlands woven in a mosaic across rolling topography.
This variety of open landscapes provides excellent bird-watching opportunities, vistas while hiking the North County Trail and blueberry picking along an easily accessible trail system. An extensive horseback trail system can be accessed for day use from the department parking area or overnight use with a rental of the horse stables owned by Douglas County. In April-May, there is a sharptailed grouse viewing blind available for reservation through the FOTBS to observe and photograph sharp-tailed grouse performing their spring mating rituals.
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
Harvest numbers for the country around Douglas County Wildlife Area
Forest-unit figures for 2025 stand in for a county total in Douglas County. Early 2026 registrations (archery, crossbow, youth hunt): DMU 101 56 and DMU 107 217. The DNR sampled 63 deer from Douglas County in 2025; 0 had CWD. 0 positives overall, from 1,608 deer. In 2025, Douglas County produced 145 registered bears. Figures are for the whole county unit, not Douglas County Wildlife Area alone; the DNR does not report harvest by property.
Douglas County unit harvest
| DMU | Buck | Antlerless | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 101 | 1,000 | 194 | 1,194 |
| DMU 107 | 1,429 | 977 | 2,406 |
CWD samples, Douglas County
| Year | Tested | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 | 63 | 0 |
| 2024 | 56 | 0 |
| 2023 | 60 | 0 |
| 2022 | 71 | 0 |
| 2021 | 78 | 0 |
Bears registered in Douglas County
| Season | Bears | Boars | Sows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 124 | 68 | 56 |
| 2025 | 145 | 73 | 72 |
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.
Bed, fuel and a butcher near Douglas County Wildlife Area
Where to sleep, where to buy shells, where to drop off a deer.
| Town | County | Miles | Population | Public land nearby |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solon Springs | Douglas | 4.0 mi | 679 | 122,350 |
| Gordon | Douglas | 4.1 mi | — | 111,471 |
| Minong | Washburn | 13 mi | 557 | 94,267 |
| Lake Nebagamon | Douglas | 16 mi | 1,136 | 88,730 |
Season and zone pages by county: Douglas County.
Who processes a deer from Douglas County Wildlife Area
Where to ask about Douglas County Wildlife Area
Licenses and questions for Douglas County go through 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.
Douglas County Wildlife Area and nearby public ground
Douglas County Wildlife Area at the big pin; the nearest 10 public places around it. Combined, 406,424 acres are on record.
| Public land | Type | Acres | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solon Springs | NCT area | 55 | 5.3 mi | north |
| Town of Gordon | Wildlife area | 20 | 6.1 mi | west |
| Brule St. Croix Legacy Forest | Easement land | 74,398 | 6.4 mi | east |
| Bardon Lake-Whitefish L | Fishery area | 2 | 6.6 mi | south |
| Leader Lake | Access site | 87 | 6.9 mi | south |
| Douglas | County forest | 281,853 | 8.6 mi | northwest |
| Person Lake | Fishery area | 9 | 9.1 mi | southwest |
| Brule Glacial Spillway | State natural area | 2,656 | 10.0 mi | northeast |
| Brule River | State forest | 47,314 | 11 mi | northeast |
| Cranberry Lake | Wildlife area | 30 | 14 mi | east |
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.
Shooting-hour table for Douglas County Wildlife Area
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.
| Date | Why it matters | Northern Area | Southern Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 91.84 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Douglas County Wildlife Area: nearest ranges
About 4 miles separates Douglas County Wildlife Area from Northwoods Range Inc., the nearest public map range. Club ranges within 30 miles are included.
trap, shotgun on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
Before-the-trip answers for Douglas County Wildlife Area
Is Douglas County Wildlife Area a big property?
3,916 acres in the source data.
Which town works as a base for Douglas County Wildlife Area?
Douglas County; Solon Springs, the nearest town we cover, is 4 miles away.
Which species does the record give for Douglas County Wildlife Area?
Raccoons, foxes and coyotes, plus any other season open in the county.
What deer tags work on Douglas County Wildlife Area?
It is in DMU 101 and DMU 107 (Northern Forest). This year the antlerless quota is 120 and 2,155.
How hard is a bear permit for Douglas County Wildlife Area?
Zone A; hounds may be used there.
Which zone do I apply for to hunt turkeys at Douglas County Wildlife Area?
Zone 6. Success in 2025 was 23%.
Which goose zone is Douglas County Wildlife Area in?
Ducks follow the Northern zone, Canada geese the Northern zone. Opening day for Northern Zone ducks is Sep 26.
Can I bait deer at Douglas County Wildlife Area?
Bait is allowed here with limits. No CWD-positive wild deer are on record for the county.
When does orange apply at Douglas County Wildlife Area?
Pink counts the same as orange: 50% above the waist in firearm deer seasons.
Does a Douglas County Wildlife Area deer go into GameReg?
By 5 p.m. the following day, through GameReg; bears also go to a station or online the same way.
What paperwork does Douglas County Wildlife Area need?
Gun deer ($24), archer ($24) or small game ($18) for residents; nonresident gun deer is $200.
Which public land sits closest to Douglas County Wildlife Area?
Solon Springs State North Country Trail Area (5 miles), Town of Gordon State Habitat Area (6 miles) and Brule St. Croix Legacy Forest (6 miles), each with a page here.
Is Douglas County Wildlife Area DNR, county or federal ground?
A DNR state wildlife area; the manager is the Wisconsin DNR.
Signing off on Douglas County Wildlife Area
Gates, refuges and open areas at Douglas County Wildlife Area are the manager's call; confirm them before opening day.
Sources for this page: DNR: douglas · DNR GIS · DNR: alpha; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: xulescu_g (CC BY-SA 2.0); USFWSmidwest (Public domain).