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Hunting base, Bayfield County
Hunting around Cable, Wisconsin
Cable in the Northwoods: public hunting land in reach, the county’s zones and quotas, recent deer harvest and the processors, taxidermists and gun shops nearby.
Photo: Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway (Wisconsin), the closest listed land we have a photo of (at town). Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States (CC BY-SA 2.0)
The unincorporated community (a Census-designated place) of Cable belongs to Bayfield County, whose seat is Washburn. Hunters bound for Washburn Ranger District (Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest) use Cable as a base; the boundary is 3 miles off. No listed town sits closer to Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway (Wisconsin); its line runs into Cable. The GIS measure finds about 100,523 public acres inside 10 miles of Cable. The first public land you reach is Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway (Wisconsin), which reaches the edge of town.
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.
Bayfield County deer units near Cable
Wisconsin deer rules follow the zone and the deer management unit, so Cable hunters work the Bayfield County units below.
Northern Forest Zone rules apply county-wide in Bayfield. The DNR set a combined antlerless quota of 5,415 for these units in 2026.
| Unit | Deer zone | Antlerless goal | Bonus at sale (pub / priv) | Unsold Oct 19 | Farmland tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 103 | Northern Forest | 470 | 450 / 1,600 | 55 / 1,425 | – |
| DMU 102 | Northern Forest | 925 | 1,350 / 2,500 | 404 / 1,718 | – |
| DMU 113 | Northern Forest | 1,155 | 1,900 / 2,750 | 1,369 / 2,244 | – |
| DMU 106 | Northern Forest | 710 | 650 / 2,300 | 521 / 2,092 | – |
| DMU 107 | Northern Forest | 2,155 | 5,650 / 3,400 | 4,503 / 2,891 | – |
Bayfield County is outside the baiting and feeding ban; the DNR limits still apply. 2,155 Bayfield County deer have gone through CWD testing since 1999 (0 positive). 2025 testing found 0 positive deer in 84 samples.
Forest-unit totals for 2025 (Bayfield County area): DMU 103 1,134, DMU 102 2,184 and DMU 113 1,776. Early-season 2026 registrations to date, preliminary: DMU 103 50, DMU 102 184 and DMU 113 140.
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.
Wisconsin public land closest to Cable
13 properties on the map and table. Pins drawn bold have a boundary inside 10 miles of Cable.
Nothing inside 10 miles outsizes Great Divide Ranger District (Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest), listed at 376,517 acres. 3 wildlife or habitat areas lie within 10 miles, starting with Big Brook State Habitat Area. For forest hunting, Bayfield County Forest comes first. Federal land also sits close: Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway (Wisconsin). Lake Helane State Natural Area is the closest State Natural Area.
| Property | Kind | To boundary | To mapped point | Acres | Game listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway (Wisconsin) west Anchor area | Scenic riverway | at town | 45 mi W | 20,195 | deer, waterfowl, bear |
| Bayfield County Forest northwest | County forest | 1.1 mi | 21 mi NW | 175,557 | deer, bear, turkey |
| Big Brook State Habitat Area west | Habitat area | 1.6 mi | 1.6 mi W | 10 | – |
| Sawyer County Forest southeast | County forest | 3.0 mi | 38 mi SE | 115,196 | deer, bear, turkey |
| Washburn Ranger District (Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest) north Anchor area | Ranger district | 3.2 mi | 18 mi N | 205,368 | deer, bear, turkey |
| Totagatic Lake Wildlife Area west | Wildlife area | 4.9 mi | 6.4 mi W | 978 | deer, bear, waterfowl |
| Lake Helane State Natural Area southeast | Natural area | 5.5 mi | 6.0 mi SE | 391 | – |
| Great Divide Ranger District (Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest) east | Ranger district | 5.8 mi | 19 mi E | 376,517 | deer, bear, turkey |
| Totagatic Lake and Forest State Natural Area southwest | Natural area | 5.9 mi | 5.7 mi SW | 886 | – |
| Uhrenholdt Memorial Timber Demonstration Forest southwest | Demo forest | 6.1 mi | 6.4 mi SW | 123 | – |
| Town of Spider Lake State Habitat Area southeast | Wildlife area | 7.1 mi | 7.2 mi SE | 42 | – |
| McDermott Brook Fishery Area southwest | Fishery area | 8.5 mi | 8.8 mi SW | 148 | – |
| Dead Creek Springs Fishery Area south | Fishery area | 9.8 mi | 10 mi S | 84 | – |
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 Cable. Checked October 19, 2026. Statewide public land map.
Processing and shops in reach of Cable
Businesses Cable hunters use most, grouped by trade and sorted by distance. To donate venison, Pearce's Sausage Kitchen takes deer for the DNR donation program. Timberghost Taxidermy is the nearest business with a DNR CWD station.
| Kind | Listings 15 mi | Listings 35 mi | Nearest business | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venison processing | 0 | 2 | D & E Custom Butchering & Smokehouse 17 mi southwest | Hayward |
| Taxidermy studios | 4 | 12 | Wall Hanger Taxidermy 1.0 mi southwest | Cable |
| Guides and preserves | 0 | 2 | Link's Wild Safaris 26 mi west | Minong |
| Gear shops | 8 | 28 | Hunters General Store 9.3 mi north | Drummond |
Venison processing
Taxidermy studios
Guides and preserves
Gear shops
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.
DNR counters near Cable
These are the DNR and federal offices in reach of Cable. Call the service center before you make the trip.
DNR Spooner Service Center, 39 mi southwest
Hayward Office (Great Divide Ranger District), 16 mi southwest
DNR Hayward Field Office, 17 mi southwest
From the DNR office locations and field locations pages and the federal office pages listed in services.json, checked October 19, 2026.
2026-27 seasons for hunters in Cable
Cable sits in the Northern Forest deer zone. These 39 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 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 A | Sep 9, 2026 | Sep 15, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear (Class A license by drawing) | Bear Zone A | Sep 16, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear (Class A license by drawing) | Bear Zone A | Oct 7, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Elk | Elk (archery, crossbow and firearm) | Northern Elk Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall turkey | Turkey Zone 6 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 6 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 6 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 6 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 6 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 6 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 6 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 6 | 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.
Cable bear and turkey zones
Bear zones A to F and turkey zones 1 to 7 follow roads rather than county lines; Bayfield County is listed by share of area.
Zone A bear rules apply around Cable; its 2026 harvest target is 1,100. Hunting bears with hounds is allowed in Zone A. Bayfield County bear registrations for 2025: 185. Zone 6 spring hunters succeeded 23% of the time in 2025. Spring turkey, Period A through F: Apr 21 to Jun 1, 2027. Bayfield County touches the Northern Elk Management Zone (the former Clam Lake Elk Range); the 2026 quota is 8 bulls, subject to 50% declaration by the Ojibwe tribes (ceded territory).
| Bear zone | County share | Dogs | Target, 2026 | Drawn, 2026 | Points | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear Zone A | 100% | Allowed | 1,100 | 1,675 | 11 | 1,235 |
| Turkey zone | Share of county | Spring tags 2025 | Spring success 2025 | Spring harvest 2025 | Fall harvest 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey Zone 6 | 100% | 6,001 | 23% | 1,362 | 336 |
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; elk from the DNR elk page. Checked October 19, 2026.
Hunting hours for Cable
Wisconsin prints its shooting hours as tables. For deer, bear, elk, small game and fall turkey the day runs from 30 minutes before sunrise to 20 minutes after sunset; migratory birds and spring turkey stop at sunset.
| Date | Season moment | Northern Area | Southern Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 12, 2026 | Archery, fall turkey and 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 91.29 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Coming up around Cable
A 30-mile circle around Cable takes in 1 upcoming event. Types: NWTF banquet.
Coming up
| Dates | Name | Distance | Place | Link | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 19, 2027 | Namekagon River Gobblers NWTF Banquet / NWTF banquet | 16 | Hayward Sawyer Co. | Buy tickets | Source |
Sighting in near Cable
Three ranges closest to Cable, with the access rule on each.
trap, skeet, shotgun, sporting clays, handgun on file
sporting clays, shotgun on file
rifle, handgun, archery, trap, shotgun on file
Straight-line miles from the town center; ranges checked October 19, 2026.
Cable hunting questions
What is the total public acreage near Cable?
The 10-mile ring takes in about 100,523 public acres. 13 properties reach that close.
Is there public hunting land right next to Cable?
Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway (Wisconsin), which reaches the edge of town. Bayfield County Forest ranks second by distance.
What bonus antlerless availability does DMU 103 have?
Initial bonus supply in DMU 103: 450 public, 1,600 private. On October 19, 55 public and 1,425 private were still listed. Check Go Wild for live availability.
What DMU do I pick for hunting near Cable?
Bayfield County is covered by DMU 103, DMU 102, DMU 113, DMU 106 and DMU 107, in the Northern Forest zone. Its 2026 antlerless quota is 470.
Is Bayfield County good for bear?
Zone A covers the county. The 2026 draw took 11 points in Zone A. The 2025 county total was 185 bears.
Is deer baiting legal around Cable?
CWD positives in Bayfield County to date: 0. Baiting stays legal here, with limits.
When does the nine-day hunt open near Cable?
The firearm season is Nov 21 to Nov 29, 2026. Muzzleloader follows, Nov 30 to Dec 9, 2026, then the antlerless-only hunt Dec 10 to Dec 13, 2026.
Which turkey zone is Cable in?
The county sits in Zone 6. In 2025, 23% of the 6,001 authorizations were filled.
Where does a Cable deer go for butchering?
Start with D & E Custom Butchering & Smokehouse, 17 miles away. A 35-mile radius holds 2 listings.
When does shooting time start near Cable on the gun opener?
Opening day at Cable runs 6:44 a.m. to 4:50 p.m. north of the area line, or 6:39 a.m. to 4:56 p.m. south of it.
Which license seller is nearest Cable?
Go Wild sells every license online; agents sell them in person. The nearest agent is Hunters General Store, 9.3 mi away. Or visit the DNR Spooner Service Center (39 miles).
Where do Cable hunters take a trophy for mounting?
Try Wall Hanger Taxidermy first (1 mile). Inside 15 miles: 4.
Answers drawn from the sources listed in each section above, checked October 19, 2026.
Before leaving Cable
The DNR regulations are the final word for hunts out of Cable.
Other photos on this page: Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States (CC BY-SA 2.0); Anne Marie Peterson from Madison, WI, US (CC BY-SA 2.0); royal_broil (CC BY-SA 2.0); Doc Searls from Santa Barbara, USA (CC BY 2.0); Cindy Sue Causey (CC BY 2.0); Social Geek (CC BY 2.0); Yellowstone National Park (Public Domain Mark 1.0); NPS Natural Resources (Public Domain Mark 1.0).