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Forest County hunting town
Hunting around Wabeno, Wisconsin
From Wabeno out to the closest DNR properties, plus the Forest County deer unit, bonus antlerless availability, CWD testing, bear and turkey zones and nearby taxidermists.
Photo: Pictured: Lakewood-Laona Ranger District (Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest), at town from Wabeno. USDA Forest Service Eastern Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Wabeno sits in Forest County, one of the counties the DNR handles from its Northern Region. Hunters heading into Lakewood-Laona Ranger District (Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest) can start in Wabeno, since the property reaches town. Mapped public acreage inside 10 miles comes to about 119,637, spread over 8 properties. Closest of all is Lakewood-Laona Ranger District (Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest), 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.
Wabeno to the nearest wildlife areas and forests
The boundary column is the straight-line distance from Wabeno 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.
Lakewood-Laona Ranger District (Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest) (343,903 acres) is the biggest piece of public ground inside 10 miles. For DNR wildlife area hunting, Bog Brook Wildlife Area is first, the only one in the ring. 3 forest properties in the ring, led by Camp One Springs Conservation Easement Area. Lakewood-Laona Ranger District (Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest) is the nearest federal unit; federal rules and permits apply there.
| Area | Type | Line | Point | Acres | Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakewood-Laona Ranger District (Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest) southeast Why listed | Ranger district | at town | 2.8 mi SE | 343,903 | deer, bear, turkey |
| Camp One Springs Conservation Easement Area east | Easement | 3.8 mi | 4.0 mi E | 80 | – |
| Wabikon Waters Conservation Easement north | Easement | 6.1 mi | 11 mi N | 18,219 | – |
| Forest County Forest west | County forest | 7.1 mi | 12 mi W | 15,251 | deer, bear, turkey |
| Bog Brook Wildlife Area southwest | Wildlife area | 7.6 mi | 8.2 mi SW | 267 | – |
| Lily Lake State Public Access west | Fishery area | 8.8 mi | 8.9 mi W | 46 | – |
| Upper Wolf River Fishery Area west | Fishery area | 9.4 mi | 18 mi W | 9,205 | deer, bear, turkey |
| Lambert Springs Fishery Area southwest | Fishery area | 9.6 mi | 10 mi SW | 166 | – |
| Lakewood Rearing Station southeast | Fishery area | beyond 10 mi | 10 mi SE | 195 | – |
| Hemlock Springs State Habitat Area west | Wildlife area | beyond 10 mi | 11 mi W | 154 | – |
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 Wabeno. Checked October 19, 2026. Statewide public land map.
Bear, turkey and elk zones for Wabeno
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; applicants needed 11 preference points to draw Zone B in 2026. Hound hunters can run bears in Zone B. In 2025, 139 bears were registered in Forest County. Spring authorizations are zone- and period-specific; Zone 7 had 4,401 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 | 100% | Allowed | 850 | 1,545 | 11 | 851 |
| Zone | Share | Spring authorizations | Success | Spring total | Fall total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Deer rules for hunters in Wabeno
How many antlerless deer the DNR wants taken near Wabeno, how many bonus tags were offered, and what the county registers.
The DNR puts Forest County entirely in its Northern Forest Zone. DNR quota math for 2026 puts 3,820 antlerless deer on these units. DMU 124 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 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 | – |
The baiting and feeding ban covers Forest County. The county’s wild deer have been sampled 827 times for CWD; 0 came back positive. Last CWD year (2025) the county sent in 37 samples, 0 positive.
Because the units were redrawn in 2025, only that year exists: DMU 124 1,226, DMU 126 3,288 and DMU 120 1,155. So far in 2026 (preliminary, early seasons only): DMU 124 103, DMU 126 278 and DMU 120 110.
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 Wabeno
Walk-in help for Wabeno hunters comes from the DNR service center listed first; the others handle their own properties.
DNR Rhinelander Service Center, 39 mi west
Laona Office (Lakewood-Laona Ranger District), 8.3 mi north
Lakewood Office (Lakewood-Laona Ranger District), 12 mi southeast
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 Wabeno
Phone, map and website buttons appear where the source listed them. Hours were not checked. Arrowood's Wildside (32 mi) is on the DNR list of places to donate deer.
| Service | Close (15 mi) | Wider (35 mi) | Closest | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer processors | 1 | 3 | Shcaefers Deer Processing 14 mi northwest | Crandon |
| Taxidermy shops | 1 | 7 | Compound Taxidermy 12 mi east | Athelstane |
| Licensed guides, preserves | 0 | 1 | Three Lakes Preserve 32 mi northwest | Three Lakes |
| Sporting goods | 1 | 13 | Tamarack Outfitters LLC 15 mi northwest | 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 Wabeno
From bear baiting in September to the last spring turkey period, 38 season segments apply to Wabeno.
| 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 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.
Shooting ranges near Wabeno
The three nearest listed ranges, in straight-line miles from Wabeno.
trap, sporting clays, rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire on file
rifle, trap, shotgun on file
rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire, muzzleloader on file
Straight-line miles from the town center; ranges checked October 19, 2026.
Wabeno 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 | 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 88.66 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Wabeno hunting, answered
Which property do you reach first from Wabeno?
Measured from the town point: Lakewood-Laona Ranger District (Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest), which reaches the edge of town. Second-nearest is Camp One Springs Conservation Easement Area, also worth a look.
Does Wabeno have a lot of public acreage nearby?
119,637 acres of state, county and federal land fall within 10 miles. 8 listed lands make up the total.
Which deer management unit covers Wabeno?
DMU 124 is the main unit here. 320 antlerless deer is the 2026 goal.
Do bonus tags sell out around Wabeno?
DMU 124 started with 650 public and 800 private bonus authorizations. Remaining October 19: 123 private, 0 public. Go Wild sells them one per person per day.
Has CWD turned up near Wabeno?
Forest County has had 0 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 Wabeno?
Wabeno sits in Bear Zone B. Applicants needed 11 points for Zone B in 2026. Forest County registered 139 bears in 2025.
Which spring turkey zone do Wabeno hunters apply for?
Spring authorizations here are for Zone 7. 4,401 tags were issued in 2025 (16% success).
What are the 2026 gun deer dates for Forest 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 Wabeno?
On Nov 21, 2026 the DNR tables, with the 4-minute longitude offset, give 6:32 a.m. to 4:38 p.m. in the Northern area and 6:27 a.m. to 4:44 p.m. in the Southern area.
Where can I get a deer cut and wrapped near Wabeno?
Our closest processor listing is Shcaefers Deer Processing in Crandon, 14 miles out. We list 3 within 35 miles.
How many taxidermy listings surround Wabeno?
Nearest on our taxidermy list: Compound Taxidermy, 12 miles from town. 7 lie within 35 miles.
Who sells hunting licenses near Wabeno?
Licenses and tags sell online through Go Wild and at DNR license agents. 5 license agents sit within 15 miles, nearest True North Energy #864 (8.3 mi). Nearest DNR counter: DNR Rhinelander Service Center.
Answers drawn from the sources listed in each section above, checked October 19, 2026.
Out the door in Wabeno
Heading out of Wabeno? Check the shooting-hours table for your area and the season table for Forest County.
Other photos on this page: USDA Forest Service Eastern Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0); 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); Ligocsicnarf89 (CC BY 4.0); Wilson Hui (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0); chumlee10 (CC BY-SA 2.0).