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Langlade County hunting town
Hunting around Post Lake, Wisconsin
From Post Lake out to the closest DNR properties, plus the Langlade County deer unit, bonus antlerless availability, CWD testing, bear and turkey zones and nearby taxidermists.
Photo: Pictured: Langlade County Forest, 0.5 mi from Post Lake. aarongunnar (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Post Lake sits in Langlade County, one of the counties the DNR handles from its Northern Region. Of the towns around Langlade County Forest, Post Lake is the nearest base, 0 miles from its edge. The closest edge of Pelican River Forest Conservation Easement sits 2 miles from Post Lake, which makes it the base town. Mapped public acreage inside 10 miles comes to about 75,672, spread over 14 properties. Closest of all is Langlade County Forest, 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 Post Lake
Post Lake to the nearest wildlife areas and forests
The boundary column is the straight-line distance from Post Lake to the closest edge of each property; the centre column runs to its mapped point, so a big forest can begin far short of that number.
Langlade County Forest (130,717 acres) is the biggest piece of public ground inside 10 miles. For DNR wildlife area hunting, Rolling Stone Lake State Habitat Area is first, with 1 more in the ring. 4 forest properties in the ring, led by Langlade County Forest. State Natural Areas nearby: Hunting River Alders State Natural Area and Swamp Creek Fen State Natural Area.
| Area | Type | Line | Point | Acres | Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Langlade County Forest southwest Why listed | County forest | 0.5 mi | 24 mi SW | 130,717 | deer, bear, turkey |
| Upper Wolf River Fishery Area southeast | Fishery area | 1.3 mi | 6.5 mi SE | 9,205 | deer, bear, turkey |
| Knoke Spring State Spring Ponds south | Fishery area | 2.3 mi | 2.4 mi S | 21 | – |
| Pelican River Forest Conservation Easement north Why listed | Easement | 2.3 mi | 13 mi N | 67,369 | – |
| Hunting River Alders State Natural Area southwest | Natural area | 3.3 mi | 3.3 mi SW | 150 | – |
| Swamp Creek Fen State Natural Area northeast | Natural area | 4.5 mi | 4.6 mi NE | 80 | – |
| Bishop Lake State Public Access northeast | Fishery area | 4.8 mi | 4.9 mi NE | 21 | – |
| Martin Springs State Spring Ponds east | Fishery area | 7.0 mi | 7.2 mi E | 71 | – |
| Rolling Stone Lake State Habitat Area east | Wildlife area | 7.7 mi | 7.7 mi E | 19 | – |
| Forest County Forest northeast | County forest | 8.0 mi | 10 mi NE | 15,251 | deer, bear, turkey |
| Peters Marsh Wildlife Area south | Wildlife area | 8.8 mi | 9.9 mi S | 1,770 | furbearers |
| Wabikon Waters Conservation Easement northeast | Easement | 9.2 mi | 20 mi NE | 18,219 | – |
| Crystal Springs Rearing Station south | Fishery area | 9.3 mi | 9.5 mi S | 30 | – |
| Eau Claire River Fishery Area south | Fishery area | 9.8 mi | 10.0 mi S | 42 | deer, waterfowl, 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 Post Lake. Checked October 19, 2026. Statewide public land map.
Bear, turkey and elk zones for Post Lake
Bear and spring turkey licenses are zone-based draws, so the zone lines decide what you apply for.
The county lies in Bear Zone B and C; applicants needed 11 preference points to draw Zone B in 2026. Hound hunters can run bears in Zone B. In 2025, 169 bears were registered in Langlade County. Spring authorizations are zone- and period-specific; Zone 5 had 12,008 in 2025. The six spring periods span Apr 21 to Jun 1, 2027.
| Zone | Of county | Hound hunting | Harvest goal 2026 | Licenses drawn | Min. points | 2025 harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear Zone B | 78% | Allowed | 850 | 1,545 | 11 | 851 |
| Bear Zone C | 22% | Not allowed | 875 | 4,465 | 2 | 663 |
| Zone | Share | Spring authorizations | Success | Spring total | Fall total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey Zone 5 | 98% | 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.
Deer rules for hunters in Post Lake
How many antlerless deer the DNR wants taken near Post Lake, how many bonus tags were offered, and what the county registers.
Deer zone lines cross Langlade County: Northern Forest 61%, Central Farmland 39% by area. 2 Farmland antlerless tags come with every deer license for Langlade (Central Farmland). DNR quota math for 2026 puts 4,735 antlerless deer on these units. DMU 126 showed zero public-land bonus tags left on October 19.
| Deer unit | Zone | Quota | Bonus offered (public / private) | Left on Oct 19 | Tags with license |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 123 | Northern Forest | 795 | 1,500 / 2,200 | 788 / 1,624 | – |
| Langlade (Central Farmland) | Central Farmland | 1,100 | 750 / 3,300 | 723 / 3,253 | 2 |
| DMU 126 | Northern Forest | 1,105 | 1,735 / 3,180 | 0 / 1,105 | – |
| DMU 119 | Northern Forest | 1,190 | 1,250 / 4,650 | 487 / 3,743 | – |
| DMU 120 | Northern Forest | 545 | 500 / 1,800 | 124 / 1,163 | – |
The baiting and feeding ban covers Langlade County. The county’s wild deer have been sampled 2,176 times for CWD; 1 came back positive. Last CWD year (2025) the county sent in 145 samples, 0 positive.
Hunters registered 2,007 deer in the Langlade unit in 2025: 905 bucks and 1,102 antlerless. Average from 2016 to 2025: 3,310 deer; 2025 rank: 53rd. So far in 2026 (preliminary, early seasons only): DMU 123 135, Langlade (Central Farmland) 161 and DMU 126 278.
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.
Wildlife offices closest to Post Lake
Walk-in help for Post Lake hunters comes from the DNR service center listed first; the others handle their own properties.
DNR Rhinelander Service Center, 21 mi northwest
DNR Antigo Field Office, 19 mi south
Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest Headquarters, 22 mi northwest
From the DNR office locations and field locations pages and the federal office pages listed in services.json, checked October 19, 2026.
Venison, mounts and gear near Post Lake
Phone, map and website buttons appear where the source listed them. Hours were not checked. Arrowood's Wildside (26 mi) is on the DNR list of places to donate deer.
| Service | Close (15 mi) | Wider (35 mi) | Closest | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer processors | 1 | 4 | Shcaefers Deer Processing 13 mi northeast | Crandon |
| Taxidermy shops | 0 | 16 | Taxidermist 17 mi south | Antigo |
| Licensed guides, preserves | 0 | 1 | Three Lakes Preserve 22 mi north | Three Lakes |
| Sporting goods | 1 | 28 | Tamarack Outfitters LLC 13 mi northeast | Crandon |
Deer processors
Taxidermy shops
Licensed guides, preserves
Sporting goods
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.
Open and upcoming seasons at Post Lake
From bear baiting in September to the last spring turkey period, 39 season segments apply to Post Lake.
| Species | Hunt type | Zone or unit | Opening | Closing | 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 C | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 13, 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 5 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 5 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 5 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 5 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 5 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 5 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 5 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 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.
Post Lake gun ranges
The three nearest listed ranges, in straight-line miles from Post Lake.
sporting clays, muzzleloader, handgun, action pistol, benchrest on file
archery, 3D archery on file
rifle, trap, shotgun on file
Straight-line miles from the town center; ranges checked October 19, 2026.
Post Lake shooting time on key dates
Big game and small game hunters get 20 minutes after sunset in Wisconsin, not 30. Waterfowl and spring gobbler hunters quit at sunset.
| When | Event | North | South |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 12, 2026 | Archery, fall turkey and grouse opener | 6:03 a.m. to 7:35 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 7:34 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Pheasant and duck dates | 6:47 a.m. to 6:29 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 6:32 p.m. |
| Nov 1, 2026 | Early November | 6:08 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer opener | 6:36 a.m. to 4:42 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. to 4:48 p.m. |
| Dec 1, 2026 | Muzzleloader week | 6:48 a.m. to 4:36 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 4:43 p.m. |
| Dec 24, 2026 | Holiday Hunt opener | 7:07 a.m. to 4:38 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 4:46 p.m. |
| Jan 3, 2027 | Archery close (most units) | 7:09 a.m. to 4:47 p.m. | 7:03 a.m. to 4:54 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 C offset of 8 minutes for longitude 89.09 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Post Lake hunting, answered
What was the 2025 deer harvest around Post Lake?
2,007 deer were registered in the Langlade unit in 2025.
Which property do you reach first from Post Lake?
Measured from the town point: Langlade County Forest, whose boundary is under a mile away. Second-nearest is Upper Wolf River Fishery Area, also worth a look.
Does Post Lake have a lot of public acreage nearby?
75,672 acres of state, county and federal land fall within 10 miles. 14 listed lands make up the total.
Which deer management unit covers Post Lake?
DMU 123 is the main unit here. 795 antlerless deer is the 2026 goal.
Do bonus tags sell out around Post Lake?
DMU 123 started with 1,500 public and 2,200 private bonus authorizations. Remaining October 19: 1,624 private, 788 public. Go Wild sells them one per person per day.
Has CWD turned up near Post Lake?
Langlade County has had 1 CWD-positive wild deer since 1999. No baiting: the county is under the ban.
How many points does it take to draw a bear tag near Post Lake?
Post Lake sits in Bear Zone B. Applicants needed 11 points for Zone B in 2026. Langlade County registered 169 bears in 2025.
Which spring turkey zone do Post Lake hunters apply for?
Spring authorizations here are for Zone 5. 12,008 tags were issued in 2025 (20% success).
What are the 2026 gun deer dates for Langlade County?
Nov 21 to Nov 29, 2026, statewide. Muzzleloader: Nov 30 to Dec 9, 2026. Antlerless-only: Dec 10 to Dec 13, 2026.
How late can I hunt deer near Post Lake?
On Nov 21, 2026 the DNR tables, with the 8-minute longitude offset, give 6:36 a.m. to 4:42 p.m. in the Northern area and 6:31 a.m. to 4:48 p.m. in the Southern area.
Where can I get a deer cut and wrapped near Post Lake?
Our closest processor listing is Shcaefers Deer Processing in Crandon, 13 miles out. We list 4 within 35 miles.
How many taxidermy listings surround Post Lake?
Nearest on our taxidermy list: Taxidermist, 17 miles from town. 16 lie within 35 miles.
Answers drawn from the sources listed in each section above, checked October 19, 2026.
Out the door in Post Lake
Heading out of Post Lake? Check the shooting-hours table for your area and the season table for Langlade County.
Other photos on this page: aarongunnar (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); Yellowstone National Park (Public Domain Mark 1.0); USFWS Mountain Prairie (CC BY 2.0); AcrylicArtist (CC BY 2.0); Shiva Shenoy (CC BY 2.0).