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Great Divide Ranger District (Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest) for Wisconsin hunters
A hunter's summary of Great Divide Ranger District (Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest) in Ashland, Bayfield and Sawyer counties: zones and quota, rules, CWD numbers and local help.
Photo: wackybadger (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Great Divide Ranger District (Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest)
Parking, trailheads and gates near Great Divide Ranger District (Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest)
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 1.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 1.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 2.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 5.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 5.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 6.1 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.
Great Divide Ranger District: record card
Great Divide Ranger District (Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest): a ranger district of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, located in Ashland, Bayfield and Sawyer counties. Region on record: the DNR Northern Region. The USDA Forest Service writes the rules on the ground. The 376,517 acres on record put it 1st of the 5 ranger districts we list. Base town: Clam Lake, some 2 miles away. Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest is the larger unit around it.
From the source page (USFS EDW Lands Area Statistics: National Forest System land in the district (GIS acres)); region from the DNR county layer. Checked October 19, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Great Divide Ranger District (Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest)
Great Divide Ranger District deer unit, quota and game zones
The deer unit is DMU 113, DMU 118 and DMU 111, in the Northern Forest zone. The 2026 antlerless quota for those units is 1,155, 90 and 685. 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 Ashland, Bayfield and Sawyer counties baiting is allowed, capped at 2 gallons per 40 acres.
The deer unit around Great Divide Ranger District
| DMU | Deer zone | Antlerless quota | Public-land bonus | Private-land bonus | Free tags per license |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 113 | Northern Forest | 1,155 | 1,369 | 2,244 | — |
| DMU 118 | Northern Forest | 90 | 23 | 0 | — |
| DMU 111 | Northern Forest | 685 | 576 | 2,184 | — |
Bear, turkey and bird zones at Great Divide Ranger District
| 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 | — |
| Wild turkey 7 | 4,401 spring tags (2025) | 16% success | 726 gobblers | — |
| Grouse zone A | Sep 12–Jan 3 | 5 a day | ||
| Ducks | Northern | Sep 26–Nov 24 | ||
| Geese | Northern | Sep 16–Dec 16 | ||
| Elk zone | Northern (Clam Lake Elk Range) | 8 bulls, subject to 50% declaration by the Ojibwe tribes (ceded territory) | Public land approximately 68% | |
| Wolf zone 1/1B | 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 Great Divide Ranger District
Entry terms for Great Divide Ranger District
Wisconsin licenses and seasons apply. No motor vehicles behind berms or gates, no highway vehicles on ATV trails, no screws in live trees, no shooting on or across forest roads.
Wisconsin rules that follow you to Great Divide Ranger District
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. GameReg registration is due by 5 p.m. the day after you recover the animal.
Great Divide Ranger District: 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 Great Divide Ranger District
Whitetails, black bears, wild turkeys, ruffed grouse, woodcock, ducks and geese, squirrels, cottontails and hares, raccoons, foxes and coyotes and elk, per the property record.
White-tailed deer
Black bear
Wild turkey
Ruffed grouse
Woodcock
Ducks and geese
Small game
Furbearers
Elk
Other legal game follows the Ashland 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 Great Divide Ranger District 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 | Muzzleloader | Statewide | Nov 30, 2026 | Dec 9, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | December antlerless hunt | Statewide | Dec 10, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| 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 | |
| Elk | Elk, all weapons | 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 | 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.
Great Divide Ranger District and the land it belongs with
Parent property: Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, which has 5 listed parts.
The rest of Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest
| Page | Type | County | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lakewood-Laona | Ranger district | Forest, Langlade | 343,903 |
| Eagle River-Florence | Ranger district | Florence, Forest | 319,429 |
| Medford-Park Falls | Ranger district | Price, Taylor | 281,708 |
| Washburn | Ranger district | Bayfield | 205,368 |
Harvest numbers for the country around Great Divide Ranger District
Forest-unit figures for 2025 stand in for a county total in Ashland County. Early 2026 registrations (archery, crossbow, youth hunt): DMU 113 140, DMU 118 61 and DMU 111 140. The DNR sampled 20 deer from Ashland County in 2025; 0 had CWD. 0 positives overall, from 835 deer. In 2025, Ashland County produced 144 registered bears. Figures are for the whole county unit, not Great Divide Ranger District alone; the DNR does not report harvest by property.
Ashland County unit harvest
| DMU | Buck | Antlerless | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 113 | 990 | 786 | 1,776 |
| DMU 118 | 384 | 91 | 475 |
| DMU 111 | 779 | 587 | 1,366 |
CWD samples, Ashland County
| Year | Tested | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 2 | 0 |
| 2025 | 20 | 0 |
| 2024 | 18 | 0 |
| 2023 | 18 | 0 |
| 2022 | 18 | 0 |
| 2021 | 24 | 0 |
Bears registered in Ashland County
| Season | Bears | Boars | Sows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 147 | 83 | 64 |
| 2025 | 144 | 75 | 69 |
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 Great Divide Ranger District
Where to sleep, where to buy shells, where to drop off a deer.
| Town | County | Miles | Population | Public land nearby |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clam Lake | Ashland | 1.7 mi | — | 173,265 |
| Glidden | Ashland | 16 mi | — | 89,026 |
| Mellen | Ashland | 18 mi | 686 | 85,788 |
| Cable | Bayfield | 19 mi | — | 100,523 |
Season and zone pages by county: Ashland County, Bayfield County, Sawyer County.
Who processes a deer from Great Divide Ranger District
Where to ask about Great Divide Ranger District
Licenses and questions for Ashland County go through the DNR Woodruff 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.
Great Divide Ranger District and nearby public ground
Great Divide Ranger District at the big pin; the nearest 10 public places around it. Combined, 49,590 acres are on record.
| Public land | Type | Acres | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clam Lake | Fishery area | 8 | 2.2 mi | north |
| Town of Spider Lake | Wildlife area | 42 | 14 mi | west |
| Dead Creek Springs | Fishery area | 84 | 15 mi | west |
| Lake Helane | State natural area | 391 | 16 mi | west |
| Chief River | Wildlife area | 1,186 | 17 mi | southwest |
| Ashland | County forest | 40,305 | 18 mi | northeast |
| Devil's Creek | Wildlife area | 7 | 18 mi | northeast |
| Eighteenmile Creek | Wildlife area | 38 | 18 mi | northwest |
| Mud Callahan | Wildlife area | 93 | 19 mi | southwest |
| Chippewa Flowage | Riverway | 7,436 | 19 mi | southwest |
Points from the DNR managed lands, SNA, county forest, FWS realty, USFS, NPS and DoD layers (USFS EDW Ranger Districts (district boundary centroid) (polygon centroid)). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Shooting-hour table for Great Divide Ranger District
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 | 6:07 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 90.91 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Great Divide Ranger District (Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest): nearest ranges
The DNR-map range closest to Great Divide Ranger District (Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest) is Cable Rod & Gun Club (18 miles). Club ranges within 30 miles are included.
trap, skeet, shotgun, sporting clays, handgun on file
sporting clays, shotgun on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
Before-the-trip answers for Great Divide Ranger District
What deer tags work on Great Divide Ranger District?
It is in DMU 113, DMU 118 and DMU 111 (Northern Forest). This year the antlerless quota is 1,155, 90 and 685.
How hard is a bear permit for Great Divide Ranger District?
Zone A; hounds may be used there.
Which zone do I apply for to hunt turkeys at Great Divide Ranger District?
Zone 6. Success in 2025 was 23%.
Which goose zone is Great Divide Ranger District 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 Great Divide Ranger District?
Bait is allowed here with limits. No CWD-positive wild deer are on record for the county.
When does orange apply at Great Divide Ranger District?
Pink counts the same as orange: 50% above the waist in firearm deer seasons.
Does a Great Divide Ranger District 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 Great Divide Ranger District need?
Gun deer ($24), archer ($24) or small game ($18) for residents; nonresident gun deer is $200.
Which public land sits closest to Great Divide Ranger District?
Clam Lake Fishery Area (2 miles), Town of Spider Lake State Habitat Area (14 miles) and Dead Creek Springs Fishery Area (15 miles), each with a page here.
What does Great Divide Ranger District belong to?
A piece of Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.
Is Great Divide Ranger District DNR, county or federal ground?
The USDA Forest Service treats it as a ranger district of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.
Is Great Divide Ranger District a big property?
376,517 acres in the source data.
Which town works as a base for Great Divide Ranger District?
Ashland, Bayfield and Sawyer counties; Clam Lake, the nearest town we cover, is 2 miles away.
Signing off on Great Divide Ranger District
Gates, refuges and open areas at Great Divide Ranger District are the manager's call; confirm them before opening day.
Sources for this page: USFS EDW · USFS EDW · USFS: about area · USFS: hunting shooting · USFS: hayward office; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Social Geek (CC BY 2.0); USFWS/Southeast (Public domain).