Silvernail Wildlife Area: hunting and access
Silvernail Wildlife Area is 1,048 acres of land managed by the Wisconsin DNR in Rusk and Sawyer counties, 9 miles from Glen Flora. The DNR's page for it names deer, ruffed grouse, bear and small game among the game here. Hunters registered 1,398 deer in DMU 112 in 2025.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: the DNR's DNR property data, read 2026-10. Harvest: DNR Deer Metrics.
State wildlife areas, forests and other DNR landCounty forestOther county, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landSilvernail Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 1,048 acres in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| Counties | Rusk County and Sawyer County |
| Deer Management Unit | DMU 112 |
| DNR lists for hunting | deer, ruffed grouse, bear and small game |
| Public access (DNR) | Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping |
| DNR property page | Silvernail Wildlife Area |
| Nearest towns | Glen Flora (9 mi), Tony (9 mi) and Ingram (11 mi) |
What is Silvernail Wildlife Area like?
Silvernail Wildlife Area is a 1,044-acre property located in north-central Rusk County. The property lies approximately six miles east of State Highway 27 at the Rusk and Sawyer County line and is accessible through a permanent easement for a primitive trail traversing over 1.3 miles of Sawyer County Forest land (no road access). The property was originally purchased in the 1940s for protection as a winter deer yard, with groves of hemlock still existing today. Silvernail Wildlife Area is situated in one of the most remote, undeveloped areas of Rusk County, providing a relatively undisturbed place for forest wildlife species and recreation. The property is managed for forest species of game and non-game wildlife. The wildlife area consists primarily of northern hardwood and hardwood/hemlock forest. Hemlock is most prevalent on the eastern half of the property.
The Silvernail Wildlife Area offers many recreational opportunities:.
In the DNR's words, from its page for the property.
What can you hunt on Silvernail Wildlife Area?
The DNR's page for Silvernail Wildlife Area names deer, ruffed grouse, bear and small game. Each follows Wisconsin's statewide season and, for deer, the tags and rules of the deer management unit.
What are the rules on Silvernail Wildlife Area?
The DNR's property map lists Silvernail Wildlife Area as "Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping". Hunting follows Wisconsin's statewide seasons and the rules posted on the property.
Activities the DNR lists for Silvernail Wildlife Area: Birding, Cross-country skiing (no designated trail), Hiking (no designated trail), Hunting (noted for deer, bear, ruffed grouse and small game), Snowmobiling (marked trail), Trapping, Wild edibles/gathering and Wildlife viewing.
How many deer are taken around Silvernail Wildlife Area?
Silvernail Wildlife Area lies in DMU 112. The DNR registered 1,398 deer in DMU 112 in 2025.
| DMU | Silvernail Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| DMU 112 | 1,048 | 1,398 |
Harvest for the whole deer management unit, not the property alone: Wisconsin DNR Deer Metrics (registered harvest by deer management unit).
How do you get to Silvernail Wildlife Area?
Nearest towns: Glen Flora (9 miles), Tony (9 miles), Ingram (11 miles) and Winter (12 miles).
What other public land is near Silvernail Wildlife Area?
DNR properties within 10 miles:
- Flambeau River State Forest: 89,904 acres, 1.5 miles away
- Lake of the Pines Conservation Easement: 20,835 acres, 3.8 miles away
- Chippewa River Conservation Easement Area: 39 acres, 9.2 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Silvernail Wildlife Area
Counting Silvernail Wildlife Area itself, 17,743 of the 33,620 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (52.8%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| County forest | 13,387 |
| State wildlife areas, forests and other DNR land | 4,356 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Silvernail Wildlife Area?
In Rusk and Sawyer counties, 9 miles from Glen Flora. The DNR's property page has its maps and parking.
Is Silvernail Wildlife Area open to hunting?
Yes. The DNR's property map lists it as "Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping". Posted refuges or closed areas, where there are any, are marked on site.
Which deer management unit is Silvernail Wildlife Area in?
DMU 112.
How much public land is around Silvernail Wildlife Area?
17,743 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Silvernail Wildlife Area included, by PAD-US 4.1. The closest other DNR property is Flambeau River State Forest (1.5 miles).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Silvernail Wildlife Area; Wisconsin DNR managed lands open to hunting.
- Boundary and acres: the DNR's map layer above. Surrounding public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
- Deer harvest: Wisconsin DNR Deer Metrics (registered harvest by deer management unit).
FilledTag is not part of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Check the DNR's rules and posted signs before you go.