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2026-27 · County forest
Marathon County Forest, a hunter's guide
Who runs it, which deer unit and bear zone cover it, what it holds (whitetails, black bears, wild turkeys and ruffed grouse), and the public land and towns around it in Marathon County.
Photo: newagecrap (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Marathon County Forest
Parking, trailheads and gates near Marathon County Forest
- Parking areaParking · 1.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.5 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.
What the record says about Marathon County Forest
On paper it is a county forest under the County Forest Law; on the map it is in Marathon County. DNR staff of the West Central Region cover this part of west-central Wisconsin. Manager: Marathon County Forestry Department. Its 30,674 acres rank 22nd of the 30 Wisconsin county forests with an acreage on file. From Rib Mountain, our closest town page, it is roughly 3 miles to the southwest. Parent property: Wisconsin County Forest System.
From the source page (WI DNR Forest Tax report "Wisconsin County Forest Acres as of July 01, 2021" (total incl. special use lands)); region from the DNR county layer. Checked October 19, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Marathon County Forest
Marathon County Forest in the agency's words
Unedited text from the official page.
Part of the 30-county Wisconsin county forest system (more than 2.4 million acres, the largest public land ownership in the state).
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
Marathon County Forest rules and licenses
Access rules at Marathon County Forest
Hunt under state regulations and the county forest ordinance, which covers stands, blinds, ATV use and camping; closed areas come from the county office.
State law on Marathon County Forest
Orange or pink, 50% above the waist and 50% of the head covering, is the rule while gun deer seasons run; duck and goose hunters are exempt. By 5 p.m. the following day, register the deer on GameReg (online, phone or station).
Which licenses Marathon County Forest needs
Get licenses on Go Wild or at an agent. Antlerless tags are unit-specific and labelled public or private land.
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.
Marathon County Forest: DMU, bear zone and turkey zone
Deer management: Marathon, Central Farmland zone. The Natural Resources Board set 6,500 antlerless deer as the 2026 quota there. Bear Zone C has a 2026 harvest target of 875 with 4,465 Class A permits drawn; it took 2 preference points to win one. Chronic wasting disease has turned up in wild deer in Marathon County; DNR testing is free and voluntary statewide. The deer baiting ban covers Marathon County.
Deer units that cover Marathon County Forest
| Deer unit | Zone | Antlerless goal | Public tags left | Private tags left | Included tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marathon | Central Farmland | 6,500 | 950 | 3,449 | 2 |
Zones beyond deer for Marathon County Forest
| Zone | Setting | Data | Also | Last season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear C | Dogs barred | 875 target, 4,465 permits | 2 points | 663 bears in 2025 |
| Turkey zone 3 | 55,612 spring tags (2025) | 22% success | 12,324 gobblers | 1,500 fall bonus |
| Turkey zone 5 | 12,008 spring tags (2025) | 20% success | 2,446 gobblers | — |
| Turkey zone 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 | ||
| Duck zone | Northern | Sep 26–Nov 24 | ||
| Goose zone | Northern | Sep 16–Dec 16 | ||
| Wolf zone 4 | No season | Listed 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.
Marathon County Forest: species with bag limits
Listed game at Marathon County Forest: whitetails, black bears, wild turkeys, ruffed grouse, woodcock, squirrels, cottontails and hares and raccoons, foxes and coyotes.
White-tailed deer
Black bear
Wild turkey
Ruffed grouse
Woodcock
Small game
Furbearers
The Marathon County calendar below covers the rest.
Species from the property record (General county forest hunting opportunities (DNR County Forests page; WCFA grouse/woodcock management areas). Bear/elk subject to zone.); bag limits from the DNR regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Season dates that cover Marathon County Forest
Marathon County Forest sits in the Central Farmland deer zone. These 35 rows are the dated hunting segments the DNR schedule puts there, from the September archery opener into spring turkey.
| Game | Season | Applies in | Begins | Through | Right 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 C | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall turkey | Turkey Zone 3/4/5 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 3/4/5 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 3/4/5 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 3/4/5 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 3/4/5 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 3/4/5 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 3/4/5 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 3/4/5 | 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 | |
| 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.
Linked units of Marathon County Forest
It shares Wisconsin County Forest System with 29 sibling units.
Other units of Wisconsin County Forest System
| Name | Type | County | Acreage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas | County forest | Douglas | 281,853 |
| Marinette | County forest | Marinette | 229,978 |
| Bayfield | County forest | Bayfield | 175,557 |
| Iron | County forest | Iron | 175,343 |
| Washburn | County forest | Washburn | 150,196 |
| Clark | County forest | Clark | 134,742 |
| Langlade | County forest | Langlade | 130,717 |
| Jackson | County forest | Jackson | 122,685 |
| Sawyer | County forest | Sawyer | 115,196 |
| Burnett | County forest | Burnett | 111,516 |
| Lincoln | County forest | Lincoln | 100,843 |
| Price | County forest | Price | 92,294 |
| Rusk | County forest | Rusk | 89,284 |
| Oneida | County forest | Oneida | 82,960 |
| Eau Claire | County forest | Eau Claire | 52,712 |
Public property near Marathon County Forest
The large pin is Marathon County Forest; the others are the 10 closest public properties. Together they hold 47,702 acres.
| Name | Type | Size (ac) | Away | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rib Mountain Talus Forest | State natural area | 136 | 4.0 mi | north |
| Rib Mountain | State park | 1,555 | 4.1 mi | north |
| George W. Mead | Wildlife area | 32,624 | 14 mi | southwest |
| Mead Conifer Bogs | State natural area | 932 | 14 mi | southwest |
| Dewey Marsh | State natural area | 1,222 | 17 mi | southeast |
| Dewey Marsh | Wildlife area | 6,035 | 17 mi | southeast |
| Paul J. Olson | Wildlife area | 3,415 | 17 mi | south |
| Plover River | Fishery area | 1,470 | 22 mi | east |
| Plover River Woods | State natural area | 284 | 22 mi | east |
| Krueger Pines | State natural area | 29 | 22 mi | north |
Points from the DNR managed lands, SNA, county forest, FWS realty, USFS, NPS and DoD layers (WI DNR Public Land GIS, County Forests layer (polygon centroid) (point inside polygon (centroid falls outside))). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
How the land around Marathon County Forest hunts, by the numbers
Marathon County hunters registered 12,041 deer in 2025, 6,260 of them bucks. Totals swing between 9,950 and 12,152 across the years charted. 2026 so far, still changing: Marathon, 1,280. CWD sampling in Marathon County, CWD year 2025: 554 wild deer sampled, 2 positive. Overall: 5,677 samples and 8 positives. Marathon County: 98 bears in 2025. The DNR reports deer by unit, not by property: read these as the Marathon County picture.
Marathon County bucks and antlerless
| Year | Bucks | Antlerless | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6,260 | 5,781 | 12,041 |
| 2024 | 5,900 | 5,815 | 11,715 |
| 2023 | 4,941 | 5,141 | 10,082 |
| 2022 | 5,771 | 6,228 | 11,999 |
| 2021 | 5,453 | 5,314 | 10,767 |
| 2020 | 5,353 | 6,254 | 11,607 |
Marathon County CWD sampling
| Year | Sampled | Positives |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 53 | 1 |
| 2025 | 554 | 2 |
| 2024 | 535 | 1 |
| 2023 | 431 | 1 |
| 2022 | 513 | 2 |
| 2021 | 486 | 0 |
Marathon County bears
| Year | Bears registered | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 130 | 78 | 52 |
| 2025 | 98 | 55 | 43 |
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.
Marathon County Forest: on-site range
Marathon County Forest has 1 shooting range of its own.
rifle, handgun, archery on file
- Local county rules govern the range.
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
Home bases for a Marathon County Forest trip
Closest towns, measured as the crow flies, then the businesses around them.
| Town | County | Straight line | 2024 pop. | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rib Mountain | Marathon | 2.7 mi | 7,275 | 9,731 |
| Kronenwetter | Marathon | 6.6 mi | 8,435 | 20,070 |
| Wausau | Marathon | 7.5 mi | 40,262 | 6,929 |
| Knowlton | Marathon | 10 mi | — | 35,035 |
Read up on the county: Marathon County.
Taxidermy and supplies for Marathon County Forest hunters
Phone numbers for Marathon County Forest questions
The DNR service center listed for Marathon County is DNR Wausau Service Center, 715-359-4522.
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.
Marathon County Forest: legal shooting time, table by date
Big game and small game hunters get 20 minutes after sunset in Wisconsin, not 30. Waterfowl and spring gobbler hunters quit at sunset.
| Date | Hunt | Northern Area hours | Southern Area hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 89.71 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Straight answers on Marathon County Forest
Where do I register game taken on Marathon County Forest?
Register on GameReg by 5 p.m. the next day; the confirmation number starts with W.
Is there a separate permit for Marathon County Forest?
The standard license for your game; no landowner permission on public ground.
Which public properties lie near Marathon County Forest?
Three to try: Rib Mountain Talus Forest State Natural Area (4 miles), Rib Mountain State Park (4 miles) and George W. Mead Wildlife Area (14 miles).
Is Marathon County Forest its own property?
Yes, Wisconsin County Forest System.
How is Marathon County Forest classified?
County forest under the County Forest Law, under Marathon County Forestry Department.
How much land is in Marathon County Forest?
It covers 30,674 acres by the recorded figure.
Where in the state does Marathon County Forest lie?
Marathon County holds it, 3 miles from Rib Mountain.
What is Marathon County Forest hunted for?
The agency names whitetails, black bears, wild turkeys, ruffed grouse, woodcock, squirrels, cottontails and hares and raccoons, foxes and coyotes; other legal game follows the county dates.
Which deer management unit holds Marathon County Forest?
The Central Farmland zone, Marathon. Quota for 2026: 6,500 antlerless.
Is bear hunting possible at Marathon County Forest?
Zone C; hound hunting is not allowed there.
Can I turkey hunt Marathon County Forest in spring?
Zone 3; 2025 saw 12,324 birds registered in the zone.
When can I hunt ducks at Marathon County Forest?
Northern for ducks, Northern for geese. The regular Northern Zone duck season opens Sep 26.
Has CWD turned up in the county around Marathon County Forest?
The deer baiting ban applies in Marathon County. CWD: yes, in Marathon County.
Last checks on Marathon County Forest before you go
Treat this page as a starting point: the manager of Marathon County Forest has the final say on closures and maps.
Sources for this page: DNR GIS · DNR: AcreageSummary · DNR: CountyForests · WCFA: county contacts; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: btrentler (CC BY 2.0); Virginia State Parks staff (CC BY 2.0).