June 6, 2024

Ashland and Iron counties in extreme northern Wisconsin have historically had some of the lowest deer populations in the entire state. Both counties feature lots of big timber, and heavy snow in what is known as the “snow belt” can be a limiting factor for the herd.
In a region where deer seem to struggle to live, Kevin Schmidt admits to being frustrated as he tries to find deer in Ashland County for his granddaughters to have a successful hunt. Bruce Bacon, a retired DNR wildlife biologist who hunts in Iron County, says the biggest problem for deer in northern Wisconsin “is the recruitment of fawns.

Northern Wisconsin was once considered a deer mecca. Lots of deer, big bucks, and plenty of public land to roam attracted hunters for many years. In recent seasons, however, public land hunters have been seeing and killing fewer deer in northern counties, and the statistics from each county’s citizen deer advisory council (CDAC) bear this out.