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New Wood Wildlife Area for Wisconsin hunters
A hunter's summary of New Wood Wildlife Area in Lincoln County: zones and quota, rules, CWD numbers and local help.
Photo: ThreeIfByBike (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to New Wood Wildlife Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near New Wood Wildlife Area
- Parking areaParking · 0.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.8 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.
New Wood Wildlife Area: record card
New Wood Wildlife Area: a DNR state wildlife area, located in Lincoln County. Region on record: the DNR Northern Region. The Wisconsin DNR writes the rules on the ground. The 2,700 acres on record put it 58th of the 285 state wildlife areas we list. Base town: Rib Lake, some 13 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 New Wood Wildlife Area
New Wood Wildlife Area deer unit, quota and game zones
The deer unit is DMU 119, in the Northern Forest zone. The 2026 antlerless quota for that unit is 1,190. For black bear this is Zone A, where hounds are legal; 1,675 permits for 2026. Turkey hunting falls under Zone 4, which had 34,997 spring permits in 2025. The DNR counts Lincoln County among its CWD-affected counties. Lincoln County sits under the DNR deer baiting and feeding ban.
The deer unit around New Wood Wildlife Area
| DMU | Deer zone | Antlerless quota | Public-land bonus | Private-land bonus | Free tags per license |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 119 | Northern Forest | 1,190 | 487 | 3,743 | — |
Bear, turkey and bird zones at New Wood Wildlife Area
| Zone | Rule | Numbers | Extra | 2025 result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear A | With hounds | 1,100 target, 1,675 permits | 11 points | 1,235 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 2 | 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 New Wood Wildlife Area
Entry terms for New Wood 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 New Wood 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.
New Wood 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 New Wood Wildlife Area
Whitetails, ducks and geese and raccoons, foxes and coyotes, per the property record.
White-tailed deer
Ducks and geese
Furbearers
Other legal game follows the Lincoln County season table below.
Species from the property record (species named by the source); bag limits from the DNR regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Every New Wood 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 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.
New Wood Wildlife Area described by the DNR
Quoted as published; nothing here is our wording.
New Wood Wildlife Area is a 4,635-acre property located in the west central portion of Lincoln County. Find New Wood Wildlife Area approximately 16 miles northwest of the city of Merrill. Go west on Conservation Avenue off of County Highway E. In 1906, near the end of the pine era, A. H. Stange of Merrill realized the untapped potential of hardwood and hemlock and acquired much of the New Wood country including today's wildlife area. In 1914, 1,600 acres comprising part of the present wildlife area were transferred to the Union Land Company of Merrill and, in 1915, to the Union Tanning Co. of New Jersey.
Eastern hemlock bark played an important role in the forest and tanning industries of northern Wisconsin between 1885-1922. In 1925, the Rib Lake Lumber Co. of Taylor County bought the land and held it for their use for the next 20 years. The wildlife area was established in 1945 to protect a significant deer yard and for the management of waterfowl, forest wildlife and public hunting purposes. Early management efforts were aimed at restoring winter cover (spruce) as well as developing small flowages for waterfowl.
New Wood Wildlife Area: hunting text as published
- The wildlife area is managed to provide opportunities for public hunting, fishing, trapping and other outdoor recreation while protecting the qualities of the unique native communities and associated species found on the property.
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
Harvest numbers for the country around New Wood Wildlife Area
2025 in Lincoln County: 718 bucks, 708 antlerless, 1,426 in all. Range since 2016: 1,426 to 4,346 deer a year. Early 2026 registrations (archery, crossbow, youth hunt): DMU 119 236. The DNR sampled 152 deer from Lincoln County in 2025; 0 had CWD. 1 positives overall, from 2,880 deer. In 2025, Lincoln County produced 123 registered bears. Figures are for the whole county unit, not New Wood Wildlife Area alone; the DNR does not report harvest by property.
Lincoln County unit harvest
| Season | Bucks | Does and fawns | Registered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
CWD samples, Lincoln County
| Year | Tested | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 9 | 0 |
| 2025 | 152 | 0 |
| 2024 | 148 | 0 |
| 2023 | 164 | 0 |
| 2022 | 166 | 0 |
| 2021 | 219 | 0 |
Bears registered in Lincoln County
| Season | Bears | Boars | Sows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Bed, fuel and a butcher near New Wood Wildlife Area
Where to sleep, where to buy shells, where to drop off a deer.
| Town | County | Miles | Population | Public land nearby |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rib Lake | Taylor | 13 mi | 913 | 34,287 |
| Merrill | Lincoln | 15 mi | 9,445 | 6,590 |
| Tomahawk | Lincoln | 16 mi | 3,390 | 41,459 |
| Westboro | Taylor | 17 mi | — | 30,070 |
Season and zone pages by county: Lincoln County.
Who processes a deer from New Wood Wildlife Area
Where to ask about New Wood Wildlife Area
Licenses and questions for Lincoln County go through 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.
New Wood Wildlife Area and nearby public ground
New Wood Wildlife Area at the big pin; the nearest 10 public places around it. Combined, 139,878 acres are on record.
| Public land | Type | Acres | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camp 27 | Ice Age Trail area | 1,929 | 1.7 mi | west |
| Tomahawk Timberlands (new Wood Trct) | Easement land | 16,923 | 4.0 mi | southwest |
| Knob Creek | Ice Age Trail area | 141 | 4.0 mi | west |
| Taylor | County forest | 17,728 | 5.8 mi | west |
| Bill Cross | Wildlife area | 1,520 | 7.6 mi | southeast |
| Spirit Falls | Wildlife area | 489 | 9.7 mi | north |
| Marimor | Ice Age Trail area | 17 | 10 mi | west |
| Rib River | Fishery area | 224 | 11 mi | southwest |
| Parallel Ridges | Ice Age Trail area | 64 | 13 mi | east |
| Lincoln | County forest | 100,843 | 13 mi | north |
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 New Wood 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 | 6:03 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 89.94 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
New Wood Wildlife Area: nearest ranges
About 20 miles separates New Wood Wildlife Area from Village of Athens Sporting Range, the nearest public map range. Club ranges within 30 miles are included.
rifle, handgun, archery on file
trap, archery, shotgun on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
Before-the-trip answers for New Wood Wildlife Area
How hard is a bear permit for New Wood Wildlife Area?
Zone A; hounds may be used there.
Which zone do I apply for to hunt turkeys at New Wood Wildlife Area?
Zone 4. Success in 2025 was 24%.
Which goose zone is New Wood 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 New Wood Wildlife Area?
No bait or feed in Lincoln County. The county list for CWD includes Lincoln County.
When does orange apply at New Wood Wildlife Area?
Pink counts the same as orange: 50% above the waist in firearm deer seasons.
Does a New Wood 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 New Wood 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 New Wood Wildlife Area?
Camp 27 State Ice Age Trail Area (2 miles), Tomahawk Timberlands Conservation Easement (new Wood Trct) (4 miles) and Knob Creek State Ice Age Trail Area (4 miles), each with a page here.
Is New Wood Wildlife Area DNR, county or federal ground?
A DNR state wildlife area; the manager is the Wisconsin DNR.
Is New Wood Wildlife Area a big property?
2,700 acres in the source data.
Which town works as a base for New Wood Wildlife Area?
Lincoln County; Rib Lake, the nearest town we cover, is 13 miles away.
Which species does the record give for New Wood Wildlife Area?
Whitetails, ducks and geese and raccoons, foxes and coyotes, plus any other season open in the county.
What deer tags work on New Wood Wildlife Area?
It is in DMU 119 (Northern Forest). This year the antlerless quota is 1,190.
Signing off on New Wood Wildlife Area
Gates, refuges and open areas at New Wood Wildlife Area are the manager's call; confirm them before opening day.
Sources for this page: DNR: Newwood · DNR GIS · DNR: alpha; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Yellowstone National Park (Public domain); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region (Public domain).