Unit 109

The Hayward Flowage and connected reservoir system (Spooner Lake, Murphy Flowage, Long Lake) form the geographic backbone for navigation and water access. Key summits including Crystal Mountain, Bald Hill, and County Hill provide orientation points and modest vantage for observing the surrounding terrain. Named springs such as Veazie Springs, Red Cedar Springs, and Earl Springs mark reliable water sources for hunting camps.

Creeks including Fortyone Creek, Hay Creek, and Heron Creek drain the unit and offer travel corridors through the forest. The Narrows acts as a natural bottleneck feature, while scattered islands and bays in the flowages create distinct zones for focused hunting pressure.

The terrain ranges from roughly 1,000 to 1,800 feet, creating gentle valleys and low ridges typical of the Wisconsin north woods. Dense boreal and mixed hardwood forest dominates at higher elevations, transitioning to open marsh and swamp systems in the valleys and around the abundant water features. Approximately 64 percent of the unit is forested plains with significant timber stands interspersed among grassland and brush.

Lower-elevation wetlands and flowage margins support dense vegetation preferred by whitetail deer for bedding and feeding. The extensive water coverage—over 4 percent of the unit—creates natural corridors and concentrates game movement.

The unit benefits from a dense road network of 2.34 miles per square mile, providing straightforward access from surrounding towns and highways. State highways US 63, WI 77, and WI 27 border or pass through the unit, allowing efficient entry from the south. The connected road system means most hunters can position quickly near productive areas, which typically results in moderate pressure concentrated on accessible public lands and lakeside approaches.

Private land ownership at 67 percent limits some areas, but the extensive public forest means dispersal is possible for hunters willing to walk away from trailheads. Early-season hunting pressure tends to focus on roads and flowage margins rather than interior forest.

Unit 109 encompasses 776 square miles of the northern Wisconsin lake country, centered around the Hayward region and extending across Sawyer and Burnett counties. The area sits entirely in the lower elevation band, with modest topographic relief between the lowest valleys and scattered ridges like the Blue Hills and summits such as Meteor Hill and Crystal Mountain. The unit is defined by the extensive Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest presence and interconnected private timber lands, creating a patchwork of public access opportunities.

Major towns including Hayward, Trego, and Birchwood provide staging points for hunters entering from the south and east.

Water is abundant throughout the unit, with over a dozen named lakes and reservoirs providing reliable water year-round. Major flowages including Hayward Flowage, Spooner Lake, and Murphy Flowage support boat access for hunting logistics. Numerous named springs—Earl Springs, Knuteson Spring, Benson Spring, and others—offer consistent water sources in the backcountry.

Creeks including Heron Creek, Spring Lake Creek, and Thirty-three Creek drain into larger systems and create natural hunting corridors. Wetlands and swamps surrounding lakes and reservoirs (Borns Lake, Kissick Swamp, Crystal Swamp) concentrate deer movement during seasonal transitions. Hunters have excellent options for camp placement near permanent water.

Whitetail deer are the primary species; the unit isn't home to mule deer or elk. The dense forest and abundant water support healthy deer populations, with animals using the creeks, flowages, and spring-fed areas as movement corridors during all seasons. Early season hunting benefits from targeting the transition zones between dense timber and marsh feeding areas; bucks tend to bed in thicker forest and feed in open swamps during evening hours.

Rut period hunting works well when concentrated along ridge systems and creek bottoms where bucks travel between bedding and doe concentration areas. Late season success often comes from positioning near permanent water sources and knowing which flowage arms concentrate deer during harsh weather. The low terrain complexity and straightforward navigation mean success depends more on reading sign, understanding local movement patterns, and patient stalking through the timber than on map-reading skills.