This fall I would like to bowhunt Wisconsin. I have always loved the big woods setting and just about everything else about the badger state. I actually bowhunted up there several years ago in the Chequamegon National Forrest near Park Falls. I would really like to hunt Wisconsin again this fall and wondered if any of you guys could steer me to a good area. It will be on my own so I have to go to public property. Obviously I don't want to go to a place with big crowds and would like a place with good deer densitys. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance. Blessings......Pastorjim
Jim I wish I had a good answer for you buddy but good deer density and public land are not that common in the areas that I know of. But I can say you do have a much better chance hitting these areas with a bow before the pressure really kicks in.
Black River Falls area has good deer densities and alot of public land. If you look on a map, look east of Black River past the casino. If you would like to know more just ask. If you are looking for a huge buck you might what to look else where but you have a good chance at a 100 " buck.
My family has land near Park Falls that I bow and gun hunt every year. Our land in smack dab in the middle of the flambeau river state forest. It seems to me that deer densities up in my neck of the woods aren't that great. Last gun season, we had 4 people hunting all 9 days, and saw 28 deer total, and most were repeats. The one thing I like about it up there, is the fact you can really get into the backwoods and have a possible shot at a decent buck.
Quite honestly you are looking for something that thousands of hunters in Wisconsin are looking for. Deer densities have been decimated in much of the Northwoods due to over killing of does, un-managed wolfs and harsh winters in the last decade. However, there are deer still out there. I just don't think there is this magic area if you want big woods hunting with high deer densities. I do think the Woodman's suggestion of Black River falls is a good one. If it were me, I would hunt the Chequamegon Medford District area (just south of where you hunted in the Park Falls area). Big woods feel and deer pop's are decent. It is probably at least 5 times bigger than the Black River Falls area. Here is a link to area. The whole area in green is basically public. I'm pretty familiar of the area so if you are interested PM me and I can give you further info and links to good maps. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sou....278752,-90.697632&spn=0.510221,1.757812&z=10 Also, all state owned public land (does not show national forest land) is shown in this convenient on-line map by the DNR. Good luck and if you have more questions let us know. http://www.dnr.wi.gov/org/land/facilities/dnr_lands_mapping.html
Oh no it now shows some of the public lands down by me that it had not in the past. This explains the extra pressure being put on them the last 2 seasons.
Tony, since this new web mapping tool has come out I've found it much harder to find honey holes on public land. It's just easier for the average Joe to fire up his computer and find public land now without doing much research. I guess it is a good but bad thing.
Thanks guys for the info and the map links. All my plans are in the very early stages right now but I'm just trying to get some direction. Thanks again. Blessings......Pastorjim
Yeah Brad some of the smaller parcels were never listed on the DNR website. How long has this new tool been out that you know of?
All I can say is do some research on public land in Wisconsin. There is a ton of it out there and there is a bunch that a lot of people don't know about. if you look hard enough you will find some good stuff! And it would be best to archery hunt before pressure kicks in. That's my opinion .
PJ, your in luck. I happen to planning another open invite to hunt in Black river falls the first week of Nov. Just like I did last yr. Mech doc, Fergus, and 130 Woodman, came up that week. 80,000 acres of public land, plenty of deer. couple of bruisers here and there, but you will see deer. just pm for details.
The mapping tool has been out in different forms for a few years but has been drastically improved in the last year. In the original versions it was hard to navigate, unreliable (kept locking up) and it was hard to relate to the real world. Now you can get coordinates of points, it is seemless state wide and nice aerials as backdrops if you turn that layer on. It really is a nice system. Almost too nice.
