I have made the trip to the U.P. deer hunting and I am planning another one. I was considering Northern Wisconsin for a change.
Could anyone give me a rough idea of the hunting pressure and public land availability? I will be hunting during firearms season, roughly around the Price county area.
Thanks for any advice.

There’s a pile of county, state, and federal lands open to hunting in Price county. Also check the DNR website for open Managed Forest Land. As far as pressure, our 9 day gun season brings the most people out into the woods of any season in the year. Don’t let that be a buzz kill though. Plenty of public land in that area to stay away from other hunters.

let me explain that in some counties on opening morning they have a sheriff deputy directing traffic into the public hunting land

the few times I have hunted opening weekend on public land you could see orange in every direction if you couldn't walk 50 yards and you could.

scout lots of places , you can still find deer and places to get away from some of the people.

but you can not expect to have the woods to your self like a weekday during bow season

there is a lot of public land

Price County about 2 deer per square mile on public land, bring your camera, might see a wolf

Thanks for the responses.
If Price county isn't a good bet, which county is?

If I were you I’d go in the central or southern farmland zone and focus on smaller pieces of public. In those zones you’d get two free doe tags I believe, but check that.

Yes public gets hit hard and you’re going to see orange. I like to use that to my advantage as people end up pushing deer around. All depends if you’re looking for a trophy or just some fun old style Wisconsin deer hunting.

Have you actually hunted up here...the counties along the UP border?

Deer populations are pretty poor in the Northern quarter of the state. There's plenty of land and not many hunters anymore...not like there was 20 years ago.

If it was me, I'd go to Iron County and bait. It's legal there. But, there are bait piles and blinds everywhere now.

If you don't hunt Iron, you'll probably want to hunt near town or groups of homes...where people are illegally baiting/feeding and where the deer can get some protection from the wolves.

Good luck!

I admit that was Lincoln county not quite to the border

Deer hunting is a tough gig anymore. Around here if you arent a landowner or a son in law, its really tough. I always tell my boys start out trapping coon, and coyotes, build a relationship and maybe someday the deer door will open. If not at least you got to trap. I know a lot of guys that have switched gears to waterfowl hunting, just because it's so tough anymore.

I agree with the post of why would you want to go to Northern WI when there are far more deer in central and southern WI. I'm fortunate to have private ground to hunt on but that unfortunately may change in the near future. Check out Sauk, Crawford, Grant, Richland and Iowa counties for public land. Yes you will have to walk a ways and most is not flat land (it's steep period) but there are more deer than up north. You will have to go back in farther than the others as they will hunt close to their vehicles but you'll increase your chances of seeing deer. Also don't overlook the southeast part of the state. Kettle Moraine is over around the Milwaukee area and supposedly is decent from what I've read.

Keep in mind you will have to drag a deer up the hill/bluff if you do shoot one in some of those places. I strongly suggest you get a game cart as well. It's a back saver.

Definitely good advice and much appreciated!

Post back and let us know how you do!

Will do!
I'm still trying to decide what I want to do.

There are several sizable public areas south of HWY 64. There is a lot of county and state forest land in Clark and Jackson Counties. Deer numbers used to be higher but have declined some the later years. More hunters, yes, more deer than up north as well.
How long do you plan to be hunting? That could determine strategy and location too. Also are you wanting to shoot a deer more so then experiencing a hunt with the outcome not such a big deal. There are areas in Northern WI with very few hunters these last seasons and also few deer as well. We have hunted national forest in northern WI for almost 3 decades and with so few hunters the deer are not being moved much either, especially if it is warmer and with little snow it can be hard to see a deer.

Bryce

Kettle moraine state forest is big, 56,000 acres.
there is a southern half and the northern half.
I have hunted the northern half for many years.

Trouble is with public land you never know how many people you are going to see.
I used to live with my property backing up to public land, about 160 acre chunk.
Some years there would be a hunter every 10 acres other years nobody.


Deer would get pushed out of the public land and head for a small thick patch on my property.

There are lots of places on the public land to hunt.
But for someone coming in blind its tough, gotta know the area and how the deer move.
I'd look for public land that is bordered by private and hunt close the edge looking for travel routes going to the private land. Especially look for private land that nobody hunts.

I live in an area that is pretty much private with just one state chunk 612 acres about a mile from me.
After opening morning the deer have moved to "safe zones" and its very tough after that.
We see lots of deer out in the open about 200-300 yards from the state land on private land in the middle of the day feeding in the fields during the gun season.
The deer are here but not where the hunters are.

Don't let all the Debbie downers fool ya. Yes the numbers are down in the northern counties but there are plenty of deer to be had for sure. Hunted northwest Wisconsin all my life some 40 years and never had an issue locating and getting on deer as long as you aren't a part of the 1/4 mile club. You can get pretty deep on the public lands. I hunt areas where if I see someone they are more than likely lost. Haven't gone without venison in 35 years. Hunt/Scout hard and you will be fine. Deep swamp edges and isolated oak flat edges next to thick cover have been good places for me. Another spot that I look for are ridge lines that run perpendicular to rivers or streams. Hunter numbers are way down over the past few years as well with people staying home to hunt rather than travel for the "big woods" experience.

This is exactly what I was hoping for, thank you!