DMU Marinette, Wisconsin

Marinette County covers 735 square miles of northeast Wisconsin bordering Michigan''s Upper Peninsula, dominated by rolling northern hardwood and mixed conifer forest with elevation changes of roughly 50 feet across ridges and valleys that create natural deer travel corridors. The landscape is defined by dense second-growth aspen, maple, birch, and spruce-fir stands interspersed with lowland alder swamps and wetland complexes. The county contains 920 miles of rivers and streams across 304 waterways, anchored by the Peshtigo River running roughly 120 miles through the central and southern county before reaching Green Bay, and the Menominee River forming the 116-mile Michigan border along the eastern edge. Wetlands and river bottoms are extensive throughout, providing excellent deer bedding and travel habitat. The western side of the county (west of Highway 141) historically holds lower deer densities than the eastern and northern portions above Highway 8, a disparity that prompted the 2025 habitat-based DMU restructuring. There is minimal agriculture in the interior; the southern fringe near the Central Farmland Zone transition has more open fields.

Hunting pressure is moderate overall and lower than southern Wisconsin agricultural zones, but the nine-day gun season draws substantial activity. Over 3,100 deer were harvested county-wide in a recent gun season, reflecting a large hunter population. The vast amount of public land — well over 250,000 acres across all ownerships — disperses pressure significantly, and it is possible to find unpressured timber well away from roads. The eastern and northern portions of the county (north and east of Highways 141 and 8) carry higher deer densities and likely see more concentrated hunting effort. Popular county forest roads and WMA parking areas fill early on opening weekend of the nine-day season, but mid-week pressure drops noticeably. Archery season sees light to moderate pressure given the amount of available public land. A PFAS consumption advisory applies to deer harvested near the city of Marinette — most hunters hunting the interior county forest are unaffected.

Beginning in 2025, the northern portion of Marinette County is managed under the new habitat-based DMU 125 (covering Florence, Forest, and Marinette counties north of U.S. 8 and County K, east of Highway 101 to the Michigan border), while the southern portion falls under a Marinette County-specific Central Farmland Zone unit. Under DMU 125 (Northern Forest Zone), antlerless bonus harvest authorizations go on sale August 17 at $12 for residents and $20 for non-residents, with 500 public-land authorizations and 2,650 private-land authorizations available with no per-license cap — purchase is one per day until the unit sells out on a first-come, first-served basis. The southern Marinette County Central Farmland portion offers 300 public-land and 1,500 private-land antlerless authorizations with a two-per-license limit. There is no earn-a-buck requirement. All hunters need a base deer hunting license; antlered bucks may be taken during any open season on that license. The any-deer license covers both antlered and antlerless harvest. Youth under 12 pay $5 for antlerless authorizations.

Deer seasons in the Northern Forest Zone: archery and crossbow runs September 13, 2025 through January 4, 2026; the traditional nine-day gun season runs November 22–30, 2025; muzzleloader runs December 1–10, 2025; antlerless-only firearm season runs December 11–14, 2025 and December 24, 2025 through January 1, 2026. Wild turkey hunting is available in Marinette County with spring and fall seasons — the county is in Zone 5 with expanding turkey populations and relatively lower pressure than southwest Wisconsin. Black bear hunting is available through a permit system with archery, crossbow, and firearm seasons in October–November and December. Ruffed grouse hunting is a major draw, with county forests providing classic aspen-alder grouse habitat; no special permit is needed beyond a small game license. Waterfowl hunting is productive in the extensive river bottoms, flowages, and wetlands, especially for ducks and geese; HIP certification is required. The Peshtigo River system and Lake Noquebay support quality trout and walleye fishing, making multi-species fall trips common.

Marinette County is one of Wisconsin''s premier public-land deer hunting destinations, with over 231,000 acres of county forest alone ensuring that hunters can always find unpressured timber. The eastern and northern portions of the county — particularly the areas around the Peshtigo River State Forest, the Pike Wild River corridor, and the Nicolet National Forest fringe — hold the highest deer densities and the best potential for mature bucks. The county historically produces yearling-heavy buck harvests, which suggests that hunters who apply mature-buck management pressure on public land can find shootable 3.5- to 4.5-year-old deer that most others pass. The transition zones between upland hardwoods and lowland alder swamps are classic rut funnels. The Menominee River corridor along the Michigan border is remote and sees light pressure during archery season. Access is genuinely easy — county forest roads are well-maintained, signage is improving, and there is no lottery or reservation system for any hunting access. The county also offers excellent grouse and bear hunting to fill out a fall camp schedule. Note the PFAS advisory near the city of Marinette; interior county forest hunters are unaffected.