Dec. 10 Is the Deadline: How to Apply for a Wisconsin Bear Tag

Bear hunting season in Wisconsin 2026 ran 35 days, from Sept. 9 to Oct. 13, and hunters registered 4,275 bears. That was slightly above the statewide target of 4,160. Because tags are issued by lottery, most of your work happens months before the season opens.

This article covers the 2026 season structure, how each zone works, and what you need to apply for the next drawing. Rules can change from year to year, so the DNR’s published regulations are the final word on anything you plan to act on.

Key Insight: Wisconsin has a bear population estimated at around 24,000 animals, according to the Wisconsin DNR. The resident population covers more than half the state, mostly in the forested north and central regions.

Bear Hunting Season Dates in Wisconsin 2026

The 2026 season opened on Wednesday, Sept. 9 and closed Oct. 13, according to the DNR season announcement. Your zone decides which methods you can use on which days.

Zones	Dates	Allowed Methods
A, B and D	Sept. 9-15	Bait and all other legal methods not using dogs
A, B and D	Sept. 16-Oct. 6	Dogs, bait and all other legal methods
A, B and D	Oct. 7-13	Dogs only, no other methods
C, E and F	Sept. 9-Oct. 13	Bait and all other legal methods not using dogs

The DNR’s season dates and bag limits page lists the same structure. Zones A, B and D allow dogs, while C, E and F never do.

Bear Season by Weapon and Method in Wisconsin: Archery, Muzzleloader and Firearm

Wisconsin does not run separate archery, muzzleloader and firearm bear seasons. One season covers all legal weapons, and the method windows in your zone are what change, not the weapon.

In practice, that means a bowhunter, a muzzleloader hunter and a rifle hunter in Zone C all hunt the same Sept. 9 to Oct. 13 window with bait or other non-dog methods. In Zones A, B and D, the final week (Oct. 7-13) is dogs only, so stand hunters on bait are done after Oct. 6.

Spring Bear Season in Wisconsin

Wisconsin has only a fall bear season. The DNR’s 2026 structure runs from September into October, and no spring hunt appears in the department’s season dates.

If you want spring hunting, turkey is the option. See the Wisconsin turkey hunting season guide for dates and permit details.

Bear Hunting Zones, Units and Management Areas in Wisconsin

Wisconsin divides bear hunting into six management zones, labeled A through F. According to the DNR, you must know the zone you are licensed to hunt and the regulations specific to it.

• Zones A, B and D: dogs are permitted during part of the season.
• Zones C, E and F: dogs are not permitted at any point.
• Price County: sits in Zone A, according to Price County tourism.

Exact boundaries follow the DNR’s bear zone map, so check it against your permit before you scout. A zone mix-up is a licensing violation, not a minor mistake.

Bear Hunting License, Tag and Permit Requirements in Wisconsin

You need a harvest authorization from the drawing and a Class A bear license to hunt. Applicants selected in the 2026 drawing could buy their Class A license starting in March 2026, per the DNR application reminder.

A third-party fee table lists the Class A resident license at $49.00 and the nonresident license at $251.00, each for one bear. Treat those as reference points and confirm current fees on the DNR’s license pages before you buy.

If you plan to run hounds, a small game license is also required, according to one hunting guide. Verify that against the DNR regulations before relying on it.

Bear Permit Draws and Lotteries in Wisconsin

The bear drawing is where most hunters get stuck. The application deadline is always Dec. 10 of the year before the season, so the deadline for the 2027 season is Dec. 10, 2026. The DNR notes that paper applications are no longer available, so you apply through Go Wild or an authorized license agent.

For 2026, over 34,000 people applied for one of the 15,245 licenses, and 106,000 more bought a preference point, according to FOX6 Milwaukee reporting on the DNR announcement. The DNR said more than 146,000 people applied for a license or a preference point in total, a record.

1. Apply or buy a preference point through Go Wild by 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 10.
2. Wait for the drawing, held in February.
3. Check your status in your Go Wild account in mid-February, or watch for an email or postcard.
4. Buy your Class A bear license beginning in March if you were drawn.

You do not have to hunt to keep building points. The DNR lets you buy a preference point in a year you skip the hunt.

Pro Tip: Wait times differ sharply by zone. One third-party guide puts them at roughly 4 years in southern zones and 12 or more in popular northern zones, so compare zone demand before you apply.

Nonresident Bear Hunting in Wisconsin

Nonresidents can enter the same drawing and compete for the same pool of licenses. The main difference is cost, since a third-party fee table lists the nonresident Class A license at $251.00 against $49.00 for residents.

Plan your lodging and bait logistics early. If you are not local, you will rely on a private landowner, a guide, or public land in your zone to place bait legally.

Bear Bag Limit and Harvest Quota in Wisconsin

The limit is one bear per licensed hunter. The DNR sets a statewide harvest target each year, and the 2026 target was 4,160 bears.

Hunters registered 4,275, which was about 3% above the goal, according to Wausau Pilot and Review. The harvest included 2,195 males and 2,080 females, and statewide hunter success was 28% against a five-year average of 30%.

Quotas drive license numbers. DNR large carnivore specialist Randy Johnson said the agency wants more harvest in Zones C and E to slow bear population growth there, per the DNR results release.

Baiting Rules for Bear Hunting in Wisconsin

Bait is legal in all six zones during the open windows. In Zones A, B and D, you can hunt over bait Sept. 9-15 and Sept. 16-Oct. 6, but not during the dogs-only week of Oct. 7-13.

One hunting guide says bait stations must be registered with the DNR at least two weeks before the season. That is a detail to verify in the DNR’s baiting regulations, including limits on bait type and placement, before you set a site.

Bait sites also compete with natural food. The DNR said abundant acorns and farm fields in southern Wisconsin may have pulled bears away from bait sites in 2026, which lowered success in Zones C, E and F.

Hunting Bears with Hounds in Wisconsin

Hounds are legal only in Zones A, B and D. The dog window runs Sept. 16 to Oct. 13, and the final week, Oct. 7-13, allows dogs only.

Zones C, E and F do not allow dogs at any point in the season. One guide notes a bear dog training period that typically begins in early July, but confirm the dates and permit rules with the DNR.

If you also hunt other game in Wisconsin, the Wisconsin rabbit hunting season guide covers a popular use for hunting dogs outside bear season.

Legal Weapons and Methods for Bear Hunting in Wisconsin

The DNR’s season structure uses three method categories: bait, dogs, and all other legal methods. Within the dates above, firearms, bows and crossbows fall under “all other legal methods” in zones where dogs are not in play.

The exact list of legal firearms, minimum draw requirements and caliber rules sits in the DNR’s bear regulations. Read that page before the season, because equipment violations are easy to avoid and costly to learn about in the field.

Legal Bears and Protected Bears in Wisconsin

The DNR’s bag limit is one bear per license, and both sexes were taken in 2026. The harvest was nearly even, at 2,195 boars and 2,080 sows.

Check the DNR regulations for any rules on cubs and females with cubs before you shoot. If you cannot clearly identify what you are looking at, do not take the shot.

Youth and Special Bear Hunts in Wisconsin

The DNR’s 2026 season announcement describes one general season structure and does not list a separate youth bear hunt. Young hunters still need the same harvest authorization from the drawing.

For youth hunting opportunities on other species, the DNR’s season dates page is the place to look. Rules for mentored hunting and age requirements are in the hunting regulations.

Where to Hunt Bear in Wisconsin: Public and Private Land

Bears live across more than half the state, concentrated in the forested north and central regions, with slow expansion southward. Your zone and your permit decide where you can legally hunt.

• Public land: county forests and state properties are the usual options. Contact the DNR about access in your zone.
• Private land: you need landowner permission, and bait placement on private land is common.
• Guided hunts and leases: an option if you drew a tag but lack local access.

Because the 2026 license increase went mostly to southern zones, according to one hunting guide, more tag holders are now hunting farm country. Ask permission well ahead of September.

Best Time to Hunt Bear in Wisconsin

Opening week is often your best window to hunt over bait, since bears are feeding heavily and bait sites are fresh. The rest depends on food. In 2026, the DNR said drought in the northwest affected bear activity and harvest there was higher than expected.

In Zones A, B and D, the choice is partly strategic. Hunt bait Sept. 9-15, add hounds from Sept. 16, or save your effort for the dogs-only week from Oct. 7 to 13 if you run a pack.

Common Mistake: Showing up for a late-season stand hunt in Zone A, B or D after Oct. 6. Only dog hunters can hunt Oct. 7-13 there.

Bear Hunting Hours, Sunday Hunting and Blaze Orange in Wisconsin

Bear hunting hours run from 30 minutes before sunrise to 20 minutes after sunset, according to Price County tourism, citing the DNR. The DNR publishes daily shooting hours tables for the northern and southern parts of the state.

The season dates do not exclude Sundays, so Sunday hunting follows the same dates as the rest of the week. The DNR’s regulations cover blaze orange requirements, and you should read them for your zone and weapon. Bear season overlaps with other fall seasons, so check them if you hunt multiple species, including pheasant or dove.

Tagging, Check-In and Reporting a Bear in Wisconsin

All bears taken must be registered with the DNR, which uses the data for bear management science. State-licensed hunters must register each bear by 5 p.m. on the day after the kill, per Wausau Pilot and Review. Confirm the exact registration deadline and any required biological samples in the DNR regulations.

Registration feeds the preliminary harvest numbers the DNR publishes each fall. Those figures are usually adjusted upward later once tribal harvest is added.

Bear Hunting Season in Wisconsin 2026: Frequently Asked Questions

When Did Wisconsin Bear Season Run in 2026?

It ran from Sept. 9 to Oct. 13, 2026, with method windows set by zone.

When Is the Deadline to Apply for the Next Season?

The application deadline is always Dec. 10 of the year before the season. For the 2027 season, that is Dec. 10, 2026.

Can You Hunt Bears With Dogs in Wisconsin?

Yes, but only in Zones A, B and D. Zones C, E and F do not permit dogs.

How Many Bears Can You Take?

One bear per licensed hunter.

Do You Need to Hunt to Earn a Preference Point?

No. You can buy a preference point without applying for a harvest authorization, which keeps your place in line for future drawings.

Is There a Spring Bear Season?

No. Wisconsin’s bear season is a fall hunt.

For another state’s rules, see the Missouri deer hunting season guide.