Unit 103

The Bayfield Peninsula dominates the geography, anchored by several prominent points including Bark Point and Houghton Point jutting into Lake Superior. Mount Ashwabay and Mount Valhalla, while modest in elevation, serve as notable local landmarks visible for navigation and glassing. The Siskiwit River provides a major drainage reference point running north-south through the unit's eastern portion.

Numerous lakes—including Hicks, Johnson, and Long Lakes—dot the landscape and serve as navigation references. Lost Creek and Thompson Creek offer additional drainage corridors through forested terrain. The confluence of Sioux River Slough marks the unit's western boundary and serves as a tactical reference point.

This is entirely low-elevation country with minimal topographic relief. Dense forest dominates, primarily hardwoods and mixed conifers typical of the Great Lakes region, with scattered clearings, agricultural patches, and extensive swampy areas. The forest canopy is mature in places and regenerating elsewhere, creating varied cover densities.

Open plains and cleared land comprise roughly a fifth of the unit, often along waterways or in managed agricultural areas. The lack of significant elevation change means habitat remains consistent across the unit rather than zoning into distinct bands. Understory density and age-class variation provide the primary habitat diversity.

Road density is excellent at 2.55 miles per square mile—among the highest in Wisconsin hunting territory. This extensive network means most of the unit is accessible by vehicle, with roads connecting major drainages and interior areas. Major roads like US highways and county routes provide primary corridors, while secondary roads penetrate deeper into the forest.

This connectivity creates moderate to high hunting pressure, particularly near road corridors and lake accesses. Effective hunting requires moving away from main roads and accessing less obvious terrain. The private-public checkerboard means access planning is essential; some productive areas may be off-limits depending on current ownership.

Unit 103 encompasses roughly 540 square miles of northern Wisconsin's Lake Superior region, anchored by the Bayfield Peninsula and extending inland across Ashland and Bayfield counties. The unit's geography centers on the finger of land pointing northwest toward Lake Superior, with access to several significant harbors including Washburn, Bayfield, and Port Wing. The landscape sits entirely below 1,500 feet elevation, with most terrain rolling gently between 900 and 1,100 feet.

Public land comprises the majority of the unit, though private holdings—particularly near communities and scattered through the interior—create a checkerboard pattern requiring careful attention to posted boundaries.

Water availability is reliable throughout the unit. Lake Superior borders the peninsula to the north and east, while interior lakes are abundant and accessible. The Siskiwit River is the primary drainage, flowing north toward Superior and providing a major water corridor and potential travel route.

Multiple creeks—Lost Creek (three branches), Thompson Creek, and others—create secondary drainage systems that hunters can use for navigation and water access. Wetlands and swamps, particularly around Sultz Swamp, are prevalent and may slow travel but indicate water availability. Seasonal water levels are typically stable given proximity to the Great Lakes system, making water planning straightforward.

Unit 103 supports white-tailed and mule deer populations in forested habitat typical of northern Wisconsin. Thick forest cover and abundant swamps provide excellent bedding, while clearings and regenerating timber offer browse. Early season hunting focuses on edges between mature timber and clear-cuts or along creek bottoms where deer move through cover.

The rut brings deer to more open areas as they range widely, making ridge travel and open-country glassing productive. Late season deer often concentrate near remaining food sources and swamps for thermal cover. Road-accessible parking areas attract many hunters; success increases by hiking away from vehicles into untrafficked forest blocks.

The moderate complexity and extensive road access make this unit manageable for hunters of various skill levels.