Unit B

The Rhinelander Flowage and Tomahawk Thoroughfare serve as major navigational anchors and water corridors through the forest. Gravelly Bay and Slaughter Bay are recognizable water features offering glassing and orientation opportunities. The Sixty Islands group and scattered named lakes (Spider, Woodson, Tug, Washburn) provide reference points throughout the unit.

Several named rapids—including Carney Rapids, Rainbow Rapids, and Horseface Rapids—mark stream sections useful for navigation and understanding drainage patterns. The Harrison Hills provide the only real elevation feature for landmark recognition. These water-based features matter more for navigation than terrain features; learning key flowage names and bay systems is critical for route planning.

Elevation ranges from 640 feet near water bodies to just over 2,000 feet on scattered hills, but most terrain sits in the comfortable 1,200-1,600 foot band. This gentle elevation profile creates a consistent forest habitat—mixed stands of hemlock, hardwood, and conifer throughout. Roughly half the unit is forested plains with the remainder open grassland, marsh, and water.

The forest is moderate in density with clearings and wetland pockets breaking the canopy. Habitat transitions are gradual rather than dramatic; swamps, marshes, and stream corridors create diverse food sources and movement corridors. Bears utilize the entire elevation band, moving seasonally through forest and into open areas for berries and other seasonal foods.

Road density of 2.24 miles per square mile creates a well-connected unit with reasonable access throughout. Major highways and county roads tie communities together, enabling easy travel and staging. Small towns serve as logical bases for hunting operations.

The extensive road network brings consistent hunter pressure, particularly near boat launches, established camping areas, and town access points. However, the unit's sheer size—5,700 square miles—means hunters are dispersed. Strategic advantage lies in moving away from road corridors into public forest and along less-known drainage systems.

The abundance of water and access points means pressure concentrates near flowage areas; wilderness-quality solitude exists in rougher forest between major water systems.

Unit B encompasses roughly 5,700 square miles of northern Wisconsin's iconic lake and forest country. The unit centers on the Northwoods region between Rhinelander and Boulder Junction, with towns like Manitowish, Presque Isle, and Lake Tomahawk providing reference points. The landscape is remarkably consistent—gentle, forested terrain broken by countless water features rather than dramatic elevation changes.

Nearly 40 percent public land provides hunting opportunity, though private ownership dominates; understanding access points and public corridors is essential for movement. The connected road network ties small communities together, making logistical planning straightforward.

Water abundance defines Unit B—nearly five percent of the unit is water, with countless lakes, flowages, and streams creating an interconnected system. Major flowages like Rhinelander Flowage, Rainbow Flowage, and Grandmother Flowage dominate the landscape. Named streams including Papoose Creek, Black Alder Creek, and the North Branch Prairie River provide reliable water corridors.

Springs are scattered throughout—Goodyear Springs, Trout Springs, and others support fish populations and attract wildlife. This water richness creates excellent bear habitat; bears follow streams and utilize shoreline vegetation. Seasonal water availability isn't a limiting factor; concentrate effort near known flowage systems and stream corridors during warm months when bears are active.

Unit B is black bear country shaped by forest and water. Bears inhabit the mixed conifer-hardwood forest throughout the elevation band, with movement tied to seasonal food sources—spring greens, summer berries, and fall acorns. Early season (spring) focuses on bears emerging from dens and moving through forest; look for active sign along streams and in hardwood patches.

Mid-season success increases as bears utilize berry patches in clearings and along forest edges. Late season emphasizes bait and ambush near oak areas and mast-producing habitat. Water corridors and stream valleys concentrate bear movement; scouting drainages and understanding connectivity between flowages reveals travel patterns.

The moderate forest density allows glassing and stalking in clearings; the interconnected water system enables boat access deep into public areas unreachable by road.