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MFL open land, Wisconsin
Managed Forest Law Open Lands hunting notes
883,583 acres of MFL open land in Adams, Ashland, Barron, Bayfield and 58 more counties, with 2026-27 zones, quotas, rules, CWD testing and a map.
Photo: BobbbyLight (CC BY 2.0)
Managed Forest Law Open Lands, by its record
Count Managed Forest Law Open Lands among the open-land programs of Adams, Ashland, Barron, Bayfield and 58 more counties. Private landowners / WI DNR Forest Tax Program manages the land. Area: 883,583 acres.
From the source page (WI DNR "Managed Forest Law 2026 Acreage Summary Report by Municipality" (run 2/12/2026): State Total open acres (entered 1987-2004 + entered 2005 and after)); region from the DNR county layer. Checked October 19, 2026.
Managed Forest Law Open Lands parcel by parcel
Open MFL land in 2026: 883,583 acres; closed or not open: the rest of 3,487,545. Counties with the most open MFL land: Oneida, Forest and Sawyer. Open status can change every year; check the DNR Private Forest Lands for Recreation map before each season.
| County | Orders | Open acres | Total acres | Open share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oneida | 1,508 | 113,718 | 192,720 | 59% |
| Forest | 952 | 80,464 | 119,766 | 67% |
| Sawyer | 696 | 78,863 | 115,335 | 68% |
| Douglas | 476 | 75,778 | 100,439 | 75% |
| Iron | 627 | 60,483 | 87,617 | 69% |
| Price | 1,561 | 57,805 | 147,359 | 39% |
| Lincoln | 2,046 | 57,578 | 162,528 | 35% |
| Ashland | 722 | 47,317 | 79,931 | 59% |
| Florence | 620 | 46,786 | 78,444 | 60% |
| Langlade | 1,482 | 39,395 | 125,531 | 31% |
| Rusk | 840 | 38,257 | 87,618 | 44% |
| Bayfield | 774 | 32,562 | 66,759 | 49% |
| Marinette | 1,780 | 25,855 | 131,347 | 20% |
| Washburn | 852 | 17,518 | 70,013 | 25% |
| Adams | 1,445 | 16,274 | 90,614 | 18% |
| Vilas | 448 | 14,134 | 36,635 | 39% |
| Taylor | 1,013 | 13,065 | 71,848 | 18% |
| Marathon | 2,115 | 8,040 | 115,628 | 7% |
| Jackson | 861 | 6,568 | 59,390 | 11% |
| Dunn | 1,031 | 5,042 | 59,163 | 9% |
| Clark | 1,161 | 4,415 | 68,386 | 6% |
| Eau Claire | 544 | 4,249 | 32,990 | 13% |
| Wood | 846 | 4,085 | 53,001 | 8% |
| Oconto | 1,158 | 3,708 | 61,085 | 6% |
| Burnett | 464 | 3,602 | 29,522 | 12% |
| Juneau | 894 | 3,016 | 50,544 | 6% |
| Barron | 742 | 2,740 | 40,684 | 7% |
| Polk | 828 | 2,665 | 48,429 | 6% |
| Chippewa | 414 | 2,579 | 28,215 | 9% |
| Crawford | 786 | 1,766 | 48,610 | 4% |
| Door | 408 | 1,634 | 16,275 | 10% |
| Monroe | 957 | 1,424 | 55,181 | 3% |
| Grant | 408 | 1,154 | 24,697 | 5% |
| Shawano | 1,895 | 1,126 | 98,641 | 1% |
| Waushara | 926 | 1,072 | 44,944 | 2% |
| Trempealeau | 1,011 | 1,039 | 59,893 | 2% |
| Vernon | 1,320 | 938 | 69,992 | 1% |
| Portage | 1,126 | 924 | 55,570 | 2% |
| St. Croix | 354 | 828 | 14,708 | 6% |
| Sauk | 1,033 | 800 | 51,374 | 2% |
| Pierce | 590 | 722 | 26,890 | 3% |
| Pepin | 379 | 582 | 20,372 | 3% |
| Richland | 1,236 | 391 | 71,302 | 1% |
| Manitowoc | 368 | 368 | 13,104 | 3% |
| Marquette | 450 | 272 | 23,262 | 1% |
| Iowa | 895 | 255 | 49,998 | 1% |
| La Crosse | 694 | 240 | 40,085 | 1% |
| Sheboygan | 150 | 198 | 4,504 | 4% |
| Lafayette | 162 | 178 | 6,933 | 3% |
| Rock | 125 | 163 | 3,586 | 5% |
| Brown | 105 | 158 | 3,700 | 4% |
| Green | 162 | 153 | 5,438 | 3% |
| Walworth | 47 | 151 | 1,659 | 9% |
| Waupaca | 1,784 | 144 | 82,748 | 0% |
| Columbia | 474 | 100 | 21,507 | 0% |
| Dane | 448 | 54 | 16,207 | 0% |
| Outagamie | 442 | 45 | 18,921 | 0% |
| Ozaukee | 28 | 40 | 723 | 6% |
| Waukesha | 45 | 37 | 1,136 | 3% |
| Dodge | 64 | 30 | 1,858 | 2% |
| Buffalo | 1,563 | 24 | 98,460 | 0% |
| Washington | 108 | 10 | 2,660 | 0% |
| Calumet | 90 | 0 | 2,760 | 0% |
| Fond du Lac | 97 | 0 | 2,809 | 0% |
| Green Lake | 61 | 0 | 2,533 | 0% |
| Jefferson | 84 | 0 | 2,241 | 0% |
| Kenosha | 15 | 0 | 543 | 0% |
| Kewaunee | 198 | 0 | 7,578 | 0% |
| Menominee | 1 | 0 | 315 | 0% |
| Racine | 25 | 0 | 954 | 0% |
| Winnebago | 46 | 0 | 1,335 | 0% |
From the source, DNR, DNR. Checked October 19, 2026.
Hunting Managed Forest Law Open Lands within the rules
Who may hunt Managed Forest Law Open Lands
MFL/FCL land designated "open" is open to the public for hunting, fishing, hiking, sightseeing and cross-country skiing only, without landowner permission. Closed status can change every year; check the DNR Private Forest Lands for Recreation map. Vehicles, camping and permanent stands need landowner permission.
Statewide rules that reach Managed Forest Law Open Lands
Wisconsin asks for 50% blaze orange or fluorescent pink above the waist in firearm deer seasons, archers included, waterfowlers not. Registration through GameReg closes at 5 p.m. on the day after recovery.
Managed Forest Law Open Lands license list
Residents often take the Conservation Patron, which bundles the hunting licenses. Antlerless tags on public land must be public-access tags.
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.
Managed Forest Law Open Lands: the game on record
The source names whitetails, black bears, wild turkeys, ruffed grouse, squirrels, cottontails and hares and raccoons, foxes and coyotes for Managed Forest Law Open Lands.
White-tailed deer
Black bear
Wild turkey
Ruffed grouse
Small game
Furbearers
Every other open season that reaches Oneida County applies too, within the property rules.
Species from the property record (Hunting in general under state seasons (no species list published).); bag limits from the DNR regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Oneida County hunting dates, fall 2026 to spring 2027
20 species and 38 segments reach Oneida County. The last column compares each one with today.
| Quarry | Season | Zone | From | To | Status 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 B/A | Sep 9, 2026 | Sep 15, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone B/A | Sep 16, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone B/A | Oct 7, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall turkey | Turkey Zone 7/5 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 7/5 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 7/5 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 7/5 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 7/5 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 7/5 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 7/5 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 7/5 | 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.
Deer, bears and CWD around Managed Forest Law Open Lands
In CWD year 2025, 437 Oneida County deer were tested and 5 came back positive. Since 1999: 5,365 sampled, 14 positive. Bear hunters registered 151 bears in Oneida County in 2025. County figures come from Oneida, the county with the most Managed Forest Law Open Lands acres. Property-level harvest does not exist for Managed Forest Law Open Lands; county numbers stand in.
CWD results near Managed Forest Law Open Lands
| CWD year | Sampled | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 36 | 1 |
| 2025 | 437 | 5 |
| 2024 | 361 | 3 |
| 2023 | 421 | 0 |
| 2022 | 443 | 1 |
| 2021 | 466 | 0 |
Bear table, Oneida County
| Season | Total bears | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 144 | 79 | 65 |
| 2025 | 151 | 79 | 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.
Where Managed Forest Law Open Lands hunters stay and shop
Every town listed has a hunting guide of its own on this site.
County hunting overviews: Adams County, Ashland County, Barron County, Bayfield County, Brown County, Buffalo County, Burnett County, Chippewa County, Clark County, Columbia County.
Managed Forest Law Open Lands: businesses in the area
Offices that answer for Managed Forest Law Open Lands
Oneida County is served by the DNR Rhinelander 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.
DNR shooting hours for Managed Forest Law Open Lands
Wisconsin prints its shooting hours as tables. For deer, bear, elk, small game and fall turkey the day runs from 30 minutes before sunrise to 20 minutes after sunset; migratory birds and spring turkey stop at sunset.
| When | Event | North | South |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 12, 2026 | Bow, turkey, grouse opener | 6:03 a.m. to 7:35 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 7:34 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Pheasant and duck dates | 6:47 a.m. to 6:29 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 6:32 p.m. |
| Nov 1, 2026 | Early November | 6:08 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer opener | 6:36 a.m. to 4:42 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. to 4:48 p.m. |
| Dec 1, 2026 | Muzzleloader week | 6:48 a.m. to 4:36 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 4:43 p.m. |
| Dec 24, 2026 | Holiday Hunt opener | 7:07 a.m. to 4:38 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 4:46 p.m. |
| Jan 3, 2027 | Archery close (most units) | 7:09 a.m. to 4:47 p.m. | 7:03 a.m. to 4:54 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 C offset of 8 minutes for longitude 89.53 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Managed Forest Law Open Lands: the questions that come up
Whose property is Managed Forest Law Open Lands?
Private landowners / WI DNR Forest Tax Program oversees this private forest land open to the public under the Managed Forest Law.
How do I get permission to hunt Managed Forest Law Open Lands?
A regular Wisconsin license from Go Wild (gun deer $24 for residents); antlerless deer need a public-access tag.
In which counties is Managed Forest Law Open Lands found?
Parcels lie in Adams, Ashland, Barron, Bayfield and 58 more counties.
How many acres does Managed Forest Law Open Lands cover?
883,583 acres, per WI DNR "Managed Forest Law 2026 Acreage Summary Report by Municipality" (run 2/12/2026): State Total open acres (entered 1987-2004 + entered 2005 and after).
Does the baiting ban cover Managed Forest Law Open Lands?
Banned in Adams, Barron, Buffalo and Chippewa counties. Adams, Buffalo, Chippewa and Clark counties has had CWD-positive wild deer.
Which animals are listed at Managed Forest Law Open Lands?
6 groups on the list: whitetails, black bears, wild turkeys, ruffed grouse, squirrels, cottontails and hares and raccoons, foxes and coyotes.
Is there a check station for Managed Forest Law Open Lands?
Use GameReg online or call 844-426-3734 by 5 p.m. the day after.
What does the orange rule mean at Managed Forest Law Open Lands?
Yes, 50% orange or pink above the waist from the youth deer hunt through the Holiday Hunt.
Managed Forest Law Open Lands: confirm on the ground
A last look before the drive: the Managed Forest Law Open Lands map, your Go Wild licenses and any posted closures.
Sources for this page: DNR: MFLAcreSummaryMun · DNR: private · DNR: MFL; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Shenandoah National Park (Public Domain Mark 1.0); USDAgov (Public domain).