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2026-27 · WPA
Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area, a hunter's guide
Who runs it, which deer unit and bear zone cover it, what it holds (ducks and geese, whitetails, wild turkeys and pheasants), and the public land and towns around it in St. Croix County.
Photo: aarongunnar (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area
- Parking areaParking · 2.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 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.
What the record says about Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area
On paper it is a federal waterfowl production area; on the map it is in St. Croix County. DNR staff of the West Central Region cover this part of west-central Wisconsin. Manager: the Fish and Wildlife Service. Its 423 acres rank 13th of the 103 Wisconsin waterfowl production areas with an acreage on file. From Somerset, our closest town page, it is roughly 3 miles to the southeast. Parent property: St. Croix Wetland Management District.
From the source page (FWS Realty GIS acres (SUM_GISACRES) for the unit); region from the DNR county layer. Checked October 19, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area
Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area rules and licenses
Access rules at Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area
Bring it in, carry it out: WPA hunters remove decoys, blinds, stands and boats daily, and hunt under state seasons. In the St. Croix district, posted parts of St. Croix Prairie and Prairie Flats-South are closed; Oak Ridge (420 acres) opens only for deer in fall.
State law on Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area
Orange or pink, 50% above the waist and 50% of the head covering, is the rule while gun deer seasons run; duck and goose hunters are exempt. By 5 p.m. the following day, register the deer on GameReg (online, phone or station).
Which licenses Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area needs
Get licenses on Go Wild or at an agent. Antlerless tags are unit-specific and labelled public or private land.
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.
Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area: DMU, bear zone and turkey zone
Deer management: St Croix, Central Farmland zone. The Natural Resources Board set 3,500 antlerless deer as the 2026 quota there. Bear Zone E has a 2026 harvest target of 185 with 2,628 Class A permits drawn; it took 1 preference point to win one. Spring turkey tags are sold for Zone 4; the DNR issued 34,997 there in 2025, the newest level published. The deer baiting ban covers St. Croix County.
Deer units that cover Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area
| Deer unit | Zone | Antlerless goal | Public tags left | Private tags left | Included tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Croix | Central Farmland | 3,500 | 494 | 1,496 | 2 |
| St. Croix County Metro Sub-Unit | Metro sub-unit | Counted in parent | 150 | 300 | 2 |
Zones beyond deer for Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area
| Zone | Setting | Data | Also | Last season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear E | Dogs barred | 185 target, 2,628 permits | 1 point | 128 bears in 2025 |
| Turkey zone 4 | 34,997 spring tags (2025) | 24% success | 8,472 gobblers | 1,500 fall bonus |
| Grouse zone A | Sep 12–Jan 3 | 5 a day | ||
| Duck zone | Northern | Sep 26–Nov 24 | ||
| Goose zone | Northern | Sep 16–Dec 16 | ||
| Wolf zone 6 | No season | Listed endangered |
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.
Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area: species with bag limits
Listed game at Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area: ducks and geese, whitetails, wild turkeys, pheasants, squirrels, cottontails and hares and raccoons, foxes and coyotes.
Ducks and geese
White-tailed deer
Wild turkey
Pheasant
Small game
Furbearers
The St. Croix County calendar below covers the rest.
Species from the property record (species named by the source); bag limits from the DNR regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Season dates that cover Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area
Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area sits in the Central Farmland deer zone. These 42 rows are the dated hunting segments the DNR schedule puts there, from the September archery opener into spring turkey.
| Game | Season | Applies in | Begins | Through | Right now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Metro sub-unit gun | Metro sub-unit: Hudson | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 9, 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 | |
| White-tailed deer | Antlerless-only Holiday Hunt | Holiday Hunt: St. Croix | Dec 24, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Extended archery and crossbow | Extended archery | Jan 4, 2027 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone D | Sep 9, 2026 | Sep 15, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone E | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone D | Sep 16, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone D | Oct 7, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall turkey | Turkey Zone 4 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 4 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 4 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 4 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 4 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 4 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 4 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 4 | 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.
Linked units of Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area
It shares St. Croix Wetland Management District with 45 sibling units.
Other units of St. Croix Wetland Management District
| Name | Type | County | Acreage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rock Creek | WPA | Dunn | 672 |
| Oak Ridge | WPA | St. Croix | 632 |
| Ten Mile | WPA | St. Croix | 516 |
| Prairie Flats – South | WPA | St. Croix | 501 |
| Betterly | WPA | St. Croix | 485 |
| Erickson | WPA | St. Croix | 476 |
| Stanton Prairie | WPA | St. Croix | 353 |
| Deer Park | WPA | St. Croix | 351 |
| Kostka | WPA | St. Croix | 350 |
| Red Cedar | WPA | Dunn | 336 |
| Star Prairie | WPA | St. Croix | 312 |
| Bierbrauer | WPA | St. Croix, Polk | 275 |
| Three Lakes | WPA | St. Croix | 249 |
| Clapp | WPA | St. Croix | 239 |
| Prairie Flats – North | WPA | St. Croix | 219 |
Public property near Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area
The large pin is Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area; the others are the 10 closest public properties. Together they hold 6,437 acres.
| Name | Type | Size (ac) | Away | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simon Prairie State Habitat Area-Western Prairie Habitat Restoration Area | Habitat area | 7 | 1.5 mi | south |
| Willow River | Habitat area | 818 | 4.2 mi | southeast |
| Lundy Pond | Habitat area | 35 | 4.3 mi | east |
| Ten Mile Creek State Habitat Area-Western Prairie Habitat Restoration Area | Habitat area | 216 | 4.4 mi | southeast |
| Willow River | State park | 2,857 | 5.1 mi | southwest |
| Apple River Canyon | State natural area | 183 | 6.2 mi | northwest |
| St. Croix Islands | Wildlife area | 1,244 | 6.9 mi | northwest |
| St. Croix Islands | State natural area | 852 | 7.3 mi | northwest |
| New Richmond | Habitat area | 77 | 8.1 mi | northeast |
| Erin Prairie | Habitat area | 148 | 9.2 mi | east |
Points from the DNR managed lands, SNA, county forest, FWS realty, USFS, NPS and DoD layers (FWS National Realty FWSInterest_Simplified_Authoritative (unit centroid) (polygon centroid)). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
How the land around Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area hunts, by the numbers
St. Croix County hunters registered 4,858 deer in 2025, 2,261 of them bucks. Totals swing between 3,825 and 4,858 across the years charted. CWD sampling in St. Croix County, CWD year 2025: 132 wild deer sampled, 0 positive. Overall: 1,431 samples and 0 positives. St. Croix County: 31 bears in 2025. The DNR reports deer by unit, not by property: read these as the St. Croix County picture.
St. Croix County bucks and antlerless
| Year | Bucks | Antlerless | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,261 | 2,597 | 4,858 |
| 2024 | 1,922 | 2,280 | 4,202 |
| 2023 | 1,762 | 2,338 | 4,100 |
| 2022 | 2,051 | 2,604 | 4,655 |
| 2021 | 1,970 | 2,257 | 4,227 |
| 2020 | 2,083 | 2,632 | 4,715 |
St. Croix County CWD sampling
| Year | Sampled | Positives |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 7 | 0 |
| 2025 | 132 | 0 |
| 2024 | 119 | 0 |
| 2023 | 78 | 0 |
| 2022 | 94 | 0 |
| 2021 | 80 | 0 |
St. Croix County bears
| Year | Bears registered | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 20 | 14 | 6 |
| 2025 | 31 | 22 | 9 |
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.
Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area: nearest ranges
No range sits on Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area; the nearest on the DNR public range map is Hudson Rod Gun and Archery Club, about 8 miles away. Nearby club or private ranges are shown too.
rifle, handgun, archery, trap, skeet on file
sporting clays, shotgun on file
trap, rifle, archery, 3D archery, shotgun on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
Home bases for a Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area trip
Closest towns, measured as the crow flies, then the businesses around them.
| Town | County | Straight line | 2024 pop. | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Somerset | St. Croix | 3.3 mi | 3,382 | 12,025 |
| Houlton | St. Croix | 7.4 mi | — | 6,454 |
| Hudson | St. Croix | 9.5 mi | 15,031 | 6,712 |
| Osceola | Polk | 16 mi | 2,880 | 5,877 |
Read up on the county: St. Croix County.
Taxidermy and supplies for Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area hunters
Phone numbers for Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area questions
The DNR service center listed for St. Croix County is DNR Eau Claire Service Center, 715-839-3700.
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.
Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area: legal shooting time, table by date
Big game and small game hunters get 20 minutes after sunset in Wisconsin, not 30. Waterfowl and spring gobbler hunters quit at sunset.
| Date | Hunt | Northern Area hours | Southern Area hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 12, 2026 | Bow, turkey, grouse opener | 6:15 a.m. to 7:47 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 7:46 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Pheasant and duck dates | 6:59 a.m. to 6:41 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 6:44 p.m. |
| Nov 1, 2026 | Early November | 6:20 a.m. to 5:17 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 5:21 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer opener | 6:48 a.m. to 4:54 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| Dec 1, 2026 | Muzzleloader week | 7:00 a.m. to 4:48 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 4:55 p.m. |
| Dec 24, 2026 | Holiday Hunt opener | 7:19 a.m. to 4:50 p.m. | 7:13 a.m. to 4:58 p.m. |
| Jan 3, 2027 | Archery close (most units) | 7:21 a.m. to 4:59 p.m. | 7:15 a.m. to 5:06 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 F offset of 20 minutes for longitude 92.64 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Straight answers on Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area
Where do I register game taken on Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area?
Register on GameReg by 5 p.m. the next day; the confirmation number starts with W.
Is there a separate permit for Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area?
The standard license for your game; no landowner permission on public ground.
Which public properties lie near Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area?
Three to try: Simon Prairie State Habitat Area-Western Prairie Habitat Restoration Area (1 mile), Willow River Wildlife Area (4 miles) and Lundy Pond Wildlife Area (4 miles).
Is Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area its own property?
Yes, St. Croix Wetland Management District.
How is Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area classified?
Federal waterfowl production area, under the Fish and Wildlife Service.
How much land is in Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area?
It covers 423 acres by the recorded figure.
Where in the state does Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area lie?
St. Croix County holds it, 3 miles from Somerset.
What is Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area hunted for?
The agency names ducks and geese, whitetails, wild turkeys, pheasants, squirrels, cottontails and hares and raccoons, foxes and coyotes; other legal game follows the county dates.
Which deer management unit holds Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area?
The Central Farmland zone, St Croix. Quota for 2026: 3,500 antlerless.
Is bear hunting possible at Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area?
Zone E; hound hunting is not allowed there.
Can I turkey hunt Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area in spring?
Zone 4; 2025 saw 8,472 birds registered in the zone.
When can I hunt ducks at Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area?
Northern for ducks, Northern for geese. The regular Northern Zone duck season opens Sep 26.
Has CWD turned up in the county around Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area?
The deer baiting ban applies in St. Croix County. CWD has not been found in this county's wild deer.
Last checks on Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area before you go
Treat this page as a starting point: the manager of Bass Lake Waterfowl Production Area has the final say on closures and maps.
Sources for this page: FWS realty layer · USFWS: hunting · USFWS: st croix wetland management district · eCFR: section 32.68; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: USFWS Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0); USFWSmidwest (Public domain).