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Ashland County, DNR Northern
Hunting around Mellen, Wisconsin
Public land measured from Mellen, the Ashland County deer units with their 2026 antlerless quota and bonus tags, bear and turkey zones, CWD and baiting rules, harvest, and the shops and processors closest to town.
Photo: Photo from Copper Falls State Park, a short drive (1.3 mi) from Mellen. aarongunnar (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Ashland County is home to the city of Mellen, in the Northwoods. The closest edge of Ashland County Forest sits 4 miles from Mellen, which makes it the base town. Its 2024 population estimate is 686. A 10-mile ring around Mellen takes in roughly 85,788 mapped public acres across 9 properties. At the top of the distance list is Devil's Creek State Habitat Area, whose boundary is under a mile away.
Town point, land area and population from the Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; 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.
Where Mellen hunters go on public land
Sorted by the closest boundary, then by centre-point distance. Open any property page for its own rules, closed areas and season notes.
376,517 acres make Great Divide Ranger District (Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest) the largest nearby property. 2 DNR wildlife or habitat areas reach inside 10 miles, the nearest being Devil's Creek State Habitat Area. Forest ground nearby includes Ashland County Forest and Iron County Forest. Federal options start with Great Divide Ranger District (Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest). Look at Copper Falls State Natural Area and 2 other natural areas for quiet hunts.
| Name | Owner type | Nearest edge | Point, miles | Size (ac) | Hunted for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Devil's Creek State Habitat Area southeast | Wildlife area | 0.6 mi | 0.7 mi SE | 7 | – |
| Copper Falls State Park north | State park | 1.3 mi | 3.8 mi N | 3,532 | furbearers |
| Great Divide Ranger District (Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest) southwest | Ranger district | 1.7 mi | 18 mi SW | 376,517 | deer, bear, turkey |
| Ashland County Forest southeast Main area | County forest | 3.5 mi | 5.7 mi SE | 40,305 | deer, bear, turkey |
| Copper Falls State Natural Area north | Natural area | 4.3 mi | 4.3 mi N | 746 | – |
| Town of Morse State Habitat Area north | Wildlife area | 4.5 mi | 5.1 mi N | 722 | – |
| Natural Area – Dedication east | Natural area | 4.9 mi | 48 mi E | 707 | – |
| Iron County Forest east | County forest | 5.5 mi | 21 mi E | 175,343 | deer, bear, turkey |
| Caroline Lake State Natural Area southeast | Natural area | 6.1 mi | 6.3 mi SE | 131 | deer |
| Twin Lakes Conservation Easement east | Easement | 10+ mi | 13 mi E | 13,991 | – |
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 Mellen. Checked October 19, 2026. Statewide public land map.
Ashland County bear and turkey zones near Mellen
What a Mellen hunter applies for: the bear zone and its odds, the turkey zone and recent success.
Ashland County falls in Bear Zone A; Class A bear licenses are drawn by preference point. Dogs are legal for bear in Zone A. Bear hunters took 144 bears in Ashland County during 2025. Turkey Zone 6 and 7 applies here, with 1,362 spring birds registered zone-wide in 2025. Spring 2027 runs from Apr 21, 2027 (Period A) to Jun 1, 2027 (Period F). Part of Ashland County is elk country (Northern Elk Management Zone), with a 2026 quota of 8 bulls, subject to 50% declaration by the Ojibwe tribes (ceded territory).
| Bear zone | Part of county | With hounds | Target | Permits | Points to draw | 2025 bears |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear Zone A | 100% | Allowed | 1,100 | 1,675 | 11 | 1,235 |
| Turkey zone | County share | Spring permits | Success rate | Spring birds | Fall birds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey Zone 6 | 54% | 6,001 | 23% | 1,362 | 336 |
| Turkey Zone 7 | 46% | 4,401 | 16% | 726 | 162 |
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.
Mellen: DMU, bonus tags and harvest
The unit you pick at purchase decides your free Farmland tags and which bonus tags you can buy. Ashland County units are listed here.
All of Ashland County lies in the Northern Forest deer zone. Antlerless goals for 2026 add up to 2,505 in the Ashland County units.
| Unit | Zone | Antlerless quota | Bonus authorizations (pub / priv) | Listed Oct 19 | Free tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 113 | Northern Forest | 1,155 | 1,900 / 2,750 | 1,369 / 2,244 | – |
| DMU 118 | Northern Forest | 90 | 150 / 150 | 23 / 0 | – |
| DMU 106 | Northern Forest | 710 | 650 / 2,300 | 521 / 2,092 | – |
| DMU 117 | Northern Forest | 550 | 1,000 / 1,100 | 620 / 619 | – |
Unlike most of the state, Ashland County allows limited deer baiting. Since 1999 the DNR has tested 835 wild deer from Ashland County for CWD, with 0 positive. In the 2025 CWD year, 20 were sampled and 0 tested positive.
Ashland County has no county-named deer unit; the forest units it shares registered 1,776 (DMU 113), 475 (DMU 118) and 1,250 (DMU 106) in 2025. 2026 to date, preliminary and before the gun opener: DMU 113 140, DMU 118 61 and DMU 106 113.
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.
Agency offices near Mellen
DNR service centers sell licenses and answer hunting questions at the counter, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays. The one closest to Mellen is listed first.
DNR Woodruff Service Center, 55 mi southeast
DNR Ashland Field Office, 21 mi northwest
David R. Obey Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center, 23 mi northwest
From the DNR office locations and field locations pages and the federal office pages listed in services.json, checked October 19, 2026.
Mellen processors, taxidermists and hunting shops
Wisconsin keeps no public list of taxidermist or guide permit holders, so those rows come from DNR CWD partners and directory listings. Call before you drive. Pearce's Sausage Kitchen is a DNR deer donation processor. Nearest CWD station at a business: Heritage Meats.
| Kind | 15 mi | 35 mi | Closest listing | In |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer cutting | 0 | 2 | Pearce's Sausage Kitchen 18 mi northwest | Ashland |
| Taxidermists | 0 | 7 | Lake & Sky Taxidermy 28 mi northwest | Mason |
| Preserves and guides | 1 | 1 | North Country Outfitters 4.8 mi northwest | Highbridge |
| Hunting shops | 2 | 14 | Tom's Gun & Ammo Sales at town north | Mellen |
Deer cutting
Taxidermists
Preserves and guides
Hunting 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.
Mellen: season calendar
Deer dates are statewide in Wisconsin; bear, turkey, grouse, cottontail and waterfowl dates follow zone lines, so only the rows for Mellen are listed.
| Species | Season | Where it applies | Opens | Closes | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 6/7 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 6/7 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 6/7 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 6/7 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 6/7 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 6/7 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 6/7 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 6/7 | 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.
Mellen gun ranges
Three ranges closest to Mellen, with the access rule on each.
rifle, handgun on file
archery, 3D archery on file
rifle, handgun, trap, skeet, sporting clays on file
Straight-line miles from the town center; ranges checked October 19, 2026.
Shooting hours at Mellen
The DNR tables are worked out for Zone A in the east; Mellen lies in longitude Zone D, so add 12 minutes to each table time.
| Date | Why it matters | Northern Area | Southern Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 12, 2026 | Archery, fall turkey and grouse opener | 6:07 a.m. to 7:39 p.m. | 6:09 a.m. to 7:38 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Pheasant and duck dates | 6:51 a.m. to 6:33 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 6:36 p.m. |
| Nov 1, 2026 | Early November | 6:12 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. | 6:09 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer opener | 6:40 a.m. to 4:46 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. to 4:52 p.m. |
| Dec 1, 2026 | Muzzleloader week | 6:52 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. | 6:47 a.m. to 4:47 p.m. |
| Dec 24, 2026 | Holiday Hunt opener | 7:11 a.m. to 4:42 p.m. | 7:05 a.m. to 4:50 p.m. |
| Jan 3, 2027 | Archery close (most units) | 7:13 a.m. to 4:51 p.m. | 7:07 a.m. to 4:58 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 D offset of 12 minutes for longitude 90.66 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Mellen hunting FAQ
Which shop closest to Mellen will process a whitetail?
Shortest haul: Pearce's Sausage Kitchen, 18 miles. 2 are on file within 35 miles.
What time can I shoot on opening day near Mellen?
For Nov 21, 2026, start at 6:40 a.m. and stop at 4:46 p.m. under the Northern Area table; the Southern Area table reads 6:35 a.m. to 4:52 p.m.
Can I buy a deer license in Mellen?
Use Go Wild online, or a license agent counter. Closest agent: Northland Foods LLC. The DNR Woodruff Service Center counter is 55 miles away.
Who does deer mounts for Mellen hunters?
Drive 28 miles to Lake & Sky Taxidermy. 7 taxidermy listings fall within 35 miles.
Is Ashland County in an elk zone?
Part of the county is in the Northern Elk Management Zone. Tags come from the DNR elk drawing. Season: Oct 17 to Dec 13, 2026.
How soon must a deer be registered in Wisconsin?
Deer go through GameReg by 5 p.m. the day after recovery. Heritage Meats hosts a CWD station.
What public hunting land is closest to Mellen?
Closest is Devil's Creek State Habitat Area, whose boundary is under a mile away. The next-closest property is Copper Falls State Park.
What deer unit is Ashland County?
The county’s units are DMU 113, DMU 118, DMU 106 and DMU 117. Antlerless quota, 2026: 1,155.
How many acres can Mellen hunters reach within 10 miles?
Roughly 85,788 acres inside 10 miles. The table lists 10 properties in all.
Can I bait deer near Mellen?
DNR results list 0 positives for Ashland County. Limited baiting is allowed.
Can I still buy a bonus antlerless tag near Mellen?
Bonus authorizations for DMU 113: 1,900 public and 2,750 private at the start. Left on October 19: 1,369 public, 2,244 private. Buy them in Go Wild or at a license agent, one a day.
How many spring turkey tags does the zone near Mellen get?
Ashland County is Zone 6 and 7 for turkeys. 2025: 6,001 authorizations, 23% success.
Answers drawn from the sources listed in each section above, checked October 19, 2026.
Mellen trip checklist
Before leaving Mellen, confirm your unit, your Farmland or bonus tags and the property’s closed areas.
Other photos on this page: Anne Marie Peterson from Madison, WI, US (CC BY-SA 2.0); royal_broil (CC BY-SA 2.0); BobbbyLight (CC BY 2.0); Doc Searls from Santa Barbara, USA (CC BY 2.0); Yellowstone National Park (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Olivier Bruchez (CC BY-SA 2.0); ianpreston (CC BY 2.0); Wilson Hui (CC BY 2.0).