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Forest County · DNR Northern Region
Hunting around Laona, Wisconsin
A trip sheet for hunters based in Laona: the nearest public ground with acres and miles, 2026-27 season dates for Forest County, DNR shooting hours and local services.
Photo: Photo of Lakewood-Laona Ranger District (Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest) (0.4 mi from Laona), not the town itself. USDA Forest Service Eastern Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
In Forest County, Laona is a unincorporated community (a Census-designated place) in the Northwoods. Wild Rivers/pine Popple Conservation Easement is the reason Laona is listed: its closest line is 7 miles away. Laona was picked as the gateway to Wabikon Waters Conservation Easement, 0 miles to the line. Draw 10 miles around town and you cover some 111,180 acres of public ground (5 listed). The nearest option is Wabikon Waters Conservation Easement, whose boundary is under a 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.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Laona
Distance from Laona to open public ground
Every property whose boundary falls inside 10 miles of Laona is listed first, nearest line first; after that come the mapped lands farther out, by distance to their centre point.
By size, Lakewood-Laona Ranger District (Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest) leads the 10-mile list with 343,903 acres. The 10-mile ring around Laona holds no DNR wildlife area. County and state forest land: Wabikon Waters Conservation Easement and Forest County Forest. Federal ground in the ring: Lakewood-Laona Ranger District (Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest).
| Property | Category | Boundary miles | Centre miles | Acres | Species named |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wabikon Waters Conservation Easement northwest Base area | Easement | 0.3 mi | 4.4 mi NW | 18,219 | – |
| Lakewood-Laona Ranger District (Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest) south | Ranger district | 0.4 mi | 9.9 mi S | 343,903 | deer, bear, turkey |
| Forest County Forest west | County forest | 6.4 mi | 12 mi W | 15,251 | deer, bear, turkey |
| Wild Rivers/pine Popple Conservation Easement northeast Base area | Riverway or flowage | 7.4 mi | 21 mi NE | 58,828 | – |
| Camp One Springs Conservation Easement Area southeast | Easement | 8.0 mi | 8.3 mi SE | 80 | – |
| Peterson Springs State Spring Ponds west | Fishery area | farther out | 10 mi W | 40 | – |
| South Branch Peshtigo River State Habitat Area west | Wildlife area | farther out | 11 mi W | 463 | – |
| Hemlock Springs State Habitat Area southwest | Wildlife area | farther out | 11 mi SW | 154 | – |
| Lily Lake State Public Access southwest | Fishery area | farther out | 12 mi SW | 46 | – |
| Crandon Ribbed Fen State Natural Area west | Natural area | farther out | 13 mi W | 96 | – |
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 Laona. Checked October 19, 2026. Statewide public land map.
Laona deer unit, quota and CWD
Deer around Laona: the zone, the units and their 2026 quotas, then CWD testing and registered harvest.
For deer, Laona and the rest of Forest County are Northern Forest Zone. The Forest County units carry a 2026 antlerless quota of 3,820. By October 19 the public bonus tags in DMU 124 were gone.
| DMU | Zone | 2026 quota | Initial bonus (pub / priv) | Available Oct 19 | Farmland tags per license |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | – |
Baiting deer is illegal here: Forest County is one of the 60 ban counties. Cumulative CWD results for Forest County: 0 positive out of 827 sampled. For CWD year 2025: 0 positive of 37.
2025 registrations for the forest units covering Forest County: DMU 124 1,226, DMU 126 3,288 and DMU 120 1,155. The DNR’s preliminary 2026 count, posted October 19, shows 103 in DMU 124, 278 in DMU 126 and 110 in DMU 120; it will change.
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.
Laona area season dates, 2026-27
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 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.
Laona hunter services by distance
Gas stations and hardware stores that only sell licenses are left out of the shop list; it holds gun, archery, outdoor and chain sporting stores. Closest deer donation site: Prime Choice Meat Market (36 mi).
| Type | Inside 15 | Inside 35 | Nearest one | Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Processing shops | 1 | 1 | Shcaefers Deer Processing 11 mi west | Crandon |
| Mounts | 1 | 8 | Compound Taxidermy 15 mi southeast | Athelstane |
| Game farms and guides | 0 | 2 | Three Lakes Preserve 27 mi northwest | Three Lakes |
| Outdoor stores | 1 | 12 | Tamarack Outfitters LLC 11 mi west | Crandon |
Processing shops
Mounts
Game farms and guides
Outdoor 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.
Laona: bear, turkey and elk
Bear preference points, permits drawn and harvest by zone, followed by the spring turkey picture.
Bear Zone B covers 100% of Forest County, where 1,545 licenses were drawn for 2026. Bear hounds: allowed in Zone B. County-level bear harvest, 2025: 139. For spring turkey, Forest County is Zone 7 and 5, where hunters registered 726 birds in spring 2025. Spring 2027 periods A to F run Apr 21 to Jun 1, 2027.
| Bear zone | Share of county | Hounds | 2026 target | Permits drawn 2026 | Points needed | Zone harvest 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear Zone B | 100% | Allowed | 850 | 1,545 | 11 | 851 |
| Turkey zone | Part of county | Tags issued 2025 | Hunter success | Spring registered | Fall registered |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
When you can shoot at Laona
At Laona the offset is 4 minutes (Zone B). The times below already include it for both DNR shooting-hours areas.
| Date | Hunt | Northern Area hours | Southern Area hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 88.67 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Laona: DNR and federal contacts
Agency offices closest to Laona: the DNR service center, then any field, Forest Service or refuge office within 40 miles.
DNR Rhinelander Service Center, 37 mi west
Laona Office (Lakewood-Laona Ranger District), in town
Lakewood Office (Lakewood-Laona Ranger District), 20 mi southeast
From the DNR office locations and field locations pages and the federal office pages listed in services.json, checked October 19, 2026.
Practice lines near Laona
Big 4 Sportsman's Club is closest, about 20 miles from Laona.
rifle, trap, shotgun on file
trap, sporting clays, rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire on file
rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire, muzzleloader on file
Straight-line miles from the town center; ranges checked October 19, 2026.
Things Laona hunters often ask about
What are deer shooting hours near Laona?
Legal light on the gun opener near Laona opens at 6:27 a.m. in the Southern Area and 6:32 a.m. in the Northern Area; closing is 4:44 p.m. and 4:38 p.m.
When is gun deer season near Laona?
It opens Nov 21, 2026 and closes Nov 29, 2026. The December antlerless-only hunt is Dec 10 to Dec 13, 2026, after muzzleloader week.
Can I get a buck mounted near Laona?
Compound Taxidermy (Athelstane) is nearest at 15 miles. The 35-mile count is 8.
Is there a venison processor close to Laona?
Shcaefers Deer Processing (Crandon) is 11 miles from town. Within 35 miles: 1.
How do Laona hunters register game?
Register through GameReg by 5 p.m. the day after recovery, online or by phone.
Does Laona have a Go Wild license agent?
Go Wild online, or in person at an agent. 4 agents within 15 miles; the nearest is True North Energy #864. DNR Rhinelander Service Center sells them at the counter, 37 miles out.
How much public hunting land surrounds Laona?
Close to 111,180 acres sit inside a 10-mile radius. That spreads over 5 properties.
How far is Laona from a wildlife area or forest?
Start with Wabikon Waters Conservation Easement, whose boundary is under a mile away. Lakewood-Laona Ranger District (Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest) follows.
How many bonus antlerless tags were offered near Laona?
For DMU 124 the DNR offered 650 public-land and 800 private-land bonus tags. By October 19, 0 public-land tags remained. They are sold first-come in Go Wild.
Which deer unit should Laona hunters choose?
DNR lists DMU 124, DMU 126, DMU 120, DMU 123, DMU 122 and DMU 125 for Forest County. Quota for 2026: 320.
Where does Laona fall on the bear zone map?
The county is Zone B for bear. In 2026 the minimum to draw Zone B was 11 points. In 2025 the county produced 139 bears.
What are the CWD and bait rules near Laona?
Since 1999: 0 positive wild deer in Forest County. It is a baiting and feeding ban county.
Answers drawn from the sources listed in each section above, checked October 19, 2026.
Finishing the Laona plan
Wear blaze orange or pink during firearm deer seasons and register every deer through GameReg by 5 p.m. the next day.
Other photos on this page: Anne Marie Peterson from Madison, WI, US (CC BY-SA 2.0); USDA Forest Service Eastern Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0); royal_broil (CC BY-SA 2.0); Doc Searls from Santa Barbara, USA (CC BY 2.0); USFWS/Southeast (Public domain); Jim, the Photographer (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Headquarters (CC BY 2.0); Chris Bowman (CC BY 2.0).