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Sawyer County, Wisconsin
Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area: the hunter's file
Deer unit DMU 109, bear and turkey zones, closures, licenses and the nearest towns and services.
Photo: aarongunnar (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area
- Parking areaParking · 2.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.4 mi from the centreDirections
- 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.
Key facts for Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area
Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area is a DNR state wildlife area in Sawyer County. The DNR files it under its Northern Region (the Northwoods). Management sits with the Wisconsin DNR. Acreage: 932, which places it 124th of 285 state wildlife areas. The closest covered town is Hayward, around 3 miles off as the crow flies. It holds 1 listed unit, linked below.
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 Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area
Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area by zone and unit
Deer: Northern Forest zone, DMU 109. 1,870 antlerless deer: the 2026 quota for the unit. Bear hunters here apply for Zone D: 6,847 applied for 2026 and 3,855 permits went out. In Zone 6 turkey hunters held 6,001 spring tags in 2025 (spring 2027 levels are not out yet). Sawyer County still allows deer baiting, up to 2 gallons per 40 acres with placement rules.
DMU figures for Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area
| Unit | Deer zone | Quota | Public-access bonus | Private bonus | Farmland per license |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 109 | Northern Forest | 1,870 | 2,715 | 5,713 | — |
Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area zone table
| Zone | Setting | Data | Also | Last season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear zone D | Dogs OK | 1,100 target, 3,855 permits | 2 points | 931 bears in 2025 |
| Turkey 6 | 6,001 spring tags (2025) | 23% success | 1,362 gobblers | — |
| Ruffed grouse A | Sep 12–Jan 3 | 5 a day | ||
| Duck | Northern | Sep 26–Nov 24 | ||
| Goose | Northern | Sep 16–Dec 16 | ||
| Wolf 3 | No hunt | Endangered status |
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.
Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area: the property description
Copied from the official listing.
Just a couple miles outside of Hayward, Wisconsin, Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area provides plenty of options for public use. Mixtures of high-ground oak, aspen forest, lowland conifer and alkaline bog give this property a lot of variety. Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area was acquired in 1946-48 for deer yard protection. At the time, there was a large amount of white cedar reproduction on the property. Several additional purchases were made in 1951, bringing the total acreage of the property to 933.
The property was logged in the 1920s, resulting in the uniform conifer cover that dominates the property. Directly south of Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area lays the town of Hayward Forest, providing additional silent sport recreational opportunities. The wildlife area also shares a western boundary with Washburn County Forest, creating a large block of land for public recreational opportunity.
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
Access, closures and licenses for Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area
Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area: open to whom, and how
Open to public hunting and trapping in state seasons with the right Wisconsin licenses. Posted refuges and closed areas are off limits, and the NR 45 state land rules apply.
Orange, stands and GameReg at Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area
Bowhunters too: when a gun deer season is on, 50% of the coat and hat must be orange or pink, unless you are hunting waterfowl. A ground blind on DNR property needs 144 sq in of orange or pink during gun deer seasons. South of Hwy. 64 every stand and blind leaves with you; north of it, two portable stands per county may stay out Sept. 1-Jan. 31. Use GameReg (online or 844-426-3734) before 5 p.m. the day after the harvest.
Tags and licenses for Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area
Licenses sell on Go Wild. On public land, antlerless deer need a public-access authorization for the unit.
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.
What Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area is made of
Together its 1 units cover 137 acres.
| Unit | Category | County | Acres | Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kissick Alkaline Bog | State natural area | Sawyer | 137 | — |
Which animals Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area lists
Game on the record for Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area: raccoons, foxes and coyotes.
Furbearers
Seasons not named here still apply if they are open in Sawyer County and the property rules allow.
Species from the property record (species named by the source); bag limits from the DNR regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Which seasons are open in Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area
Deer dates are statewide in Wisconsin; bear, turkey, grouse, cottontail and waterfowl dates follow zone lines, so only the rows for Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area 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/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/D | Sep 9, 2026 | Sep 15, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone A/D | Sep 16, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone A/D | 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 | 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.
Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area: county harvest and CWD tests
Deer harvest here is reported by Northern Forest DMU, and only 2025 exists since the 2025 boundary change. Preliminary 2026 count to Oct. 19: 222 in DMU 109. Sawyer County CWD testing (2025): 0 positives out of 60 samples. Cumulative total 0 positives in 1,917 tests. Sawyer County bear harvest, 2025: 241. Harvest and CWD figures cover Sawyer County as a whole.
Sawyer County deer by year
| DMU | Antlered | Antlerless | All |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 109 | 1,590 | 1,091 | 2,681 |
Testing for CWD, Sawyer County
| Year | Deer tested | CWD positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 4 | 0 |
| 2025 | 60 | 0 |
| 2024 | 57 | 0 |
| 2023 | 95 | 0 |
| 2022 | 81 | 0 |
| 2021 | 74 | 0 |
Bears by year, Sawyer County
| Year | Bears | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 296 | 133 | 163 |
| 2025 | 241 | 134 | 107 |
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.
Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area pinned among its neighbours
Map of Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area and the 10 nearest public places. That is 5,312 acres of public ground.
| Area | Category | Acreage | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stress Springs State Spring Ponds | Fishery area | 45 | 2.1 mi | southeast |
| Namekagon River (Remnant) | Wildlife area | 113 | 3.9 mi | southwest |
| Flat Creek | Wildlife area | 370 | 5.1 mi | south |
| Totagatic Highlands Hemlocks | State natural area | 160 | 5.3 mi | northwest |
| Big Island on Nelson | Habitat area | 104 | 5.7 mi | northeast |
| Tranus Lake | State natural area | — | 5.9 mi | west |
| Totogatic | Wildlife area | 2,661 | 6.3 mi | north |
| Namekagon River Trails End Road | Access site | 33 | 6.7 mi | southwest |
| Bean Brook | Fishery area | 1,600 | 7.8 mi | southwest |
| Mosquito Brook | Wildlife area | 226 | 7.9 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.
Towns, processors and DNR desks near Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area
Start with a town, then line up a cooler, a butcher and a mount.
| Town | County | Miles off | People | Public acres (10 mi) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hayward | Sawyer | 2.7 mi | 2,587 | 64,530 |
| Springbrook | Washburn | 9.0 mi | — | 67,368 |
| Little Round Lake | Sawyer | 9.1 mi | — | 34,951 |
| Chief Lake | Sawyer | 11 mi | — | 31,269 |
For the wider county picture: Sawyer County.
Venison, mounts and ammo near Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area
Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area: agency contacts
County service center: DNR Spooner Service Center (715-635-2101).
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.
Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area: nearest ranges
Frog Creek Washburn Cty. Forest in Washburn County is the nearest DNR-map range, 13 miles out. Two nearby club ranges follow.
rifle, trap, shotgun, handgun, smallbore rimfire on file
skeet, sporting clays, rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
First and last legal minute at Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area
Deer, bear, elk, small game and fall turkey: 30 minutes before sunrise until 20 minutes after sunset. Ducks, geese, doves and spring turkey: same start, done at sunset.
| Date | Season moment | 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 91.54 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Questions hunters raise about Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area
What type of property is Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area on the record?
It is a DNR state wildlife area, managed by the Wisconsin DNR.
What size is Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area on the record?
About 932 acres.
What is the nearest town to Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area?
Base in Hayward, 3 miles away; the ground is in Sawyer County.
Which game is named for Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area?
The property record lists raccoons, foxes and coyotes.
What is the antlerless quota at Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area?
DMU 109, part of the Northern Forest zone. Antlerless goal for 2026: 1,870.
Which bear permit zone holds Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area?
D. You need a Class A license from the drawing.
How many turkey permits go to the Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area zone?
Turkey Zone 6. 6,001 spring tags were issued there in 2025.
What waterfowl dates apply at Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area?
Duck zone: Northern; goose zone: Northern. Northern Zone ducks open Sep 26, 2026-27.
Can I put out corn for deer at Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area?
Yes, within the state limits on amount and placement. No positive wild deer recorded here.
How much orange do I wear at Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area?
During any firearm deer season: 50% of your outer clothing above the waist and 50% of any cap, blaze orange or pink. Waterfowl hunters are exempt.
When must I register a turkey from Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area?
Deer: online, phone or station by 5 p.m. next day. Turkeys: online or phone only.
Which tags work on Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area?
No special permit for most of it; buy the license on Go Wild and carry public-access antlerless tags.
Is there other public ground around Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area?
By straight-line distance: Stress Springs State Spring Ponds (2 miles), Namekagon River Fishery Area (Remnant) (4 miles) and Flat Creek Wildlife Area (5 miles).
Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area: one more look before the drive
Signs on the ground beat any web page. Read the posted boundaries at Kissick Swamp Wildlife Area when you arrive.
Sources for this page: DNR: kissick · DNR GIS · DNR: alpha; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: The Hidden Hide with Ray (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Mountain Prairie (CC BY 2.0).