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Hunting base, Washburn County
Hunting around Minong, Wisconsin
Minong 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: Douglas County Forest, the closest listed land we have a photo of (4.7 mi). Sank63 (CC BY 2.0)
The village of Minong belongs to Washburn County, whose seat is Shell Lake. Hunters bound for Namekagon Barrens Wildlife Area use Minong as a base; the boundary is 10 miles off. The Census Vintage 2024 estimate puts 557 people in Minong, on 1.5 square miles of land. The GIS measure finds about 94,267 public acres inside 10 miles of Minong. The first public land you reach is Washburn County Forest, whose boundary is 1 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.
Washburn County deer units near Minong
Wisconsin deer rules follow the zone and the deer management unit, so Minong hunters work the Washburn County units below.
Washburn County does not sit in a single deer zone; by area it is Northern Forest 85%, Central Farmland 15%. Buy a license, choose Washburn (Central Farmland), and 2 antlerless tags are included. The DNR set a combined antlerless quota of 9,475 for these units in 2026. Washburn County holds the antlerless-only Holiday Hunt, Dec 24, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027. Bow and crossbow seasons stretch to Jan 31, 2027 here under extended archery.
| Unit | Deer zone | Antlerless goal | Bonus at sale (pub / priv) | Unsold Oct 19 | Farmland tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 109 | Northern Forest | 1,870 | 3,200 / 6,000 | 2,715 / 5,713 | – |
| DMU 108 | Northern Forest | 2,850 | 3,750 / 7,775 | 3,017 / 7,467 | – |
| DMU 107 | Northern Forest | 2,155 | 5,650 / 3,400 | 4,503 / 2,891 | – |
| Washburn (Central Farmland) | Central Farmland | 2,600 | 350 / 2,250 | 324 / 2,235 | 2 |
Hunters in Washburn County hunt without bait, under the DNR ban (expires Nov 9, 2026 absent new cases). 4,434 Washburn County deer have gone through CWD testing since 1999 (1 positive). 2025 testing found 0 positive deer in 209 samples.
The 2025 registration for Washburn came to 1,418 deer (625 bucks, 793 antlerless). That ranks 56th among the county-named units; the 2016-2025 average is 3,759. Early-season 2026 registrations to date, preliminary: DMU 109 222, DMU 108 307 and DMU 107 217.
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 Minong
14 properties on the map and table. Pins drawn bold have a boundary inside 10 miles of Minong.
Nothing inside 10 miles outsizes Douglas County Forest, listed at 281,853 acres. For a state wildlife area from Minong, drive past the 10-mile mark. For forest hunting, Washburn County Forest comes first. Federal land also sits close: Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway (Wisconsin). Totogan Pines State Natural Area is the closest State Natural Area.
| Property | Kind | To boundary | To mapped point | Acres | Game listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washburn County Forest southeast | County forest | 1.1 mi | 10 mi SE | 150,196 | deer, bear, turkey |
| Brule St. Croix Legacy Forest north | Easement | 4.5 mi | 15 mi N | 74,398 | – |
| Douglas County Forest northwest | County forest | 4.7 mi | 19 mi NW | 281,853 | deer, bear, turkey |
| Totogatic Wild River west | Riverway or flowage | 4.9 mi | 8.5 mi W | 2,491 | – |
| Leader Lake State Public Access north | Access site | 6.6 mi | 6.9 mi N | 87 | – |
| Bardon Lake-Whitefish L Public Access north | Fishery area | 7.6 mi | 7.6 mi N | 2 | – |
| McKenzie Creek Fish and Wildlife Area south | Fishery area | 7.7 mi | 8.1 mi S | 200 | furbearers, deer, waterfowl |
| Totogan Pines State Natural Area west | Natural area | 8.1 mi | 7.9 mi W | 239 | – |
| Lampson Moraine Pines State Natural Area south | Natural area | 8.8 mi | 9.0 mi S | 119 | – |
| Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway (Wisconsin) west | Scenic riverway | 9.0 mi | 19 mi W | 20,195 | deer, waterfowl, bear |
| Brule River State Forest north | State forest | 9.1 mi | 23 mi N | 47,314 | deer, bear, waterfowl |
| Person Lake Fishery Area northwest | Fishery area | 9.1 mi | 9.1 mi NW | 9 | – |
| Whalen Creek Fish and Wildlife Area south | Fishery area | 9.8 mi | 10 mi S | 175 | furbearers |
| Tranus Lake State Natural Area southeast | Natural area | 9.9 mi | 9.8 mi SE | – | furbearers |
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 Minong. Checked October 19, 2026. Statewide public land map.
Processing and shops in reach of Minong
Businesses Minong hunters use most, grouped by trade and sorted by distance. To donate venison, Hursh Meat Processing takes deer for the DNR donation program. Zimmerman 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 east | Hayward |
| Taxidermy studios | 2 | 15 | Gram's Taxidermy Studio 12 mi southeast | Springbrook |
| Guides and preserves | 1 | 1 | Link's Wild Safaris at town north | Minong |
| Gear shops | 2 | 29 | Sportsmens Headquarters LLC 0.4 mi west | Minong |
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 Minong
These are the DNR and federal offices in reach of Minong. Call the service center before you make the trip.
DNR Spooner Service Center, 19 mi south
Hayward Office (Great Divide Ranger District), 17 mi east
DNR Hayward Field Office, 18 mi east
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 Minong
Minong sits in the Northern Forest and Central Farmland deer zone. These 40 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 | |
| White-tailed deer | Antlerless-only Holiday Hunt | Holiday Hunt: Washburn (Central Farmland) | 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 license by drawing) | Bear Zone D/A | Sep 9, 2026 | Sep 15, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear (Class A license by drawing) | Bear Zone D/A | Sep 16, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear (Class A license by drawing) | 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 (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.
Minong bear and turkey zones
Bear zones A to F and turkey zones 1 to 7 follow roads rather than county lines; Washburn County is listed by share of area.
Zone D bear rules apply around Minong; its 2026 harvest target is 1,100. Hunting bears with hounds is allowed in Zone D and A. Washburn County bear registrations for 2025: 167. Zone 6 spring hunters succeeded 23% of the time in 2025. Spring turkey, Period A through F: Apr 21 to Jun 1, 2027.
| Bear zone | County share | Dogs | Target, 2026 | Drawn, 2026 | Points | Bears, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear Zone D | 83% | Allowed | 1,100 | 3,855 | 2 | 931 |
| Bear Zone A | 17% | 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 | 66% | 6,001 | 23% | 1,362 | 336 |
| Turkey Zone 4 | 34% | 34,997 | 24% | 8,472 | 679 |
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.
Hunting hours for Minong
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 91.83 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Coming up around Minong
2 upcoming events within about 30 miles, soonest first: DU gun bingo and NWTF banquet. Retrieved October 19, 2026.
Coming up
| Dates | Name | Distance | Place | Link | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1, 2026 | Bingo for Boomsticks @ Railhouse Junction / DU gun bingo | 19 | Railhouse Junction Spooner Washburn Co. | Buy tickets | Source |
| Mar 19, 2027 | Namekagon River Gobblers NWTF Banquet / NWTF banquet | 17 | Hayward Sawyer Co. | Buy tickets | Source |
Sighting in near Minong
Three ranges closest to Minong, with the access rule on each.
rifle, trap, shotgun, handgun, smallbore rimfire on file
skeet, sporting clays, rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire on file
Straight-line miles from the town center; ranges checked October 19, 2026.
Minong hunting questions
Is deer baiting legal around Minong?
CWD positives in Washburn County to date: 1. The DNR ban on baiting and feeding applies.
What bonus antlerless availability does DMU 109 have?
Initial bonus supply in DMU 109: 3,200 public, 6,000 private. On October 19, 2,715 public and 5,713 private were still listed. Check Go Wild for live availability.
Which turkey zone is Minong in?
The county sits in Zone 6 and 4. In 2025, 23% of the 6,001 authorizations were filled.
Is Washburn County good for bear?
Zone D and A covers the county. The 2026 draw took 2 points in Zone D. The 2025 county total was 167 bears.
When does shooting time start near Minong on the gun opener?
Opening day at Minong 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.
When does the nine-day hunt open near Minong?
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. Holiday Hunt: Dec 24, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027.
Where do Minong hunters take a trophy for mounting?
Try Gram's Taxidermy Studio first (12 miles). Inside 15 miles: 2.
Where does a Minong deer go for butchering?
Start with D & E Custom Butchering & Smokehouse, 17 miles away. A 35-mile radius holds 2 listings.
Where do I check in a deer from Washburn County?
Use GameReg by 5 p.m. the day after you recover the deer. CWD sampling: Zimmerman Taxidermy.
Which license seller is nearest Minong?
Go Wild sells every license online; agents sell them in person. The nearest agent is Sportsmens Headquarters LLC, 0.4 mi away. Or visit the DNR Spooner Service Center (19 miles).
How many bucks came out of Washburn County last season?
2025: 625 bucks and 793 antlerless.
What is the total public acreage near Minong?
The 10-mile ring takes in about 94,267 public acres. 14 properties reach that close.
Answers drawn from the sources listed in each section above, checked October 19, 2026.
Before leaving Minong
The DNR regulations are the final word for hunts out of Minong.
Other photos on this page: Anne Marie Peterson from Madison, WI, US (CC BY-SA 2.0); royal_broil (CC BY-SA 2.0); aarongunnar (CC BY-SA 2.0); Doc Searls from Santa Barbara, USA (CC BY 2.0); Birding for Climate (Public domain); Greg Gilbert (CC BY 2.0); Cindy Sue Causey (CC BY 2.0); grendelkhan (CC BY-SA 2.0).