Home › Wisconsin › Towns › Argonne
Argonne area, Forest County
Hunting around Argonne, Wisconsin
How far Argonne sits from wildlife areas, county forest and federal land, which DMU and zones cover Forest County, what the county registers each fall, and where to take a deer.
Photo: This is Lakewood-Laona Ranger District (Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest), 1.5 mi from town. USDA Forest Service Eastern Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Argonne is a unincorporated community (a Census-designated place) in Forest County, DNR Northern Region; Crandon is the county seat. It is the base town for Wabikon Waters Conservation Easement, whose nearest boundary lies 6 miles from the town point. Hunters bound for Little Rice Wildlife Area use Argonne as a base; the boundary is 4 miles off. 12 public properties reach inside 10 miles, together about 93,142 mapped acres. For the shortest trip, start with Campbell Springs State Spring Ponds, whose boundary is 1 mile away.
Town point, land area and population from the Census 2024 Gazetteer; public acreage and boundary distances within 10 miles are a GIS measure over the DNR managed lands layer, county forest, USFS, USFWS, NPS and DoD boundaries. Checked October 19, 2026.
Deer management around Argonne
Quota, bonus authorizations and Farmland tags for the units that cover Argonne, with the county’s CWD and bait status.
Forest County is wholly Northern Forest Zone for deer. For 2026 the antlerless quota sums to 3,820. No public-land bonus authorizations remained for DMU 124 as of October 19.
| Unit | Zone | Antlerless quota 2026 | Bonus tags at start (public / private) | Still listed Oct 19 | Free Farmland tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 124 | Northern Forest | 320 | 650 / 800 | 0 / 123 | – |
| DMU 126 | Northern Forest | 1,105 | 1,735 / 3,180 | 0 / 1,105 | – |
| DMU 120 | Northern Forest | 545 | 500 / 1,800 | 124 / 1,163 | – |
| DMU 123 | Northern Forest | 795 | 1,500 / 2,200 | 788 / 1,624 | – |
| DMU 122 | Northern Forest | 330 | 600 / 1,000 | 63 / 562 | – |
| DMU 125 | Northern Forest | 725 | 500 / 2,650 | 0 / 1,494 | – |
No deer bait or feed is allowed in Forest County. Forest County CWD testing to date: 827 wild deer sampled, 0 positives. The 2025 CWD year added 37 samples (0 positive).
Harvest here is counted by habitat unit: DMU 124 1,226 deer, DMU 126 3,288 deer and DMU 120 1,155 deer in 2025. Preliminary 2026 numbers to October 19 (archery, crossbow and youth hunt): DMU 124 103, DMU 126 278 and DMU 120 110.
Units and zones from counties.json and the DNR 2026 antlerless quota and permit table; bonus counts listed on the DNR bonus availability page on October 19; Holiday Hunt and extended archery from the DNR 2026 map; CWD from the DNR CWD county summary; baiting from the DNR baiting page; harvest from DNR Deer Metrics and the preliminary 2026 harvest page. Checked October 19, 2026.
Argonne public land, nearest first
Lands touching the 10-mile ring around Argonne come first. Anchor tags mark the areas this town was picked for.
The largest property in the ring is Lakewood-Laona Ranger District (Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest) at 343,903 acres. The closest state wildlife area is South Branch Peshtigo River State Habitat Area (463 acres). Forest County Forest is the closest forest property (1.9 mi to its line). Closest federal tract: Lakewood-Laona Ranger District (Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest). 2 State Natural Areas also fall inside 10 miles; most are small and open to hunting unless posted.
| Land | Kind | Edge | Middle | Acreage | Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Campbell Springs State Spring Ponds west | Fishery area | 1.3 mi | 1.5 mi W | 45 | – |
| Lakewood-Laona Ranger District (Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest) southeast | Ranger district | 1.5 mi | 21 mi SE | 343,903 | deer, bear, turkey |
| Forest County Forest south | County forest | 1.9 mi | 11 mi S | 15,251 | deer, bear, turkey |
| South Branch Peshtigo River State Habitat Area south | Wildlife area | 2.5 mi | 3.0 mi S | 463 | – |
| Crandon Ribbed Fen State Natural Area southwest | Natural area | 3.6 mi | 3.9 mi SW | 96 | – |
| Little Rice Wildlife Area southwest Anchor | Wildlife area | 4.1 mi | 6.7 mi SW | 2,284 | waterfowl, furbearers |
| Peterson Springs State Spring Ponds south | Fishery area | 4.4 mi | 4.6 mi S | 40 | – |
| Pine Lake State Habitat Area northwest | Wildlife area | 5.3 mi | 5.4 mi NW | 20 | – |
| Wabikon Waters Conservation Easement southeast Anchor | Easement | 5.5 mi | 7.7 mi SE | 18,219 | – |
| Eagle River-Florence Ranger District (Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest) north | Ranger district | 6.1 mi | 18 mi N | 319,429 | deer, bear, turkey |
| Pelican River Forest Conservation Easement west | Easement | 7.5 mi | 14 mi W | 67,369 | – |
| Atkins Lake and Hiles Swamp State Natural Area west | Natural area | 8.3 mi | 8.5 mi W | 830 | – |
Lands, acreage and species from DNR property pages and federal hunting pages; boundary distances inside 10 miles from places.json (DNR managed lands, county forest, USFS, USFWS, NPS and DoD layers); centre distances are straight lines from the Census point for Argonne. Checked October 19, 2026. Statewide public land map.
Where Argonne hunters take deer and buy gear
Counts cover 15 and 35 mile rings around Argonne; each group below shows the closest few businesses. Donated deer can go to Prime Choice Meat Market.
| Category | Count, 15 mi | Count, 35 mi | First stop | Located in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meat processors | 1 | 2 | Shcaefers Deer Processing 6.5 mi south | Crandon |
| Taxidermy | 0 | 8 | Bonack Safari World Taxidermy 17 mi northwest | Three Lakes |
| Guide services | 1 | 2 | Three Lakes Preserve 15 mi northwest | Three Lakes |
| Gun and archery stores | 1 | 17 | Tamarack Outfitters LLC 6.6 mi south | Crandon |
Meat processors
Taxidermy
Guide services
Gun and archery stores
Processors from the DNR deer donation list, DNR CWD sampling stations and Yellow Pages; shops from the DNR license sales locations (license-only agents left out) and Yellow Pages; guides and preserves from Yellow Pages. Checked October 19, 2026; hours were not checked.
Where Argonne hunters reach the DNR
For license help, permits and CWD questions, start with the nearest DNR service center to Argonne. Field offices see visitors by appointment only.
DNR Rhinelander Service Center, 26 mi west
Laona Office (Lakewood-Laona Ranger District), 12 mi southeast
Eagle River-Florence Ranger District Office, 25 mi northwest
From the DNR office locations and field locations pages and the federal office pages listed in services.json, checked October 19, 2026.
Opening and closing days near Argonne
Archery, the nine-day gun hunt, muzzleloader, bear, turkey, upland birds, rabbits, furbearers and the duck and goose splits for Argonne.
| 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 and disabled gun deer 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 | Statewide antlerless-only (December 4-day hunt) | Statewide | Dec 10, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear (Class A license by drawing) | Bear Zone B | Sep 9, 2026 | Sep 15, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear (Class A license by drawing) | Bear Zone B | Sep 16, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear (Class A license by drawing) | Bear Zone B | 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 (hunting and trapping) | Northern Zone (State Hwy. 64 line) | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 25, 2026 | |
| Bobcat | Bobcat Period 1 (hunting and trapping) | Southern Zone (State Hwy. 64 line) | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 25, 2026 | |
| Bobcat | Bobcat Period 2 (hunting and trapping) | Northern Zone (State Hwy. 64 line) | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Bobcat Period 2 (hunting and trapping) | Southern Zone (State Hwy. 64 line) | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Unprotected species | Unprotected species (opossum, skunk, weasel, woodchuck, porcupine, starling, English sparrow, chukar, coturnix quail, etc.) | 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.
Drawing zones that cover Argonne
Turkey authorization levels shown are the 2025 numbers; the DNR has not released spring 2027 levels.
For bear, Argonne hunters apply for Zone B. Zone B permits hound hunting. 139 bears came out of Forest County in 2025. Turkey Zone 7 covers Argonne; the DNR issued 4,401 spring authorizations there at 2025 levels (2027 levels are not out yet). Periods A-F: Apr 21 to Jun 1, 2027.
| Zone | Share | Dogs allowed | 2026 target | Drawn | Min. points | Registered 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear Zone B | 100% | Allowed | 850 | 1,545 | 11 | 851 |
| Zone | Area share | 2025 spring tags | 2025 success | 2025 spring harvest | 2025 fall harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey Zone 7 | 58% | 4,401 | 16% | 726 | 162 |
| Turkey Zone 5 | 42% | 12,008 | 20% | 2,446 | 300 |
Bear zones from counties.json (DNR layer) and the DNR bear drawing summary; bear harvest from the DNR 2025 bear harvest report; turkey from the DNR spring turkey report. Checked October 19, 2026.
Argonne: legal hunting light
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.
| Day | Season | North table | South table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 12, 2026 | Archery, fall turkey and grouse opener | 5:59 a.m. to 7:31 p.m. | 6:01 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Pheasant and duck dates | 6:43 a.m. to 6:25 p.m. | 6:42 a.m. to 6:28 p.m. |
| Nov 1, 2026 | Early November | 6:04 a.m. to 5:01 p.m. | 6:01 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer opener | 6:32 a.m. to 4:38 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 4:44 p.m. |
| Dec 1, 2026 | Muzzleloader week | 6:44 a.m. to 4:32 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 4:39 p.m. |
| Dec 24, 2026 | Holiday Hunt opener | 7:03 a.m. to 4:34 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 4:42 p.m. |
| Jan 3, 2027 | Archery close (most units) | 7:05 a.m. to 4:43 p.m. | 6:59 a.m. to 4:50 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 B offset of 4 minutes for longitude 88.88 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Closest ranges to Argonne
From Argonne, Big 4 Sportsman's Club is 17 miles away.
rifle, trap, shotgun on file
sporting clays, muzzleloader, handgun, action pistol, benchrest on file
archery, 3D archery on file
About 29 miles to Vilas County Gov't Range, the nearest range open to everyone on the DNR map.
Straight-line miles from the town center; ranges checked October 19, 2026.
Argonne hunters ask
What is the deer registration deadline near Argonne?
GameReg handles it; the deadline is 5 p.m. the day after recovery.
Where is the nearest public ground to Argonne, Wisconsin?
It is Campbell Springs State Spring Ponds, whose boundary is 1 mile away. A close second is Lakewood-Laona Ranger District (Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest).
How many public acres lie within 10 miles of Argonne?
Mapped public land within 10 miles totals about 93,142 acres. 3 of them are state wildlife or habitat areas.
Which DMU applies around Argonne?
Pick DMU 124 (or DMU 126, DMU 120, DMU 123, DMU 122 and DMU 125 where those lines apply). The DNR set its quota at 320.
Are bonus deer tags left for DMU 124?
800 private-land and 650 public-land bonus tags were set for DMU 124. Still for sale on October 19: 0 public and 123 private. Sales run through Go Wild while supplies last.
Has chronic wasting disease been found in Forest County?
827 deer tested, 0 positive. Bait and feed are not allowed in the county.
Can I hunt bear near Argonne?
Bear hunting here follows Zone B rules. Zone B drawing needed 11 preference points in 2026. County bear harvest in 2025: 139.
What turkey zone covers Forest County?
Turkey Zone 7 covers the town. At 2025 levels the zone got 4,401 spring tags; hunters succeeded 16% of the time.
When does deer camp open for Argonne hunters?
Gun deer: Nov 21 to Nov 29, 2026. Then muzzleloader to Dec 9, 2026 and antlerless-only Dec 10 to Dec 13, 2026.
When is legal shooting light at Argonne?
Use the DNR table for your side of the area line: 6:32 a.m. until 4:38 p.m. versus 6:27 a.m. until 4:44 p.m. on the opener.
Where can Argonne hunters drop off a deer?
Try Shcaefers Deer Processing in Crandon, about 7 miles off. 2 processing listings lie inside a 35-mile ring.
Which taxidermy shop is closest to Argonne?
Bonack Safari World Taxidermy in Three Lakes is the nearest. 0 listings sit inside 15 miles, 8 inside 35.
Answers drawn from the sources listed in each section above, checked October 19, 2026.
Ready to hunt from Argonne?
The DNR can adjust quotas and bonus availability during the season. Re-check Go Wild and the Forest County page before you go.
Other photos on this page: royal_broil (CC BY-SA 2.0); USDA Forest Service Eastern Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Anne Marie Peterson from Madison, WI, US (CC BY-SA 2.0); Doc Searls from Santa Barbara, USA (CC BY 2.0); PierreSelim (CC BY 3.0); Social Geek (CC BY 2.0); ianpreston (CC BY 2.0); YellowstoneNPS (Public Domain Mark 1.0).