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State natural area · Northeast region
Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area for Wisconsin hunters
A hunter's summary of Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area in Door County: zones and quota, rules, CWD numbers and local help.
Photo: Aaron Volkening (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area
- Parking areaParking · 1.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.7 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.
Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area: record card
Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area: a DNR-owned State Natural Area, located in Door County. Region on record: the DNR Northeast Region. The Wisconsin DNR writes the rules on the ground. The 324 acres on record put it 171st of the 449 state natural areas we list. The DNR numbers it SNA 391 (legal description T33N-R30E, Sections 4, 5). Base town: Sister Bay, some 18 miles away.
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 Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area
Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area deer unit, quota and game zones
The deer unit is Door, in the Central Farmland zone. The 2026 antlerless quota for that unit is 4,000. For black bear this is Zone F, with no hound hunting; 764 permits for 2026. Turkey hunting falls under Zone 2, which had 51,056 spring permits in 2025. In Door County baiting is allowed, capped at 2 gallons per 40 acres.
The deer unit around Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area
| DMU | Deer zone | Antlerless quota | Public-land bonus | Private-land bonus | Free tags per license |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Door | Central Farmland | 4,000 | 246 | 746 | 5 |
Bear, turkey and bird zones at Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area
| Zone | Rule | Numbers | Extra | 2025 result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear F | Bait only | 50 target, 764 permits | 1 point | 27 bears in 2025 |
| Wild turkey 2 | 51,056 spring tags (2025) | 22% success | 11,024 gobblers | 2,500 fall bonus |
| Grouse zone A | Sep 12–Jan 3 | 5 a day | ||
| Ducks | Open Water (500 ft from shore) | — | ||
| Geese | Southern | Sep 16–Oct 11 Oct 17–Dec 6 Dec 19–Jan 2 | ||
| Wolf zone 6 | Closed | Federally 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.
Rules on the ground at Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area
Entry terms for Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area
Hunting and trapping are generally allowed on DNR-owned State Natural Area land unless a spot is posted closed. Camping, vehicles, drones and collecting plants are not (NR 45).
Wisconsin rules that follow you to Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area
During any firearm deer season, everyone hunting except waterfowlers wears blaze orange or fluorescent pink on at least half the clothing above the waist, and on half of any cap. DNR land rule: 144 sq in of solid orange or pink on any ground blind in gun season. Leave no stand overnight south of Hwy. 64. North of the highway, two per hunter per county may stay from Sept. 1 to Jan. 31. GameReg registration is due by 5 p.m. the day after you recover the animal.
Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area: licenses and tags
Go Wild carries every license. For antlerless deer on public ground, use a public-access tag for the right DMU.
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.
Game and bag limits at Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area
With no species list from the source, read it this way: every open Wisconsin season applies here under the property rules.
Use the Door County season list (42 rows) below.
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.
Every Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area season on one table
Private and public land share these dates. A state park, refuge or Fort McCoy can close sooner, so read the property page before you go.
| Animal | Segment | Scope | Starts | Ends | Open 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 | 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: Door | 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 F | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall turkey | Turkey Zone 2 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 2 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 2 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 2 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 2 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 2 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 2 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 2 | 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 (split 1) | Southern Duck Zone | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 11, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Regular duck | Open Water Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 15, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Regular duck (split 2) | Southern Duck Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Teal | Early teal | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 9, 2026 | |
| Geese | Regular goose (split 1) | Southern Goose Zone | Sep 16, 2026 | Oct 11, 2026 | |
| Geese | Regular goose (split 2) | Southern Goose Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Geese | Regular goose (holiday split) | Southern Goose Zone | Dec 19, 2026 | Jan 2, 2027 | |
| 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.
Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area described by the DNR
Quoted as published; nothing here is our wording.
Big and Little Marsh features a complex of boreal-rich fen, a northern wet-mesic forest, and a large emergent aquatic marsh on marl. Located on Washington Island, off the tip of the Door County peninsula, the site harbors numerous rare species. An extensive lowland conifer swamp is dominated by white cedar with lesser amounts of balsam fir and tamarack; the ground layer is comprised of three-leaved gold-thread, Canada mayflower, starry false Solomon's-seal, and three-seeded sedge. Soft-stem bulrush dominates the unusual aquatic marsh, which contains large expanses of seasonally dry marl and pavement of dolomite gravel and cobbles.
Frequent in the shallow pools are common bog-arrow grass. Also present are false mermaid weed, northern bladderwort, pondweeds, and water smartweed. An upland hardwood forest of white cedar and hemlock surrounds the wetlands. Included within the natural area is 200' of the Lake Michigan shoreline, which is important foraging habitat for rare dragonfly species. Many birds funnel through this area during spring and fall migrations and a diversity of neotropical migrants breed here in summer.
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
Harvest numbers for the country around Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area
2025 in Door County: 1,979 bucks, 2,323 antlerless, 4,302 in all. Range since 2016: 3,793 to 5,264 deer a year. Early 2026 registrations (archery, crossbow, youth hunt): Door 408. The DNR sampled 32 deer from Door County in 2025; 0 had CWD. 0 positives overall, from 1,120 deer. Figures are for the whole county unit, not Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area alone; the DNR does not report harvest by property.
Door County unit harvest
| Season | Bucks | Does and fawns | Registered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,979 | 2,323 | 4,302 |
| 2024 | 1,957 | 2,268 | 4,225 |
| 2023 | 1,727 | 2,066 | 3,793 |
| 2022 | 1,736 | 2,110 | 3,846 |
| 2021 | 1,766 | 2,174 | 3,940 |
| 2020 | 1,704 | 2,462 | 4,166 |
CWD samples, Door County
| Year | Tested | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 4 | 0 |
| 2025 | 32 | 0 |
| 2024 | 36 | 0 |
| 2023 | 48 | 0 |
| 2022 | 40 | 0 |
| 2021 | 45 | 0 |
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.
Bed, fuel and a butcher near Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area
Where to sleep, where to buy shells, where to drop off a deer.
| Town | County | Miles | Population | Public land nearby |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sister Bay | Door | 18 mi | 1,170 | 11,898 |
| Baileys Harbor | Door | 25 mi | — | 8,791 |
| Marinette | Marinette | 43 mi | 11,139 | 9,005 |
| Sturgeon Bay | Door | 45 mi | 9,940 | 1,932 |
Season and zone pages by county: Door County.
Who processes a deer from Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area
Where to ask about Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area
Licenses and questions for Door County go through the DNR Green Bay Service Center.
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.
Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area and nearby public ground
Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area at the big pin; the nearest 10 public places around it. Combined, 5,857 acres are on record.
| Public land | Type | Acres | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coffey Swamp | State natural area | 189 | 2.8 mi | northwest |
| Rock Island | State park | 985 | 3.5 mi | northeast |
| Rock Island Woods | State natural area | 726 | 3.7 mi | northeast |
| Grand Traverse Island | State park | 26 | 4.4 mi | southwest |
| Green Bay National Wildlife Refuge Detroit Island Unit | Refuge unit | 148 | 5.1 mi | southwest |
| Europe Bay Woods | State natural area | 439 | 10 mi | southwest |
| Newport | State park | 2,467 | 12 mi | southwest |
| Newport Conifer-Hardwoods | State natural area | 539 | 12 mi | southwest |
| Mink River Estuary | State natural area | 332 | 12 mi | southwest |
| Sister Islands Habitat Presv | Wildlife area | 6 | 18 mi | southwest |
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) (point inside polygon (centroid falls outside))). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Shooting-hour table for Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area
Two tables cover the state, one for the Northern Area and one for the Southern Area, each for Zone A. West of 88 degrees you add 4 minutes per degree of longitude.
| Date | Why it matters | Northern Area | Southern Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 12, 2026 | Bow, turkey, grouse opener | 5:55 a.m. to 7:27 p.m. | 5:57 a.m. to 7:26 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Pheasant and duck dates | 6:39 a.m. to 6:21 p.m. | 6:38 a.m. to 6:24 p.m. |
| Nov 1, 2026 | Early November | 6:00 a.m. to 4:57 p.m. | 5:57 a.m. to 5:01 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer opener | 6:28 a.m. to 4:34 p.m. | 6:23 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. |
| Dec 1, 2026 | Muzzleloader week | 6:40 a.m. to 4:28 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. to 4:35 p.m. |
| Dec 24, 2026 | Holiday Hunt opener | 6:59 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. to 4:38 p.m. |
| Jan 3, 2027 | Archery close (most units) | 7:01 a.m. to 4:39 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 4:46 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 A offset of 0 minutes for longitude 86.86 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area: nearest ranges
The DNR-map range closest to Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area is Door County Rod & Gun Club (44 miles). Club ranges within 30 miles are included.
rifle, handgun, archery, trap, sporting clays on file
trap, skeet, rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
Before-the-trip answers for Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area
Is Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area DNR, county or federal ground?
A DNR-owned State Natural Area; the manager is the Wisconsin DNR.
Is Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area a big property?
324 acres in the source data.
Which town works as a base for Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area?
Door County; Sister Bay, the nearest town we cover, is 18 miles away.
Can I hunt any species on Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area?
Every open Wisconsin season applies under the property rules; no list narrows it.
What deer tags work on Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area?
It is in Door (Central Farmland). This year the antlerless quota is 4,000.
How hard is a bear permit for Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area?
Zone F; hounds may not be used there.
Which zone do I apply for to hunt turkeys at Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area?
Zone 2. Success in 2025 was 22%.
Which goose zone is Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area in?
Ducks follow the Open Water (500 ft from shore) zone, Canada geese the Southern zone.
Can I bait deer at Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area?
Bait is allowed here with limits. No CWD-positive wild deer are on record for the county.
When does orange apply at Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area?
Pink counts the same as orange: 50% above the waist in firearm deer seasons.
Does a Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area deer go into GameReg?
By 5 p.m. the following day, through GameReg; bears also go to a station or online the same way.
What paperwork does Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area need?
Gun deer ($24), archer ($24) or small game ($18) for residents; nonresident gun deer is $200.
Which public land sits closest to Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area?
Coffey Swamp State Natural Area (3 miles), Rock Island State Park (4 miles) and Rock Island Woods State Natural Area (4 miles), each with a page here.
Signing off on Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area
Gates, refuges and open areas at Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area are the manager's call; confirm them before opening day.
Sources for this page: DNR: BigandLittleMarsh · DNR GIS · DNR: StateNaturalAreas; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: GerryT (CC BY 2.0); nugefishes (CC BY 2.0).