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Menard Island Resource Area hunting guide
Everything we could verify about Menard Island Resource Area: acreage, zones, property rules, harvest around it and nearby ground.
Photo: ThreeIfByBike (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Menard Island Resource Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Menard Island Resource Area
- Parking areaParking · 2.5 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.
The short version on Menard Island Resource Area
In Lincoln and Oneida counties you will find Menard Island Resource Area, a DNR-managed property. On the DNR map it belongs to the Northern Region. The managing body is the Wisconsin DNR. At 1,667 acres it sits 1st by area in a field of 6 DNR properties. About 7 miles northeast of Tomahawk.
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 Menard Island Resource Area
Menard Island Resource Area: what is allowed
How access works on Menard Island Resource Area
Check the DNR public access lands map: the open parcels of this DNR land can be hunted and trapped in season.
Menard Island Resource Area: rules from the regulations
From the October youth hunt through the Holiday Hunt, blaze orange or pink covers half of your upper clothing and cap. Mark a ground blind with 144 square inches of blaze orange or pink while firearm deer seasons run. Tree stands: no tree damage, ID on unattended stands, overnight only north of Hwy. 64 during Sept. 1-Jan. 31. Register deer, turkeys and bears through GameReg by 5 p.m. the day after recovery.
What Menard Island Resource Area costs in licenses
Buy through Go Wild; the free Farmland tags and bonus tags are marked public-access or private-land, and only public-access ones work here.
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.
Tags and zones for Menard Island Resource Area
For deer it lies in the Northern Forest zone (DMU 119). This season the unit quota is 1,190 antlerless deer. Zone B bear permits took 11 preference points in 2026; the target is 850 bears. The 2025 spring level for Turkey Zone 5 was 12,008 authorizations; 2,446 birds were registered. Lincoln and Oneida counties: CWD found in wild deer, and a CWD-positive deer earns a replacement authorization. No deer bait or feed: Lincoln and Oneida counties are a ban county.
Menard Island Resource Area: antlerless quota and bonus tags
| Deer unit | Zone | 2026 quota | Public bonus left | Private bonus left | Free farmland tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 119 | Northern Forest | 1,190 | 487 | 3,743 | — |
Every other zone Menard Island Resource Area touches
| Zone | Detail | Figures | Points or note | Taken |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black bear B | Hounds legal | 850 target, 1,545 permits | 11 points | 851 bears in 2025 |
| Turkey zone 5 | 12,008 spring tags (2025) | 20% success | 2,446 gobblers | — |
| Grouse A | Sep 12–Jan 3 | 5 a day | ||
| Duck zone | Northern | Sep 26–Nov 24 | ||
| Goose zone | Northern | Sep 16–Dec 16 | ||
| Gray wolf zone 2 | No season | Federally listed |
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.
Quarry and limits, Menard Island Resource Area
Menard Island Resource Area has no species list on record. Any season open in Lincoln County is fair game, subject to the property rules.
Below: 39 season rows for Lincoln County.
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.
Menard Island Resource Area season calendar, 2026-27
Archery, the nine-day gun hunt, muzzleloader, bear, turkey, upland birds, rabbits, furbearers and the duck and goose splits for Menard Island Resource Area.
| Game | Hunt | Zone | First day | Last day | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 C | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 13, 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 4/5 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 4/5 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 4/5 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 4/5 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 4/5 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 4/5 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 4/5 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 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 | |
| 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.
Nearest public ground to Menard Island Resource Area, mapped
10 more properties lie close to Menard Island Resource Area, shown with smaller pins. Acres across them: 7,385.
| Neighbour | Type | Acres | Miles off | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lily Lake | State natural area | 80 | 2.0 mi | west |
| Woodboro Lakes | Wildlife area | 3,299 | 7.5 mi | north |
| Willow Flowage Scenic Waters Area Dick Steffes Unit | Riverway | 2,031 | 9.3 mi | northwest |
| Bearskin | State trail | 638 | 9.6 mi | northwest |
| Rice River Flowage | Wildlife area | 330 | 9.6 mi | west |
| Lower Tomahawk River Pines | State natural area | 242 | 9.7 mi | northwest |
| Swamp Lake | Fishery area | 56 | 12 mi | northwest |
| Prairie River | Ice Age Trail area | 17 | 12 mi | south |
| Germain Hemlocks | State natural area | 91 | 14 mi | north |
| Enterprise Hemlocks | State natural area | 601 | 14 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) (point inside polygon (centroid falls outside))). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Registered deer and bears near Menard Island Resource Area
The 2025 registered deer total for the Lincoln County unit was 1,426 (718 antlered). 2017 was the busiest year shown (4,346 deer) and 2025 the leanest (1,426). The 2026 season to date shows 236 deer in DMU 119; the DNR calls it preliminary. 152 samples, 0 positive: that is Lincoln County in CWD year 2025. All years combined: 1 of 2,880. 123 bears came out of Lincoln County in 2025. These numbers describe the county around Menard Island Resource Area, not the property alone.
Deer registered near Menard Island Resource Area
| Year | Bucks registered | Antlerless registered | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 718 | 708 | 1,426 |
| 2024 | 1,930 | 1,207 | 3,137 |
| 2023 | 1,694 | 1,107 | 2,801 |
| 2022 | 2,278 | 1,538 | 3,816 |
| 2021 | 1,860 | 1,048 | 2,908 |
| 2020 | 1,664 | 1,258 | 2,922 |
Lincoln County CWD by year
| CWD year | Samples | Positives |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 9 | 0 |
| 2025 | 152 | 0 |
| 2024 | 148 | 0 |
| 2023 | 164 | 0 |
| 2022 | 166 | 0 |
| 2021 | 219 | 0 |
Lincoln County bear harvest
| Year | Bear harvest | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 142 | 63 | 79 |
| 2025 | 123 | 54 | 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.
Menard Island Resource Area: nearest ranges
No range sits on Menard Island Resource Area; the nearest on the DNR public range map is C.W. Caywood Memorial Shooting Range, about 30 miles away. Closer club options sit beside it.
rifle, handgun, trap, shotgun on file
archery, 3D archery on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
Towns, offices and services around Menard Island Resource Area
Towns, then services in this county and the next one over.
| Town | County | Distance | People | Public acres, 10 mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomahawk | Lincoln | 6.5 mi | 3,390 | 41,459 |
| Rhinelander | Oneida | 11 mi | 8,286 | 45,679 |
| Lake Tomahawk | Oneida | 20 mi | — | 71,243 |
| Summit Lake | Langlade | 22 mi | — | 82,723 |
Our county write-ups: Lincoln County, Oneida County.
Butchers, mounts and gun counters near Menard Island Resource Area
Service centers near Menard Island Resource Area
For Lincoln County, the DNR points to its 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.
When the shooting day opens and closes at Menard Island Resource Area
The DNR tables are worked out for Zone A in the east; Menard Island Resource Area lies in longitude Zone C, so add 8 minutes to each table time.
| Day | Reason | Northern table | Southern table |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 89.59 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Menard Island Resource Area in questions and answers
Is Menard Island Resource Area forest or farmland deer country?
DMU 119 in the Northern Forest zone. The unit quota stands at 1,190 antlerless deer this year.
Is there a game list for Menard Island Resource Area?
The record lists none, which means all open seasons, within the property rules.
Is Menard Island Resource Area good turkey ground?
Apply for Zone 5; spring periods A-F run in 2027 from April 21.
Are hounds allowed for bear at Menard Island Resource Area?
Bear Zone B: 1,545 permits drawn for 2026.
What are the CWD and bait rules for Menard Island Resource Area?
Deer bait is illegal in Lincoln and Oneida counties. Lincoln and Oneida counties: CWD-positive deer on record.
Is Menard Island Resource Area in the northern or southern duck zone?
Northern duck zone and Northern goose zone. First regular duck day in the Northern Zone: Sep 26.
How fast must I register a kill on Menard Island Resource Area?
GameReg by 5 p.m. the day after you recover the animal.
Can pink replace orange at Menard Island Resource Area?
Yes while gun deer seasons are open; half your upper clothing and hat in orange or fluorescent pink.
What neighbours Menard Island Resource Area?
Closest first: Lily Lake State Natural Area (2 miles), Woodboro Lakes Wildlife Area (8 miles) and Willow Flowage Scenic Waters Area – Dick Steffes Unit (9 miles).
Is a permit required for Menard Island Resource Area?
Your Wisconsin license is enough; residents pay $24 for gun deer, $18 for small game.
How large is Menard Island Resource Area, in acres?
Acreage on record: 1,667.
Who is the land manager for Menard Island Resource Area?
The Wisconsin DNR manages it; the land is a DNR-managed property.
How far is the drive from Tomahawk to Menard Island Resource Area?
Lincoln and Oneida counties, roughly 7 miles out of Tomahawk.
Menard Island Resource Area, final notes
Print the Menard Island Resource Area map, carry your tags, and check the manager page the week you go.
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: Fort McCoy (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Virginia State Parks staff (CC BY 2.0).