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Vilas County, Wisconsin
Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area: the hunter's file
Deer unit DMU 122, bear and turkey zones, closures, licenses and the nearest towns and services.
Photo: robertgeiger1 (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 1.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 1.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Star LakeTrailhead · 1.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 2.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 2.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 3.2 mi from the centreDirections
Parking, trailhead and gate locations come from OpenStreetMap contributors. Roads into public land can be gated or seasonal; check with the managing agency before you go.
Key facts for Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area
Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area is a DNR-owned State Natural Area in Vilas County. The DNR files it under its Northern Region (the Northwoods). Management sits with the Wisconsin DNR. Acreage: 852, which places it 61st of 449 state natural areas. Listed as SNA 500; survey location T41N-R8E, Sections 11, 12, 13, 14. The closest covered town is Sayner, around 6 miles off as the crow flies. It belongs to Northern Highland State Forest.
From the source page (WI DNR SNA parcel ownership GIS OWNER_ACRE_AMT, WDNR-owned parcels); region from the DNR county layer. Checked October 19, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area
Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area by zone and unit
Deer: Northern Forest zone, DMU 122. 330 antlerless deer: the 2026 quota for the unit. Bear hunters here apply for Zone B: 5,071 applied for 2026 and 1,545 permits went out. In Zone 7 turkey hunters held 4,401 spring tags in 2025 (spring 2027 levels are not out yet). CWD-positive deer have been recorded in Vilas County; free testing is offered statewide. Baiting and feeding deer are banned in Vilas County.
DMU figures for Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area
| Unit | Deer zone | Quota | Public-access bonus | Private bonus | Farmland per license |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 122 | Northern Forest | 330 | 63 | 562 | — |
Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area zone table
| Zone | Setting | Data | Also | Last season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear zone B | Dogs OK | 850 target, 1,545 permits | 11 points | 851 bears in 2025 |
| Turkey 7 | 4,401 spring tags (2025) | 16% success | 726 gobblers | — |
| Ruffed grouse A | Sep 12–Jan 3 | 5 a day | ||
| Duck | Northern | Sep 26–Nov 24 | ||
| Goose | Northern | Sep 16–Dec 16 | ||
| Wolf 2 | No hunt | Endangered status |
Zones from the DNR zone layers as recorded in lands.json; quotas and bonus tags from the 2026 antlerless quota table; bear figures from the 2026 bear drawing summary and 2025 bear harvest; turkey from the 2025 spring turkey report; CWD and baiting lists from the DNR. Checked October 19, 2026.
Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area: the property description
Copied from the official listing.
Situated on rolling to broken pitted outwash terrain between Lake Laura and Salsich Lake, Lake Laura Hardwoods features an extensive northern mesic forest that includes old-growth stands as well as mature stands that possess or are developing old-growth attributes. Some stands are over 250 years old. Canopy dominance varies from almost pure hemlock with white pine to pure hardwoods including sugar maple, yellow birch and basswood. Reproduction is primarily sugar maple but balsam fir is an important sapling locally.
Hemlock and yellow birch are reproducing well near Salsich Lake. The understory includes Canada mayflower, lycopods, intermediate wood fern, rough-leaved rice grass and twisted stalk. Where sugar maple is dominant associates include yellow birch, red oak, white ash and basswood with occasional large white pine and hemlock. Common ground layer species include Pennsylvania sedge, wood anemone, hepatica, American starflower, sessile-leaved bellwort and false Solomon's seal. Shrubs present are leatherwood, beaked hazelnut and American fly honeysuckle. Salsich Lake is a 48-acre soft-water seepage lake, which is ringed with a mature forest.
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
Access, closures and licenses for Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area
Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area: open to whom, and how
Expect open hunting and trapping on the DNR-owned parcels, with no camping, motor vehicles, drones or plant collecting allowed.
Orange, stands and GameReg at Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area
Bowhunters too: when a gun deer season is on, 50% of the coat and hat must be orange or pink, unless you are hunting waterfowl. A ground blind on DNR property needs 144 sq in of orange or pink during gun deer seasons. South of Hwy. 64 every stand and blind leaves with you; north of it, two portable stands per county may stay out Sept. 1-Jan. 31. Use GameReg (online or 844-426-3734) before 5 p.m. the day after the harvest.
Tags and licenses for Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area
Licenses sell on Go Wild. On public land, antlerless deer need a public-access authorization for the unit.
Access from the source page; closures from the DNR closed and restricted areas layer; stocking and dove fields from the DNR upland bird layers; rules from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 regulations; prices from Go Wild. Checked October 19, 2026.
Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area: parent and sister units
Northern Highland State Forest is the parent; 21 more units share it.
More of Northern Highland State Forest
| Name | Kind | Counties | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| DuPage Lake Peatlands | State natural area | Iron | 3,287 |
| Toy Lake Swamp | State natural area | Vilas, Iron | 2,308 |
| Frog Lake and Pines | State natural area | Iron | 1,290 |
| Johnson Lake Barrens and Springs | State natural area | Vilas | 1,130 |
| Lost Canoe | State natural area | Vilas | 1,119 |
| Devine Lake and Mishonagon Creek | State natural area | Vilas | 1,088 |
| Bittersweet Lakes | State natural area | Vilas | 1,070 |
| Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods | State natural area | Iron | 869 |
| Aurora Lake | State natural area | Vilas | 831 |
| Plum Lake Hemlock Forest | State natural area | Vilas | 747 |
| Nixon Lake | State natural area | Vilas | 737 |
| Papoose Creek Pines | State natural area | Vilas | 563 |
| Rice Creek | State natural area | Vilas | 435 |
| Van Vliet Hemlocks | State natural area | Vilas | 412 |
| Allequash Lake and Pines | State natural area | Vilas | 398 |
Which animals Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area lists
The agency names no particular game for Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area: all open seasons apply, within the property rules.
The Vilas County dates (38 rows) follow.
Species from the property record (No species list published for this property; open seasons follow statewide/zone regulations where hunting is allowed.); bag limits from the DNR regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Which seasons are open in Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area
Deer dates are statewide in Wisconsin; bear, turkey, grouse, cottontail and waterfowl dates follow zone lines, so only the rows for Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area are listed.
| Species | Season | Where it applies | Opens | Closes | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery and crossbow | Statewide | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth/disabled gun hunt | Statewide | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 11, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun deer (9-day) | Statewide | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Muzzleloader | Statewide | Nov 30, 2026 | Dec 9, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | December antlerless hunt | Statewide | Dec 10, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone B/A | Sep 9, 2026 | Sep 15, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone B/A | Sep 16, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone B/A | Oct 7, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall turkey | Turkey Zone 7 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 7 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 7 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 7 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 7 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 7 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 7 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 7 | May 26, 2027 | Jun 1, 2027 | |
| Ruffed Grouse | Ruffed grouse | Grouse Zone A | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Pheasant | Pheasant | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Bobwhite Quail | Bobwhite quail | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 9, 2026 | |
| Hungarian partridge | Hungarian partridge | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Squirrel | Squirrel | Statewide | Sep 12, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Cottontail | Cottontail rabbit | Northern cottontail zone | Sep 12, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Snowshoe Hare | Snowshoe hare | Statewide | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| American Crow | Crow | Statewide | Nov 21, 2026 | Mar 24, 2027 | |
| Ducks | Youth waterfowl hunt | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Regular duck | Northern Duck Zone | Sep 26, 2026 | Nov 24, 2026 | |
| Teal | Early teal | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 9, 2026 | |
| Geese | Regular goose | Northern Goose Zone | Sep 16, 2026 | Dec 16, 2026 | |
| Canada goose | Early Canada goose | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 15, 2026 | |
| Raccoon | Raccoon (resident) | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Raccoon (nonresident) | Statewide | Oct 31, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Red and gray fox | Fox (red and gray) | Statewide | Oct 17, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Coyote | Coyote (hunting) | Statewide | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| Bobcat | Bobcat, Period 1 | North of Hwy. 64 | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 25, 2026 | |
| Bobcat | Bobcat, Period 1 | South of Hwy. 64 | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 25, 2026 | |
| Bobcat | Bobcat, Period 2 | North of Hwy. 64 | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Bobcat, Period 2 | South of Hwy. 64 | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Unprotected species | Unprotected species | Statewide | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
From the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Fall 2026-Spring 2027 hunting regulations and season dates, checked October 19, 2026.
Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area: county harvest and CWD tests
Deer harvest here is reported by Northern Forest DMU, and only 2025 exists since the 2025 boundary change. Preliminary 2026 count to Oct. 19: 91 in DMU 122. Vilas County CWD testing (2025): 0 positives out of 221 samples. Cumulative total 2 positives in 3,270 tests. Vilas County bear harvest, 2025: 70. Harvest and CWD figures cover Vilas County as a whole.
Vilas County deer by year
| DMU | Antlered | Antlerless | All |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 122 | 472 | 330 | 802 |
Testing for CWD, Vilas County
| Year | Deer tested | CWD positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 31 | 0 |
| 2025 | 221 | 0 |
| 2024 | 272 | 1 |
| 2023 | 234 | 0 |
| 2022 | 292 | 0 |
| 2021 | 214 | 1 |
Bears by year, Vilas County
| Year | Bears | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 88 | 43 | 45 |
| 2025 | 70 | 41 | 29 |
Deer from DNR Deer Metrics harvest history and the 2026 harvest to date; CWD from the DNR CWD summary; bears from the DNR bear harvest reports. Checked October 19, 2026.
Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area pinned among its neighbours
Map of Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area and the 10 nearest public places. That is 280,252 acres of public ground.
| Area | Category | Acreage | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Buckatabon Springs | State natural area | 120 | 5.2 mi | east |
| Northern Highland-American Legion | State forest | 237,127 | 6.4 mi | west |
| Tamarack Rearing Station | Fishery area | 170 | 6.4 mi | east |
| Big St Germain | Fishery area | 1 | 7.6 mi | southwest |
| Conover Rearing Station | Fishery area | 2 | 9.1 mi | east |
| Spring Lake | Wildlife area | 122 | 10 mi | northeast |
| Vilas | County forest | 41,151 | 11 mi | east |
| Dunn Lake | State natural area | 954 | 12 mi | northwest |
| Spruce Grouse Swamp | State natural area | 396 | 12 mi | east |
| Day Lake | State natural area | 209 | 12 mi | west |
Points from the DNR managed lands, SNA, county forest, FWS realty, USFS, NPS and DoD layers (WI DNR State Natural Areas parcel ownership GIS (centroid of WDNR-owned parcels) (polygon centroid)). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Towns, processors and DNR desks near Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area
Start with a town, then line up a cooler, a butcher and a mount.
| Town | County | Miles off | People | Public acres (10 mi) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sayner | Vilas | 6.0 mi | — | 123,140 |
| Boulder Junction | Vilas | 11 mi | — | 103,002 |
| Eagle River | Vilas | 12 mi | 1,681 | 58,199 |
| Woodruff | Oneida | 16 mi | — | 68,581 |
For the wider county picture: Vilas County.
Venison, mounts and ammo near Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area
Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area: agency contacts
County service center: DNR Woodruff Service Center (715-356-5211).
Towns and populations from the Census 2024 estimates; public acres within 10 miles from the land layers; businesses from store locators and listings (license-only agents left out); offices from DNR, USFS and USFWS pages. Checked October 19, 2026. Call ahead.
Practice before hunting Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area
Boulder Junction Shooting Range in Vilas County is the nearest DNR-map range, 9 miles out.
rifle, handgun, trap, skeet, shotgun on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
First and last legal minute at Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area
Deer, bear, elk, small game and fall turkey: 30 minutes before sunrise until 20 minutes after sunset. Ducks, geese, doves and spring turkey: same start, done at sunset.
| Date | Season moment | Northern Area | Southern Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 12, 2026 | Bow, turkey, grouse opener | 6:03 a.m. to 7:35 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 7:34 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Pheasant and duck dates | 6:47 a.m. to 6:29 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 6:32 p.m. |
| Nov 1, 2026 | Early November | 6:08 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer opener | 6:36 a.m. to 4:42 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. to 4:48 p.m. |
| Dec 1, 2026 | Muzzleloader week | 6:48 a.m. to 4:36 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 4:43 p.m. |
| Dec 24, 2026 | Holiday Hunt opener | 7:07 a.m. to 4:38 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 4:46 p.m. |
| Jan 3, 2027 | Archery close (most units) | 7:09 a.m. to 4:47 p.m. | 7:03 a.m. to 4:54 p.m. |
Deer, bear, elk, small game and fall turkey table times from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources shooting hours tables, plus the Zone C offset of 8 minutes for longitude 89.45 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Questions hunters raise about Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area
Is there other public ground around Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area?
By straight-line distance: Upper Buckatabon Springs State Natural Area (5 miles), Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest (6 miles) and Tamarack Rearing Station (6 miles).
What is the parent of Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area?
Northern Highland State Forest holds it.
What type of property is Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area on the record?
It is a DNR-owned State Natural Area, managed by the Wisconsin DNR.
What size is Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area on the record?
About 852 acres.
What is the nearest town to Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area?
Base in Sayner, 6 miles away; the ground is in Vilas County.
Which species are allowed at Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area?
There is no species list. Any season open in the county works here within the rules.
What is the antlerless quota at Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area?
DMU 122, part of the Northern Forest zone. Antlerless goal for 2026: 330.
Which bear permit zone holds Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area?
B. You need a Class A license from the drawing.
How many turkey permits go to the Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area zone?
Turkey Zone 7. 4,401 spring tags were issued there in 2025.
What waterfowl dates apply at Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area?
Duck zone: Northern; goose zone: Northern. Northern Zone ducks open Sep 26, 2026-27.
Can I put out corn for deer at Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area?
Not here: Vilas County is under the ban. CWD has been found in wild deer in Vilas County.
How much orange do I wear at Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area?
During any firearm deer season: 50% of your outer clothing above the waist and 50% of any cap, blaze orange or pink. Waterfowl hunters are exempt.
When must I register a turkey from Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area?
Deer: online, phone or station by 5 p.m. next day. Turkeys: online or phone only.
Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area: one more look before the drive
Signs on the ground beat any web page. Read the posted boundaries at Lake Laura Hardwoods State Natural Area when you arrive.
Sources for this page: DNR: LakeLauraHardwoods · DNR GIS · DNR: StateNaturalAreas; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Joe K Gage (CC BY-SA 2.0); Intermountain Region US Forest Service (Public domain).