Metro Sub-Unit 113, Wisconsin

Spanning portions of Ashland, Bayfield, Price, and Sawyer counties in Wisconsin''s Northern Highland, DMU 113 sits in the heart of northwoods lake country at elevations ranging from roughly 900 to 1,600 feet, with Price County hosting Timms Hill—the state''s highest point at 1,951 feet. Land cover is predominantly mixed northern hardwoods including sugar maple, yellow birch, and basswood interspersed with extensive aspen regeneration cuts that draw deer. Conifers—balsam fir, white spruce, eastern white pine, and hemlock—fill lowland pockets and stream corridors. Wetlands are abundant throughout: tamarack swamps, cattail marshes, and bog edges define the understory in many drainages. Major river systems including the Flambeau River, upper Chippewa River tributaries, and the Bad River watershed cut through the unit, with hundreds of inland lakes dotting the landscape.

Overall hunting pressure in DMU 113 is moderate. Road-accessible stands along forest roads and near established parking areas see steady activity during the nine-day gun opener in late November, one of Wisconsin''s most heavily participated deer seasons statewide. However, the unit''s 1,151.9 square miles of predominantly continuous forest absorbs hunter density well, and blocks more than a half-mile from any road receive comparatively light pressure. Archery season in September and October is notably quiet across most of the unit. Bear hunters add some foot traffic in late August through October. This is prime northwoods country where walking more than a mile from the truck dramatically thins the competition.

DMU 113 is a Northern Forest Zone unit with no farmland antlerless authorizations issued automatically with the base deer license—hunters must purchase bonus antlerless harvest authorizations separately. For 2026, WDNR set 1,900 public-land bonus antlerless authorizations and 2,750 private-land bonus antlerless authorizations for DMU 113, with sales opening Monday August 17, 2026 at 10 a.m. Mid-season data from 2025 (as of November 4) showed 611 public and 1,044 private permits still available, indicating solid supply through season close. No earn-a-buck requirement applies. Any-deer licenses are available alongside standard buck tags. Residents pay $12 per bonus antlerless authorization; nonresidents $20; hunters under age 12 pay $5.

Deer seasons: archery and crossbow Sept. 12 – Jan. 3, 2027; Youth Gun Deer Oct. 10–11; nine-day gun season Nov. 21–29; muzzleloader Nov. 30 – Dec. 9; statewide antlerless-only hunt (gun, archery, crossbow) Dec. 10–13. Spring turkey requires a permit drawing (application deadline Dec. 10), with Period A running April 15–21 and Period B April 22–28, plus a youth hunt April 11–12. Ruffed grouse falls under Zone A, running Sept. 12 – Jan. 3, 2027—the unit''s aspen cuts and alder thickets provide excellent habitat. Waterfowl: ducks and coot in the Northern Zone run Sept. 26 – Nov. 24; regular goose season Sept. 16 – Dec. 16. Black bear hunting requires a drawing permit (application deadline Dec. 10); Sawyer and Ashland counties fall within bear zones with late summer through October seasons. Snowshoe hare season runs year-round statewide. Elk tags are available by special drawing; check current WDNR regulations for eligible units.

DMU 113 sits squarely in Wisconsin''s premier northwoods hunting country, offering a rare combination of massive public land access and genuine wilderness character. The Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest provides a near-limitless platform for walk-in hunting, with mature forest blocks capable of producing heavy-racked bucks that rarely encounter pressure beyond the first few days of gun season. Multi-species trips are highly productive—a hunter can target ruffed grouse and woodcock in aspen cuts during archery season, then transition to deer in November without leaving the unit. Bear over bait draws dedicated out-of-state hunters specifically to Sawyer and Ashland counties. The Turtle-Flambeau Flowage and surrounding state wildlife area add excellent waterfowl opportunities. Access tip: some USFS roads are seasonally gated; check closure maps on the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest website before scouting. Hunters willing to go a mile or more beyond the road grid will find nearly unhunted country in this sprawling Northern Forest Zone unit.