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Wisconsin DMU Finder
Answer six questions and get Wisconsin deer management units and counties ranked by habitat fit, 2026 season dates, public land and DNR registration data.
How the Wisconsin finder works
Wisconsin manages deer by deer management unit (DMU): counties in the farmland and central forest zones, and habitat-based units in the Northern Forest Zone since 2025. This tool scores all 98 DMUs for deer using registered buck and antlerless harvest from 2021–2025, USGS land-cover and elevation data, and the share of public land such as county forests, state wildlife areas and the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.
Black bear (harvest by county, 2024–2025), turkey (zone harvest split by county) and elk are ranked by county with each county's management zone. Season fit uses the DNR's 2026 dates, including the nine-day gun season (Nov. 21–29) and the bear bait and dog periods by zone.
Species covered
- White-tailed deer
- Elk
- Black bear
- Wild turkey
Upland birds (ranked by county)
- Ring-necked pheasant
- Gray (Hungarian) partridge
- Forest grouse
- Quail
Waterfowl and migratory birds (ranked by county)
- Ducks
- Canada and dark geese
- Snow and Ross's geese
- Mourning dove
- American woodcock
About every species on the species page →
Data sources
- https://apps.dnr.wi.gov/deermetrics/DeerStats.aspx?R=HarvestHistory
- WDNR black bear harvest reports 2024–2025 (harvest by county)
- WDNR spring turkey harvest reports 2024–2025 (harvest by zone, split by county area)
- WDNR GIS deer management units and bear, turkey and elk management zones
- https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/hunt/dates
- USGS PAD-US 3.0 (Fee); NPS parks and monuments excluded
- USGS NLCD 2021 Land Cover (250 m resample)
- USGS 3DEP elevation service
Wisconsin hunting FAQ
When is Wisconsin's 2026 gun deer season?
The nine-day gun season runs Nov. 21–29, 2026, followed by muzzleloader Nov. 30–Dec. 9. Archery and crossbow run Sept. 12–Jan. 3.
Can I hunt bears with dogs in Wisconsin?
Yes, in bear zones A, B and D from Sept. 16 to Oct. 13. Dogs are not allowed for bear in zones C, E and F, where hunters use bait.
Why are northern Wisconsin deer units numbered?
In 2025 the DNR redrew the Northern Forest Zone into habitat-based units (DMUs 101–126 and 201–206) instead of counties, so those units have harvest data from 2025 on.
Wisconsin harvest leaders
The deer management units with the highest average reported harvest for each species. High totals often reflect large areas and many hunters; the tool above also weighs harvest per square mile, hunter success, habitat and access.
White-tailed deer (2021–2025 average)
- DMU Marathon: 11,321 per year
- DMU Waupaca: 9,981 per year
- DMU Clark: 9,846 per year
- DMU Shawano: 9,628 per year
- DMU Marinette: 8,877 per year
Black bear (2024–2025 average)
- Marinette County: 290 per year
- Rusk County: 273 per year
- Sawyer County: 268 per year
- Price County: 242 per year
- Washburn County: 210 per year
Ducks (USFWS 10-year average)
- Buffalo County: 39,604 per year
- Green Lake County: 22,657 per year
- Brown County: 21,944 per year
- Winnebago County: 17,884 per year
- Outagamie County: 17,656 per year
Canada and dark geese (USFWS 10-year average)
- Dodge County: 5,877 per year
- Waupaca County: 5,692 per year
- St. Croix County: 5,216 per year
- Racine County: 5,093 per year
- Fond du Lac County: 5,036 per year