Metro Sub-Unit 117, Wisconsin

DMU 117 occupies a 731.9-square-mile patch of the Northern Highland Lake District in Iron County and surrounding areas of northern Wisconsin. Elevations range from about 1,400 to 1,800 feet above sea level across a glaciated landscape of gently rolling hills, lowland bogs, and kettle lakes. The forest cover is mixed northern hardwood-conifer, dominated by sugar maple, yellow birch, quaking aspen, balsam fir, white spruce, and white pine. Decades of commercial timber harvesting have created a patchwork of regenerating aspen and birch cutover areas alongside mature hardwood and conifer stands that offer prime deer browse and bedding cover. Wetlands, sphagnum bogs, and tag alder lowlands are widespread, threaded by cold-water rivers including the Bad River, Montreal River, and their tributaries. Glacial lakes and ponds are common throughout the unit.

Hunting pressure across DMU 117 is low to moderate compared with southern Wisconsin farmland units, but the nine-day gun deer season in November draws a noticeable influx of hunters from Chicago and Milwaukee metro areas. Public land near paved County Highways and established logging roads sees the heaviest traffic during opening weekend. Interior sections of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest and county forest that require ATV travel or a half-mile-plus walk receive substantially lighter pressure throughout the season. The 2025 preliminary gun deer harvest for the unit was approximately 790 deer with 477 antlered bucks, a buck-heavy ratio reflecting lower antlerless permit allocations and the trophy-focused mentality common among northern Wisconsin hunters.

Hunters receive one antlerless harvest authorization included with their base deer hunting license for the Northern Forest Zone. Bonus antlerless authorizations are sold over the counter on a first-come, first-served basis through the GoWild licensing system beginning in mid-August. For the 2026 season, DMU 117 was allocated 1,000 public land bonus authorizations and 1,100 private land bonus authorizations, with a sale date of August 17 at $12 for residents and $20 for nonresidents. There is no drawing or lottery requirement. Any-deer and buck-only opportunities are available during archery, gun, and muzzleloader seasons.

Archery and crossbow deer season runs September 12 through January 3 for most northern Wisconsin units, with an extended archery option through January 31 in select counties. The nine-day gun deer season is November 21-29 and muzzleloader season follows November 30 through December 9. A youth and disabled gun hunt runs October 10-11. Wild turkey is available in spring with five application-based periods from mid-April through late May, and in fall concurrent with archery season. Black bear hunting is a significant draw in this unit with season dates running early September through mid-October depending on permit type. Ruffed grouse and American woodcock hunting is productive in the aspen and alder cover, with seasons open September through January. Waterfowl hunting on the numerous lakes and river corridors is available during fall duck and goose seasons.

DMU 117 is one of the premier public-land deer hunting destinations in Wisconsin, offering a rare combination of vast accessible acreage and genuine trophy potential. The combined public ground of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest, and Iron County Forest gives hunters room to spread far from roads and find unpressured deer. Northern Wisconsin cold winters and shorter growing seasons produce large-bodied whitetails, and the forest age structure allows bucks to reach 3.5 years and beyond. The patchwork of regenerating aspen cutovers and mature hardwood ridges is classic northern whitetail habitat with abundant natural browse and excellent bedding cover. Hunters willing to walk a half-mile or more off established roads consistently encounter mature bucks. The unit also offers outstanding bear, ruffed grouse, and turkey hunting on the same public land, making it a multi-species destination for the serious northern Wisconsin outdoorsman.