Unit 104

Swallow Point, Sand Point, and Presque Isle Point provide excellent orientation markers along the peninsula's shore, useful for glassing water edges and establishing bearing reference. Clay Banks on the eastern shoreline form distinctive sandy cliffs visible for navigation. The Apostle Islands—particularly Basswood, Stockton, and Sand Islands—are notable features within the unit, though island hunting requires boat access.

Inland, numerous small lakes serve as both navigation waypoints and attractants for deer movement. These water features break up the forest visually, making it easier to establish position and plan routes rather than relying on compass alone.

The entire unit sits below 1,200 feet elevation, with most terrain clustering around 700 feet. The landscape consists of dense mixed forest interspersed with lakes, wetlands, and streamside corridors. Hardwoods and conifers create layered canopy structure that provides excellent cover for white-tailed deer.

The flat to gently rolling topography transitions from shoreline wetlands and alder swamps inland to more typical upland forest. Occasional open meadows and regenerating forest patches break the canopy, offering browse and staging areas. The high water coverage—lakes, bogs, and Superior's influence—maintains moisture-rich habitat year-round.

Approximately 77 miles of road traverse the unit with density just over 1.2 miles per square mile—moderate but not extensive. No major highways cut through; roads are primarily secondary and local, limiting drive-through traffic. Boat access from Bayfield or Ashland provides the main gateway to island portions.

The combination of water barriers, modest road network, and mostly public ownership keeps overall hunting pressure manageable. However, proximity to Lake Superior communities and the Apostle Islands' recreational popularity means weekends draw visitors. Mid-week hunting offers better solitude than weekends.

The flat, accessible terrain means hunters can cover country quickly, potentially meeting others.

Unit 104 encompasses roughly 61 square miles centered on the Bayfield Peninsula and Apostle Islands chain in Lake Superior's southern reach. The unit's borders follow the natural break between Superior's shoreline and inland forest. Presque Isle Point and Sand Point mark northern extents, while Clay Banks form dramatic geological features along the peninsula's eastern flank.

The islands scattered throughout—Basswood, Stockton, Sand, Rocky, Raspberry, and others—are included within the unit. Nearly 99% of the unit is public land, primarily National Lakeshore and state-managed forest.

Water dominates this unit's character. Lake Superior forms the western and northern boundary, providing cooling influence and creating productive shoreline habitat. Interior lakes and ponds are abundant—too numerous to track individually, but they create a network of water sources.

Wetlands and marshes rim most water bodies, offering prime deer feeding areas during early season. Several permanent streams and creeks provide reliable water for both deer and hunters. Seasonal water doesn't concern you here; the challenge is navigating around water rather than finding it.

Spring-fed seeps and groundwater maintain wetland productivity throughout the hunting season.

White-tailed deer are the primary quarry, inhabiting the dense forest and utilizing open wetland edges for feeding. Early season opportunities focus on forest edges near water—deer transition between bedding thickets and wetland browse at dawn and dusk. Rut hunting emphasizes ridge and saddle travel through the forest, as bucks follow doe trails through the dense cover.

Late season deer concentrate in remaining open areas and south-facing slopes for warmth. Mule deer are present but rare, suitable only as incidental encounters. The flat terrain and water barriers simplify travel planning; establishing a stand near known trails or water edges produces consistent results.

Wetland edges and small clearings hold morning and evening movement.