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Hunting at Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area
Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area, 675 acres in Juneau County: zones and tags, property rules, county harvest and the land nearby.
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Getting to Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area
Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area on one card
Hunters reach Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area in Juneau County; it is a DNR-owned State Natural Area. This is west-central Wisconsin, in the DNR West Central Region. Day-to-day it is in the hands of the Wisconsin DNR. Measured at 675 acres, it comes in 84th of 449 state natural areas. SNA number: 203. Location by survey: T20N-R4E, Sections 30, 31. Ceex Haci is the nearest town with a guide on this site, about 9 miles away; the land lies southwest of 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 Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area
Zones that take in Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area
Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area is Central Forest deer country, unit DMU 206. Antlerless quota, 2026: 400. The Zone C bear quota for 2026 is 875, spread over 4,465 drawn permits. Zone 1 turkey numbers for 2025: 64,574 spring tags, 21% success. Wild deer with CWD have been confirmed in Juneau County. Leave the corn at home; Juneau County bans deer baiting.
Antlerless tags near Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area
| Unit | Zone | Quota 2026 | Bonus, public | Bonus, private | Farmland tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 206 | Central Forest | 400 | 0 | 940 | — |
Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area: other game zones
| Zone | Detail | Numbers | More | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear zone C | No hounds | 875 target, 4,465 permits | 2 points | 663 bears in 2025 |
| Turkey 1 | 64,574 spring tags (2025) | 21% success | 13,813 gobblers | 1,500 fall bonus |
| Ruffed grouse A | Sep 12–Jan 3 | 5 a day | ||
| Duck zone | Southern | Oct 3–Oct 11 Oct 17–Dec 6 | ||
| Canada goose | Southern | Sep 16–Oct 11 Oct 17–Dec 6 Dec 19–Jan 2 | ||
| Wolf 5 | 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 Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area
The managing agency's own text.
Cranberry Creek Mound Group preserves one of the most significant archeological sites in Wisconsin and one of the largest and best-preserved mound complexes in the Upper Midwest. The site contains excellent examples of conical, linear, oval, and effigy mounds built by Native Americans of the Woodland period (ca. 100-800 A.D.). Although the northern cluster has been altered somewhat by plowing, the southern cluster is unaltered. Among the mounds featured are bear/panther mounds and a 50-foot-long bird effigy mound with a wingspan of 125 feet.
Although the mounds are featured, the site also contains a diversity of natural communities. Along the ditched channel of Cranberry Creek, large river birch and silver and red maples dominate the floodplain forest. Also present is an old-growth northern dry forest with large jack pine and an open pine-oak forest. Since 1917, archaeological investigations of mapping and interpretation have been conducted and the site is part of a larger complex of preserved and protected mounds located in adjacent and nearby areas.
Cranberry Creek Mound Group is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 1986.
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
What Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area requires of hunters
Cranberry Creek Mound Group 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 Cranberry Creek Mound Group 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 Cranberry Creek Mound Group 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.
What hunters pursue at Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area
Nothing narrows the game at Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area; all open seasons apply as long as the property rules are followed.
The Juneau County season table below has 43 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.
Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area: opening and closing days
From bear baiting in September to the last spring turkey period, 43 season segments apply to Cranberry Creek Mound Group 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 | |
| White-tailed deer | Antlerless-only Holiday Hunt | Holiday Hunt, Juneau | 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 C/E | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Elk | Elk, all weapons | Central Elk Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall turkey | Turkey Zone 1 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 1 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 1 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 1 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 1 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 1 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 1 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 1 | May 26, 2027 | Jun 1, 2027 | |
| Ruffed Grouse | Ruffed grouse | Grouse Zone A | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Ruffed Grouse | Ruffed grouse | Grouse Zone B | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 8, 2026 | |
| 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 | Southern cottontail zone | Oct 17, 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 (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.
Juneau County harvest near Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area
Deer registered in the Juneau County unit, 2025: 4,295. The decade peaked at 4,858 in 2024 and bottomed at 3,790 in 2019. Through Oct. 19, 2026: 30 antlered and 17 antlerless in DMU 206 (preliminary). CWD year 2025 brought 370 Juneau County samples and 61 positives. Running total since 1999: 4,925 tested. The 2025 bear count for Juneau County was 8. No harvest is published for Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area itself, so the county unit is the finest level.
Registered deer in the Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area county unit
| Year | Antlered | Antlerless | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,902 | 2,393 | 4,295 |
| 2024 | 2,517 | 2,341 | 4,858 |
| 2023 | 2,393 | 2,079 | 4,472 |
| 2022 | 2,558 | 2,268 | 4,826 |
| 2021 | 2,282 | 2,050 | 4,332 |
| 2020 | 2,377 | 2,408 | 4,785 |
CWD tests in Juneau County
| CWD year | Wild deer sampled | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 39 | 3 |
| 2025 | 370 | 61 |
| 2024 | 360 | 56 |
| 2023 | 322 | 35 |
| 2022 | 299 | 24 |
| 2021 | 326 | 17 |
Bear numbers near Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area
| Year | Total | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 22 | 16 | 6 |
| 2025 | 8 | 4 | 4 |
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 Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area: more places to hunt
The big marker is Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area. Smaller ones are its 10 closest neighbours. The neighbours add 154,964 acres between them.
| Nearby | Kind | Acres | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Necedah | Wildlife refuge | 45,000 | 6.0 mi | southwest |
| Central Sands Pines Forest Legacy Easement | Easement land | 9,111 | 10 mi | east |
| Yellow River Floodplain Forest | State natural area | 86 | 10 mi | north |
| Meadow Valley | Wildlife area | 58,071 | 11 mi | west |
| Suk Cerney Peatlands | State natural area | 3,611 | 11 mi | southwest |
| Meadow Valley Barrens | State natural area | 631 | 11 mi | southwest |
| Wood | County forest | 37,826 | 11 mi | northwest |
| Beaver Avenue | Wildlife area | 80 | 11 mi | east |
| Saratoga Barrens | State natural area | 13 | 11 mi | northeast |
| Kingston Pines | State natural area | 535 | 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.
Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area: nearby towns and businesses
Town pages first, then shops, processors and DNR desks.
| Base town | County | Away | Residents | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ceex Haci | Wood | 9.4 mi | — | 30,121 |
| Necedah | Juneau | 9.9 mi | 914 | 50,600 |
| Babcock | Wood | 9.9 mi | — | 85,496 |
| Lake Sherwood | Adams | 14 mi | — | 17,180 |
County-level hunting pages: Juneau County.
Shops a short drive from Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area
DNR desks closest to Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area
Service center for Juneau County business: DNR La Crosse 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.
Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area: nearest ranges
About 19 miles separates Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area from M&M Sportshop & Shooting Range, the nearest public map range. Nearby rod and gun clubs round out the list.
archery on file
trap, shotgun on file
trap, skeet, shotgun on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
Shooting light at Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area by date
At Cranberry Creek Mound Group 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 90.06 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
What people ask about hunting Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area
Which DMU takes in Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area?
Deer unit DMU 206; zone Central Forest. The 2026 antlerless quota is 400 (DMU 206); use a public-access antlerless tag here.
What game is legal on Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area?
Any species in an open season, as long as you follow the property rules.
Which turkey zone is Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area in?
Zone 1, one bird per spring authorization.
Which bear management zone holds Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area?
Bear Zone C. Zone C took 2 preference points in 2026.
Is deer baiting legal near Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area?
No: Juneau County bans deer baiting and feeding. Wild deer with CWD are documented in Juneau County.
What are the waterfowl zones for Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area?
It sits in the Southern duck and Southern goose zones. In the Southern Zone the regular duck split begins Oct 3.
How do I register a deer from Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area?
Through GameReg (online, phone or a station) by 5 p.m. the day after recovery.
Do I need blaze orange at Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area?
In any open firearm deer season, wear blaze orange or pink on at least half your coat and cap.
If Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area is full, where next?
Within a short drive: Necedah National Wildlife Refuge (6 miles), Central Sands Pines Forest Legacy Easement (10 miles) and Yellow River Floodplain Forest State Natural Area (10 miles).
Which Wisconsin license covers Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area?
Go Wild sells everything needed; antlerless tags on public land must be public-access tags.
What acreage is listed for Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area?
Roughly 675 acres.
Which agency sets the rules on Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area?
The Wisconsin DNR treats it as a DNR-owned State Natural Area.
Where do Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area hunters spend the night?
Start from Ceex Haci; the land is 9 miles off, in Juneau County.
Check Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area once more
Refuges, closed areas and park windows at Cranberry Creek Mound Group State Natural Area can shift mid-season; the property page and the DNR map have the current picture.
Sources for this page: DNR: CranberryCreekMoundGroup · DNR GIS · DNR: StateNaturalAreas; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: GlacierNPS (Public Domain Mark 1.0); GA-Kayaker (CC BY 2.0).