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Washburn County · Riverway
Hunting at Totogatic Wild River
Totogatic Wild River, 2,491 acres in Washburn and Douglas counties: zones and tags, property rules, county harvest and the land nearby.
Photo: aarongunnar (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Totogatic Wild River
Parking, trailheads and gates near Totogatic Wild River
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 3.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.7 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.
Totogatic Wild River on one card
Hunters reach Totogatic Wild River in Washburn and Douglas counties; it is a state riverway, wild river or scenic waters area. This is the Northwoods, in the DNR Northern Region. Day-to-day it is in the hands of the Wisconsin DNR. Measured at 2,491 acres, it comes in 8th of 9 riverways and wild rivers. Minong is the nearest town with a guide on this site, about 9 miles away; the land lies west of it. Below are the 2 units it contains.
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 Totogatic Wild River
Zones that take in Totogatic Wild River
Totogatic Wild River is Northern Forest deer country, unit DMU 107. Antlerless quota, 2026: 2,155. The Zone A bear quota for 2026 is 1,100, spread over 1,675 drawn permits. Zone 6 turkey numbers for 2025: 6,001 spring tags, 23% success. Wild deer with CWD have been confirmed in Washburn County.
Antlerless tags near Totogatic Wild River
| Unit | Zone | Quota 2026 | Bonus, public | Bonus, private | Farmland tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 107 | Northern Forest | 2,155 | 4,503 | 2,891 | — |
Totogatic Wild River: other game zones
| Zone | Detail | Numbers | More | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear zone A | Hounds allowed | 1,100 target, 1,675 permits | 11 points | 1,235 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 zone | Northern | Sep 26–Nov 24 | ||
| Canada goose | Northern | Sep 16–Dec 16 | ||
| Wolf 3 | No harvest | Federal listing |
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.
What Totogatic Wild River requires of hunters
Totogatic Wild River access terms
Where the managed-lands map marks it open, this DNR land takes hunters and trappers in season (NR 45).
The rule book on Totogatic Wild River
Half of your outer clothing above the waist, and half of your hat, must be blaze orange or pink whenever a firearm deer season is open (waterfowl hunters excepted). Ground blinds need a 144-square-inch orange or pink patch in gun deer seasons on DNR ground. Stands may not damage trees. North of Hwy. 64 they can stay overnight Sept. 1, 2026 to Jan. 31, 2027 (two per hunter per county); south of Hwy. 64 they come down daily. Deer and turkeys go into GameReg online or by phone by 5 p.m. the next day.
Go Wild shopping list for Totogatic Wild River
A gun deer or archery license comes with a buck authorization; antlerless deer on this land need a public-access authorization.
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.
The parts of Totogatic Wild River
2 units sit inside Totogatic Wild River, 577 acres in total.
| Name | Kind | Counties | Acres | Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| County Line Barrens and Forest | State natural area | Washburn | 338 | — |
| Totogan Pines | State natural area | Washburn | 239 | — |
What hunters pursue at Totogatic Wild River
Nothing narrows the game at Totogatic Wild River; all open seasons apply as long as the property rules are followed.
The Washburn County season table below has 40 dated rows for that reason.
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.
Totogatic Wild River: opening and closing days
From bear baiting in September to the last spring turkey period, 40 season segments apply to Totogatic Wild River.
| Species | Hunt type | Zone or unit | Opening | Closing | 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 | |
| White-tailed deer | Antlerless-only Holiday Hunt | Holiday Hunt, Washburn | Dec 24, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Extended archery and crossbow | Extended archery | Jan 4, 2027 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone D/A | Sep 9, 2026 | Sep 15, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone D/A | Sep 16, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone D/A | Oct 7, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall turkey | Turkey Zone 6/4 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 6/4 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 6/4 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 6/4 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 6/4 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 6/4 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 6/4 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 6/4 | 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.
Washburn County harvest near Totogatic Wild River
Deer registered in the Washburn County unit, 2025: 1,418. The decade peaked at 4,825 in 2017 and bottomed at 1,418 in 2025. Through Oct. 19, 2026: 98 antlered and 119 antlerless in DMU 107 (preliminary). CWD year 2025 brought 209 Washburn County samples and 0 positives. Running total since 1999: 4,434 tested. The 2025 bear count for Washburn County was 167. No harvest is published for Totogatic Wild River itself, so the county unit is the finest level.
Registered deer in the Totogatic Wild River county unit
| Year | Antlered | Antlerless | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 625 | 793 | 1,418 |
| 2024 | 1,727 | 1,326 | 3,053 |
| 2023 | 1,558 | 1,334 | 2,892 |
| 2022 | 2,505 | 2,238 | 4,743 |
| 2021 | 2,222 | 1,747 | 3,969 |
| 2020 | 2,129 | 2,021 | 4,150 |
CWD tests in Washburn County
| CWD year | Wild deer sampled | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 26 | 0 |
| 2025 | 209 | 0 |
| 2024 | 196 | 0 |
| 2023 | 180 | 0 |
| 2022 | 206 | 0 |
| 2021 | 185 | 0 |
Bear numbers near Totogatic Wild River
| Year | Total | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 254 | 136 | 118 |
| 2025 | 167 | 94 | 73 |
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.
Around Totogatic Wild River: more places to hunt
The big marker is Totogatic Wild River. Smaller ones are its 10 closest neighbours. The neighbours add 33,630 acres between them.
| Nearby | Kind | Acres | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beartrack Lake | Access site | 26 | 4.0 mi | northwest |
| Namekagon Barrens | State natural area | 6,433 | 5.6 mi | northwest |
| Namekagon Barrens | Wildlife area | 6,431 | 5.6 mi | northwest |
| Goose Lake (Burnett County) | Wildlife area | 128 | 7.4 mi | southwest |
| Person Lake | Fishery area | 9 | 8.3 mi | north |
| McKenzie Creek Fish and | Fishery area | 200 | 8.4 mi | southeast |
| Lampson Moraine Pines | State natural area | 119 | 9.4 mi | southeast |
| Leader Lake | Access site | 87 | 10 mi | northeast |
| Bardon Lake-Whitefish L | Fishery area | 2 | 10 mi | northeast |
| Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway (Wisconsin) | Scenic riverway | 20,195 | 11 mi | west |
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.
Totogatic Wild River: nearby towns and businesses
Town pages first, then shops, processors and DNR desks.
| Base town | County | Away | Residents | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minong | Washburn | 8.5 mi | 557 | 94,267 |
| Trego | Washburn | 14 mi | — | 40,446 |
| Gordon | Douglas | 15 mi | — | 111,471 |
| Springbrook | Washburn | 17 mi | — | 67,368 |
County-level hunting pages: Washburn County, Douglas County.
Shops a short drive from Totogatic Wild River
DNR desks closest to Totogatic Wild River
Service center for Washburn County business: DNR Spooner 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.
Totogatic Wild River: nearest ranges
No range sits on Totogatic Wild River; the nearest on the DNR public range map is Frog Creek Washburn Cty. Forest, about 10 miles away. Nearby rod and gun clubs round out the list.
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.
Shooting light at Totogatic Wild River by date
At Totogatic Wild River the offset is 16 minutes (Zone E). The times below already include it for both DNR shooting-hours areas.
| Day | Season | North table | South table |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 92.00 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
What people ask about hunting Totogatic Wild River
Which agency sets the rules on Totogatic Wild River?
The Wisconsin DNR treats it as a state riverway, wild river or scenic waters area.
What is inside Totogatic Wild River?
2 parts, each linked above.
Where do Totogatic Wild River hunters spend the night?
Start from Minong; the land is 9 miles off, in Washburn and Douglas counties.
What acreage is listed for Totogatic Wild River?
Roughly 2,491 acres.
Which DMU takes in Totogatic Wild River?
Deer unit DMU 107; zone Northern Forest. The 2026 antlerless quota is 2,155 (DMU 107); use a public-access antlerless tag here.
What game is legal on Totogatic Wild River?
Any species in an open season, as long as you follow the property rules.
Which turkey zone is Totogatic Wild River in?
Zone 6, one bird per spring authorization.
Which bear management zone holds Totogatic Wild River?
Bear Zone A. Zone A took 11 preference points in 2026.
Is deer baiting legal near Totogatic Wild River?
No: Washburn County bans deer baiting and feeding. Wild deer with CWD are documented in Washburn County.
What are the waterfowl zones for Totogatic Wild River?
It sits in the Northern duck and Northern goose zones. In the Northern Zone the regular duck split begins Sep 26.
How do I register a deer from Totogatic Wild River?
Through GameReg (online, phone or a station) by 5 p.m. the day after recovery.
Do I need blaze orange at Totogatic Wild River?
In any open firearm deer season, wear blaze orange or pink on at least half your coat and cap.
If Totogatic Wild River is full, where next?
Within a short drive: Beartrack Lake State Public Access (4 miles), Namekagon Barrens State Natural Area (6 miles) and Namekagon Barrens Wildlife Area (6 miles).
Check Totogatic Wild River once more
Refuges, closed areas and park windows at Totogatic Wild River can shift mid-season; the property page and the DNR map have the current picture.
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: USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0); colmmcsky (CC BY-SA 2.0).