Turtle Flambeau Scenic Waters Area: hunting and access
Turtle Flambeau Scenic Waters Area is 35,782 acres of land managed by the Wisconsin DNR in Iron and Ashland counties, 2 miles from Mercer. Hunters registered 895 deer in DMU 117 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 forestNational forestOther county, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landTurtle Flambeau Scenic Waters AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 35,782 acres in 35 pieces |
|---|---|
| Counties | Iron County and Ashland County |
| Deer Management Unit | DMU 117, DMU 118 |
| Public access (DNR) | Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping |
| DNR property page | Turtle-Flambeau |
| Nearest towns | Mercer (2 mi), Park Falls (5 mi) and Butternut (5 mi) |
What is Turtle Flambeau Scenic Waters Area like?
Undisturbed, wooded shorelines and islands offer the opportunity to boat, camp, fish and enjoy the outdoors in wild and rugged northern Wisconsin. Spread across 40,000 acres in Iron County, the Turtle-Flambeau Scenic Waters Area offers 66 remote campsites accessible by water only.
In the DNR's words, from its page for the property.
What are the rules on Turtle Flambeau Scenic Waters Area?
The DNR's property map lists Turtle Flambeau Scenic Waters Area as "Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping". Hunting follows Wisconsin's statewide seasons and the rules posted on the property.
How many deer are taken around Turtle Flambeau Scenic Waters Area?
Turtle Flambeau Scenic Waters Area lies in 2 deer management units. The DNR registered 895 deer in DMU 117 in 2025.
| DMU | Turtle Flambeau Scenic Waters Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| DMU 117 | 35,721 | 895 |
| DMU 118 | 61 | 475 |
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 Turtle Flambeau Scenic Waters Area?
Nearest towns: Mercer (2 miles), Park Falls (5 miles), Butternut (5 miles) and Lac du Flambeau (9 miles). Highways within 5 miles: WI 182, US 51, WI 47 and WI 13.
What other public land is near Turtle Flambeau Scenic Waters Area?
DNR properties within 10 miles:
- Northern Highland State Forest: 176,323 acres, next to it
- Flambeau River State Forest: 89,904 acres, next to it
- Hay Creek-Hoffman Lake Wildlife Area: 14,503 acres, next to it
- Lehto Lake State Natural Area: 1,624 acres, next to it
- Tomahawk Timberlands Conservation Easement (Moose Lake Trct): 3,017 acres, next to it
- Springstead Muskeg State Natural Area: 632 acres, 1.1 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Turtle Flambeau Scenic Waters Area
Counting Turtle Flambeau Scenic Waters Area itself, 92,477 of the 176,751 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (52.3%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State wildlife areas, forests and other DNR land | 65,859 |
| County forest | 15,992 |
| National forest | 10,306 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 198 |
| Other county, city and regional land | 122 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Turtle Flambeau Scenic Waters Area?
In Iron and Ashland counties, 2 miles from Mercer. The DNR's property page has its maps and parking.
Is Turtle Flambeau Scenic Waters 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 Turtle Flambeau Scenic Waters Area in?
DMU 117 (35,721 acres) and DMU 118 (61 acres).
How much public land is around Turtle Flambeau Scenic Waters Area?
92,477 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Turtle Flambeau Scenic Waters Area included, by PAD-US 4.1. The closest other DNR property is Northern Highland State Forest (next to it).
Get a Wisconsin hunt plan when they open
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Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Wisconsin included.
Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Turtle Flambeau Scenic Waters 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.