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Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods State Natural Area for Wisconsin hunters
A hunter's summary of Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods State Natural Area in Iron County: zones and quota, rules, CWD numbers and local help.
Photo: aarongunnar (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods State Natural Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods State Natural Area
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 1.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 2.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 2.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.8 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.
Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods State Natural Area: record card
Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods State Natural Area: a DNR-owned State Natural Area, located in Iron County. Region on record: the DNR Northern Region. The Wisconsin DNR writes the rules on the ground. The 869 acres on record put it 60th of the 449 state natural areas we list. The DNR numbers it SNA 501 (legal description T43N-R4E, Sections 1, 2, 11, 12). Base town: Mercer, some 7 miles away. Northern Highland State Forest is the larger unit around it.
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 Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods State Natural Area
Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods State Natural Area deer unit, quota and game zones
The deer unit is DMU 117, in the Northern Forest zone. The 2026 antlerless quota for that unit is 550. For black bear this is Zone B, where hounds are legal; 1,545 permits for 2026. Turkey hunting falls under Zone 7, which had 4,401 spring permits in 2025. In Iron County baiting is allowed, capped at 2 gallons per 40 acres.
The deer unit around Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods State Natural Area
| DMU | Deer zone | Antlerless quota | Public-land bonus | Private-land bonus | Free tags per license |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 117 | Northern Forest | 550 | 620 | 619 | — |
Bear, turkey and bird zones at Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods State Natural Area
| Zone | Rule | Numbers | Extra | 2025 result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear B | With hounds | 850 target, 1,545 permits | 11 points | 851 bears in 2025 |
| Wild turkey 7 | 4,401 spring tags (2025) | 16% success | 726 gobblers | — |
| Grouse zone A | Sep 12–Jan 3 | 5 a day | ||
| Ducks | Northern | Sep 26–Nov 24 | ||
| Geese | Northern | Sep 16–Dec 16 | ||
| Wolf zone 1 | 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 Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods State Natural Area
Entry terms for Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods 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 Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods 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.
Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods 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 Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods 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 Iron County season list (38 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 Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods 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 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone A/B | Sep 9, 2026 | Sep 15, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone A/B | Sep 16, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone A/B | 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.
Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods State Natural Area described by the DNR
Quoted as published; nothing here is our wording.
Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods features an extensive stand of mature, mesic forest on a rolling moraine located on the east side of Catherine Lake. Although the forest varies in quality and composition, the eastern half contains a relict old-growth stand dominated by large hemlock, yellow birch, and sugar maple with the largest trees averaging nearly 50 inches in diameter. Super-canopy white pine occurs near the lake. With some trees estimated at 250+ years of age, likely, the least disturbed areas of the SNA were never clear-cut during the cut-over era.
These areas contain old-growth characteristics including snags, tip-up mounds, coarse woody debris, and a multi-layered canopy. The ground layer is diverse and includes species such as red baneberry, maidenhair fern, wild sarsaparilla, American starflower, Canada mayflower, early coral-root, sharp-lobed hepatica, lycopods, naked miterwort, large-leaved shinleaf, and twisted stalk. Wetter areas contain an understory that includes bog rosemary, grass pink, wild calla, pitcher plant, round-leaf sundew, mountain wood-sorrel, bunchberry, three-leaved goldthread, and yellow blue-bead lily.
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods State Natural Area and the land it belongs with
Parent property: Northern Highland State Forest, which has 22 listed parts.
The rest of Northern Highland State Forest
| Page | Type | County | 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 |
| Lake Laura Hardwoods | State natural area | Vilas | 852 |
| 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 |
Harvest numbers for the country around Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods State Natural Area
Forest-unit figures for 2025 stand in for a county total in Iron County. Early 2026 registrations (archery, crossbow, youth hunt): DMU 117 105. The DNR sampled 26 deer from Iron County in 2025; 0 had CWD. 0 positives overall, from 832 deer. In 2025, Iron County produced 106 registered bears. Figures are for the whole county unit, not Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods State Natural Area alone; the DNR does not report harvest by property.
Iron County unit harvest
| DMU | Buck | Antlerless | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 117 | 523 | 372 | 895 |
CWD samples, Iron County
| Year | Tested | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 2 | 0 |
| 2025 | 26 | 0 |
| 2024 | 23 | 0 |
| 2023 | 25 | 0 |
| 2022 | 55 | 0 |
| 2021 | 41 | 0 |
Bears registered in Iron County
| Season | Bears | Boars | Sows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 104 | 55 | 49 |
| 2025 | 106 | 50 | 56 |
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 Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods State Natural Area
Where to sleep, where to buy shells, where to drop off a deer.
| Town | County | Miles | Population | Public land nearby |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercer | Iron | 6.7 mi | — | 111,827 |
| Boulder Junction | Vilas | 16 mi | — | 103,002 |
| Lac du Flambeau | Vilas | 19 mi | — | 37,716 |
| Hurley | Iron | 20 mi | 1,610 | 37,166 |
Season and zone pages by county: Iron County.
Who processes a deer from Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods State Natural Area
Where to ask about Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods State Natural Area
Licenses and questions for Iron County go through the 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.
Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods State Natural Area and nearby public ground
Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods State Natural Area at the big pin; the nearest 10 public places around it. Combined, 195,068 acres are on record.
| Public land | Type | Acres | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mary Lake | State natural area | 51 | 2.6 mi | northeast |
| Lake Evelyn | State natural area | 303 | 7.2 mi | northwest |
| Underwood | Wildlife area | 1,553 | 8.8 mi | northwest |
| Powell Marsh | Wildlife area | 4,342 | 10 mi | south |
| Stateline Lake | Wildlife area | 1 | 11 mi | east |
| Tomahawk Timberlands (moose Lake Trct) | Easement land | 3,014 | 13 mi | west |
| Moose Lake | State natural area | 4,293 | 13 mi | west |
| Natural Area – Dedication | State natural area | 707 | 14 mi | east |
| Iron | County forest | 175,343 | 14 mi | west |
| Turtle-Flambeau Patterned Bog | State natural area | 5,461 | 14 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) (polygon centroid)). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Shooting-hour table for Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods 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 | 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 89.94 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods State Natural Area: nearest ranges
About 6 miles separates Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods State Natural Area from Northwoods Shooting Range, the nearest public map range.
rifle, handgun, archery, trap, shotgun on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
Before-the-trip answers for Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods State Natural Area
Can I bait deer at Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods 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 Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods State Natural Area?
Pink counts the same as orange: 50% above the waist in firearm deer seasons.
Does a Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods 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 Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods 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 Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods State Natural Area?
Mary Lake State Natural Area (3 miles), Lake Evelyn State Natural Area (7 miles) and Underwood Wildlife Area (9 miles), each with a page here.
What does Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods State Natural Area belong to?
A piece of Northern Highland State Forest.
Is Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods State Natural Area DNR, county or federal ground?
A DNR-owned State Natural Area; the manager is the Wisconsin DNR.
Is Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods State Natural Area a big property?
869 acres in the source data.
Which town works as a base for Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods State Natural Area?
Iron County; Mercer, the nearest town we cover, is 7 miles away.
Can I hunt any species on Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods State Natural Area?
Every open Wisconsin season applies under the property rules; no list narrows it.
What deer tags work on Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods State Natural Area?
It is in DMU 117 (Northern Forest). This year the antlerless quota is 550.
How hard is a bear permit for Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods State Natural Area?
Zone B; hounds may be used there.
Which zone do I apply for to hunt turkeys at Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods State Natural Area?
Zone 7. Success in 2025 was 16%.
Signing off on Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods State Natural Area
Gates, refuges and open areas at Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods State Natural Area are the manager's call; confirm them before opening day.
Sources for this page: DNR: CatherineLakeHemlockHardwoods · 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); Virginia State Parks staff (CC BY 2.0).