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Island Lake Wildlife Area for Wisconsin hunters
A hunter's summary of Island Lake Wildlife Area in Rusk County: zones and quota, rules, CWD numbers and local help.
Photo: aarongunnar (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Island Lake Wildlife Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Island Lake Wildlife Area
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 1.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.0 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.
Island Lake Wildlife Area: record card
Island Lake Wildlife Area: a DNR state wildlife area, located in Rusk County. Region on record: the DNR Northern Region. The Wisconsin DNR writes the rules on the ground. The 39 acres on record put it 244th of the 285 state wildlife areas we list. Base town: Bruce, some 11 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 Island Lake Wildlife Area
Island Lake Wildlife Area deer unit, quota and game zones
The deer unit is DMU 110, in the Northern Forest zone. The 2026 antlerless quota for that unit is 1,765. For black bear this is Zone D, where hounds are legal; 3,855 permits for 2026. Turkey hunting falls under Zone 4, which had 34,997 spring permits in 2025. In Rusk County baiting is allowed, capped at 2 gallons per 40 acres.
The deer unit around Island Lake Wildlife Area
| DMU | Deer zone | Antlerless quota | Public-land bonus | Private-land bonus | Free tags per license |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 110 | Northern Forest | 1,765 | 421 | 6,419 | — |
Bear, turkey and bird zones at Island Lake Wildlife Area
| Zone | Rule | Numbers | Extra | 2025 result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear D | With hounds | 1,100 target, 3,855 permits | 2 points | 931 bears in 2025 |
| Wild turkey 4 | 34,997 spring tags (2025) | 24% success | 8,472 gobblers | 1,500 fall bonus |
| Grouse zone A | Sep 12–Jan 3 | 5 a day | ||
| Ducks | Northern | Sep 26–Nov 24 | ||
| Geese | Northern | Sep 16–Dec 16 | ||
| Wolf zone 3 | 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 Island Lake Wildlife Area
Entry terms for Island Lake 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 Island Lake 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.
Island Lake 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 Island Lake Wildlife Area
With no species list from the source, read it this way: every open Wisconsin season applies here under the property rules.
Use the Rusk County season list (39 rows) below.
Species from the property record (No species list published for this property; open seasons follow statewide/zone regulations where hunting is allowed.); bag limits from the DNR regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Every Island Lake 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 | 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 D/A | Sep 9, 2026 | Sep 15, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone D/A | Sep 16, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone D/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 6/4 | 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 | 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.
Harvest numbers for the country around Island Lake Wildlife Area
Forest-unit figures for 2025 stand in for a county total in Rusk County. Early 2026 registrations (archery, crossbow, youth hunt): DMU 110 313. The DNR sampled 53 deer from Rusk County in 2025; 0 had CWD. 0 positives overall, from 1,690 deer. In 2025, Rusk County produced 255 registered bears. Figures are for the whole county unit, not Island Lake Wildlife Area alone; the DNR does not report harvest by property.
Rusk County unit harvest
| DMU | Buck | Antlerless | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 110 | 1,787 | 1,757 | 3,544 |
CWD samples, Rusk County
| Year | Tested | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 | 53 | 0 |
| 2024 | 55 | 0 |
| 2023 | 88 | 0 |
| 2022 | 70 | 0 |
| 2021 | 68 | 0 |
Bears registered in Rusk County
| Season | Bears | Boars | Sows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 291 | 149 | 142 |
| 2025 | 255 | 128 | 127 |
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 Island Lake Wildlife Area
Where to sleep, where to buy shells, where to drop off a deer.
| Town | County | Miles | Population | Public land nearby |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bruce | Rusk | 11 mi | 754 | 23,421 |
| Holcombe | Chippewa | 14 mi | — | 26,943 |
| Ladysmith | Rusk | 17 mi | 3,187 | 3,414 |
| Jim Falls | Chippewa | 19 mi | — | 6,843 |
Season and zone pages by county: Rusk County.
Who processes a deer from Island Lake Wildlife Area
Where to ask about Island Lake Wildlife Area
Licenses and questions for Rusk 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.
Island Lake Wildlife Area and nearby public ground
Island Lake Wildlife Area at the big pin; the nearest 10 public places around it. Combined, 7,265 acres are on record.
| Public land | Type | Acres | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Potato Creek | Wildlife area | 941 | 1.5 mi | northwest |
| Ohmart Wetlands | State natural area | 717 | 4.0 mi | southwest |
| Long Lake | Wildlife area | 16 | 4.1 mi | south |
| Fish Lake | Wildlife area | 95 | 5.6 mi | west |
| Chippewa Moraine | Ice Age Trail area | 350 | 6.3 mi | southwest |
| North of North Shattuck Lake | State natural area | 603 | 6.5 mi | south |
| Washington Creek | Wildlife area | 516 | 7.0 mi | east |
| Ten Mile Creek (Rusk County) | Wildlife area | 407 | 7.1 mi | west |
| Chippewa Moraine | Recreation area | 3,551 | 7.1 mi | south |
| Chippewa Moraine Lakes | State natural area | 69 | 7.2 mi | south |
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 Island Lake 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 91.39 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Island Lake Wildlife Area: nearest ranges
About 15 miles separates Island Lake Wildlife Area from Cornell Shooting Range, the nearest public map range. Club ranges within 30 miles are included.
rifle, handgun on file
trap, sporting clays, shotgun on file
rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire, archery, silhouette on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
Before-the-trip answers for Island Lake Wildlife Area
What deer tags work on Island Lake Wildlife Area?
It is in DMU 110 (Northern Forest). This year the antlerless quota is 1,765.
How hard is a bear permit for Island Lake Wildlife Area?
Zone D; hounds may be used there.
Which zone do I apply for to hunt turkeys at Island Lake Wildlife Area?
Zone 4. Success in 2025 was 24%.
Which goose zone is Island Lake 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 Island Lake Wildlife Area?
Bait is allowed here with limits. No CWD-positive wild deer are on record for the county.
When does orange apply at Island Lake Wildlife Area?
Pink counts the same as orange: 50% above the waist in firearm deer seasons.
Does an Island Lake 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 Island Lake 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 Island Lake Wildlife Area?
Potato Creek Wildlife Area (2 miles), Ohmart Wetlands State Natural Area (4 miles) and Long Lake State Habitat Area (4 miles), each with a page here.
Is Island Lake Wildlife Area DNR, county or federal ground?
A DNR state wildlife area; the manager is the Wisconsin DNR.
Is Island Lake Wildlife Area a big property?
39 acres in the source data.
Which town works as a base for Island Lake Wildlife Area?
Rusk County; Bruce, the nearest town we cover, is 11 miles away.
Can I hunt any species on Island Lake Wildlife Area?
Every open Wisconsin season applies under the property rules; no list narrows it.
Signing off on Island Lake Wildlife Area
Gates, refuges and open areas at Island Lake Wildlife Area are the manager's call; confirm them before opening day.
Sources for this page: DNR GIS; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: GlacierNPS (Public domain); Flappy Pigeon (CC BY-SA 4.0).