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Ashland County · State natural area
Hunting at Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area
Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area, 963 acres in Ashland County: zones and tags, property rules, county harvest and the land nearby.
Photo: Fighting Irish 1977 (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area
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- Parking areaParking · 1.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.1 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 Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area on one card
Hunters reach Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area in Ashland County; it is a DNR-owned State Natural Area. This is the Northwoods, in the DNR Northern Region. Day-to-day it is in the hands of the Wisconsin DNR. Measured at 963 acres, it comes in 51st of 449 state natural areas. SNA number: 156. Location by survey: T50N-R2W, Section 19. T50N-R3W, Sections 13, 14, 23, 24. Bayfield is the nearest town with a guide on this site, about 6 miles away; the land lies east of it. It sits within Big Bay State Park.
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 Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area
Zones that take in Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area
Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area is Northern Forest deer country, unit DMU 105. Antlerless quota, 2026: 35. The Zone A bear quota for 2026 is 1,100, spread over 1,675 drawn permits. Zone 6 turkey numbers for 2025: 6,001 spring tags, 23% success. Ashland County is one of the 12 counties without a baiting ban.
Antlerless tags near Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area
| Unit | Zone | Quota 2026 | Bonus, public | Bonus, private | Farmland tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 105 | Northern Forest | 35 | 47 | 42 | — |
Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area: other game zones
| Zone | Detail | Numbers | More | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear zone A | Hounds allowed | 1,100 target, 1,675 permits | 11 points | 1,235 bears in 2025 |
| Turkey 6 | 6,001 spring tags (2025) | 23% success | 1,362 gobblers | — |
| Ruffed grouse A | Sep 12–Jan 3 | 5 a day | ||
| Duck zone | Northern | Sep 26–Nov 24 | ||
| Canada goose | Northern | Sep 16–Dec 16 | ||
| Wolf 1 | No harvest | Federal listing |
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.
How the DNR describes Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area
The managing agency's own text.
Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog is located on an island in Lake Superior and features a long, curving baymouth bar behind which lies a lagoon, an extensive quaking sphagnum-sedge bog and older sand ridges. The youngest bar is marked by four zones: 1) wet sand beach less than 20 feet wide; 2) dry beach stabilized by several species of beach grasses; 3) rear beach or heath zone sloping away from the beach sand, sparsely wooded with red and white pines in barrens-like openings covered with lichens, bearberry, low juniper, false heather, blueberry and huckleberry; and 4) tall shrub zone bordering the lagoon edge of the sand spit.
The total beach acreage is 34 acres. Vegetation west of the sand spit consists of submerged aquatics in the shallow water and bog shrubs on the many small islands as it grades into the sphagnum-sedge bog. The floating bog contains one of the richest bog floras in the Lake Superior region. Just east of the old ridge is a conifer swamp of white cedar, black and white spruces, and tamarack. The old ridge is second-growth timber.
An extensive cordwalk allows visitors to traverse the baymouth bar without disturbing the sensitive vegetation.
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
What Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area requires of hunters
Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area access terms
On DNR-owned natural area land you may hunt and trap unless signs say otherwise; NR 45 bars camping, vehicles, drones and plant collecting.
The rule book on Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area
Half of your outer clothing above the waist, and half of your hat, must be blaze orange or pink whenever a firearm deer season is open (waterfowl hunters excepted). Ground blinds need a 144-square-inch orange or pink patch in gun deer seasons on DNR ground. Stands may not damage trees. North of Hwy. 64 they can stay overnight Sept. 1, 2026 to Jan. 31, 2027 (two per hunter per county); south of Hwy. 64 they come down daily. Deer and turkeys go into GameReg online or by phone by 5 p.m. the next day.
Go Wild shopping list for Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area
A gun deer or archery license comes with a buck authorization; antlerless deer on this land need a public-access authorization.
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.
Where Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area sits in the larger property
Big Bay State Park takes in Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area and 0 other units.
What hunters pursue at Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area
Nothing narrows the game at Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area; all open seasons apply as long as the property rules are followed.
The Ashland County season table below has 39 dated rows for that reason.
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.
Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area: opening and closing days
From bear baiting in September to the last spring turkey period, 39 season segments apply to Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area.
| Species | Hunt type | Zone or unit | Opening | Closing | 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 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone A | Sep 9, 2026 | Sep 15, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone A | Sep 16, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone A | Oct 7, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Elk | Elk, all weapons | Northern Elk Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall turkey | Turkey Zone 6/7 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 6/7 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 6/7 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 6/7 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 6/7 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 6/7 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 6/7 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 6/7 | 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.
Ashland County harvest near Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area
No history before 2025 exists for these forest DMUs, the DNR says. CWD year 2025 brought 20 Ashland County samples and 0 positives. Running total since 1999: 835 tested. The 2025 bear count for Ashland County was 144. No harvest is published for Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area itself, so the county unit is the finest level.
Registered deer in the Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area county unit
| Unit | Bucks | Does | Registered 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 105 | 31 | 26 | 57 |
CWD tests in Ashland County
| CWD year | Wild deer sampled | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 2 | 0 |
| 2025 | 20 | 0 |
| 2024 | 18 | 0 |
| 2023 | 18 | 0 |
| 2022 | 18 | 0 |
| 2021 | 24 | 0 |
Bear numbers near Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area
| Year | Total | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 147 | 83 | 64 |
| 2025 | 144 | 75 | 69 |
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.
Around Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area: more places to hunt
The big marker is Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area. Smaller ones are its 10 closest neighbours. The neighbours add 48,464 acres between them.
| Nearby | Kind | Acres | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Shore Lake Superior Fishery Area Pikes Creek Unit | Fishery area | 1,003 | 8.8 mi | west |
| South Shore Lake Superior | Fishery area | 276 | 9.2 mi | west |
| North Pikes Creek Boreal Forest | State natural area | 396 | 9.4 mi | west |
| Nourse Sugarbush | State natural area | 438 | 11 mi | west |
| Apostle Islands National Lakeshore | National lakeshore | 42,863 | 11 mi | north |
| Big Rock Pines | State natural area | 159 | 12 mi | southwest |
| South Shore Lake Superior Fishery Area Sioux River Unit | Fishery area | 2,265 | 14 mi | southwest |
| Saxine Creek | Wildlife area | 236 | 17 mi | west |
| Town of Saxon | Wildlife area | 359 | 18 mi | southeast |
| Whittlesey Creek | Wildlife refuge | 469 | 19 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.
Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area: nearby towns and businesses
Town pages first, then shops, processors and DNR desks.
| Base town | County | Away | Residents | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bayfield | Bayfield | 6.3 mi | 592 | 59,543 |
| Washburn | Bayfield | 13 mi | 2,055 | 47,397 |
| Ashland | Ashland | 17 mi | 7,940 | 6,255 |
| Cornucopia | Bayfield | 20 mi | — | 82,457 |
County-level hunting pages: Ashland County.
Shops a short drive from Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area
DNR desks closest to Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area
Service center for Ashland County business: DNR Woodruff 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.
Where to sight in near Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area
About 20 miles separates Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area from Sports Hollow, the nearest public map range. Nearby rod and gun clubs round out the list.
rifle, handgun, trap, skeet, sporting clays on file
archery, 3D archery on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
Shooting light at Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area by date
At Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area the offset is 12 minutes (Zone D). The times below already include it for both DNR shooting-hours areas.
| Day | Season | North table | South table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 12, 2026 | Bow, turkey, grouse opener | 6:07 a.m. to 7:39 p.m. | 6:09 a.m. to 7:38 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Pheasant and duck dates | 6:51 a.m. to 6:33 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 6:36 p.m. |
| Nov 1, 2026 | Early November | 6:12 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. | 6:09 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer opener | 6:40 a.m. to 4:46 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. to 4:52 p.m. |
| Dec 1, 2026 | Muzzleloader week | 6:52 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. | 6:47 a.m. to 4:47 p.m. |
| Dec 24, 2026 | Holiday Hunt opener | 7:11 a.m. to 4:42 p.m. | 7:05 a.m. to 4:50 p.m. |
| Jan 3, 2027 | Archery close (most units) | 7:13 a.m. to 4:51 p.m. | 7:07 a.m. to 4:58 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 D offset of 12 minutes for longitude 90.69 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
What people ask about hunting Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area
Where do Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area hunters spend the night?
Start from Bayfield; the land is 6 miles off, in Ashland County.
What acreage is listed for Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area?
Roughly 963 acres.
Which DMU takes in Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area?
Deer unit DMU 105; zone Northern Forest. The 2026 antlerless quota is 35 (DMU 105); use a public-access antlerless tag here.
What game is legal on Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area?
Any species in an open season, as long as you follow the property rules.
Which turkey zone is Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area in?
Zone 6, one bird per spring authorization.
Which bear management zone holds Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area?
Bear Zone A. Zone A took 11 preference points in 2026.
Is deer baiting legal near Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area?
Baiting is allowed in this county within the 2-gallon limit. The county is not on the CWD list.
What are the waterfowl zones for Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area?
It sits in the Northern duck and Northern goose zones. In the Northern Zone the regular duck split begins Sep 26.
How do I register a deer from Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area?
Through GameReg (online, phone or a station) by 5 p.m. the day after recovery.
Do I need blaze orange at Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area?
In any open firearm deer season, wear blaze orange or pink on at least half your coat and cap.
If Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area is full, where next?
Within a short drive: South Shore Lake Superior Fishery Area – Pikes Creek Unit (9 miles), South Shore Lake Superior Fishery Area (9 miles) and North Pikes Creek Boreal Forest State Natural Area (9 miles).
Which Wisconsin license covers Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area?
Go Wild sells everything needed; antlerless tags on public land must be public-access tags.
Which agency sets the rules on Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area?
The Wisconsin DNR treats it as a DNR-owned State Natural Area.
Check Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area once more
Refuges, closed areas and park windows at Big Bay Sand Spit and Bog State Natural Area can shift mid-season; the property page and the DNR map have the current picture.
Sources for this page: DNR: BigBaySandSpitBog · 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); USFWSmidwest (Public domain).