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Hunting at DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area
DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area, 3,287 acres in Iron County: zones and tags, property rules, county harvest and the land nearby.
Photo: aarongunnar (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 1.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 2.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.5 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.
DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area on one card
Hunters reach DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area in Iron 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 3,287 acres, it comes in 12th of 449 state natural areas. SNA number: 502. Location by survey: T42N-R4E, Section 3. T43N-R4E, Sections 22-27, 33-35. Mercer is the nearest town with a guide on this site, about 4 miles away; the land lies east of it. It sits within Northern Highland State Forest.
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 DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area
Zones that take in DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area
DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area is Northern Forest deer country, unit DMU 117. Antlerless quota, 2026: 550. The Zone B bear quota for 2026 is 850, spread over 1,545 drawn permits. Zone 7 turkey numbers for 2025: 4,401 spring tags, 16% success. Iron County is one of the 12 counties without a baiting ban.
Antlerless tags near DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area
| Unit | Zone | Quota 2026 | Bonus, public | Bonus, private | Farmland tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 117 | Northern Forest | 550 | 620 | 619 | — |
DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area: other game zones
| Zone | Detail | Numbers | More | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear zone B | Hounds allowed | 850 target, 1,545 permits | 11 points | 851 bears in 2025 |
| Turkey 7 | 4,401 spring tags (2025) | 16% success | 726 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 1/1B | 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 DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area
The managing agency's own text.
DuPage Lake Peatlands features a vast peatland complex just north of the Manitowish River. Open bog, muskeg, and black spruce swamp are the predominant vegetation although scattered patches of old-growth hemlock and islands of old-growth pine also occur. In all, the site supports 8 undeveloped lakes including DuPage Lake, a deep 32-acre lake with very soft water. East of the lake is several stands of old-growth hemlock-hardwood forest, which are especially noteworthy as they contain super-canopy white and red pine.
The boggy wetlands have a deep carpet of sphagnum mosses and support ericaceous shrubs including cranberry, bog laurel, leatherleaf, sedges, and insectivorous plants. Stunted black spruce and tamarack are scattered throughout the wetland and in some places form a closed canopy bog forest. Of note are numerous rare plants that are supported within this large complex. The undeveloped lakes and large nesting trees are also important habitats for osprey. Other birds include the common loon, sharp-shinned hawk, and broad-winged hawk.
DuPage Lake Peatlands is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 2007.
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
What DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area requires of hunters
DuPage Lake Peatlands 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 DuPage Lake Peatlands 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 DuPage Lake Peatlands 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 DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area sits in the larger property
Northern Highland State Forest takes in DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area and 21 other units.
Sibling pages of DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area
| Unit | Category | County | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods | State natural area | Iron | 869 |
| 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 |
What hunters pursue at DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area
Nothing narrows the game at DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area; all open seasons apply as long as the property rules are followed.
The Iron County season table below has 38 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.
DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area: opening and closing days
From bear baiting in September to the last spring turkey period, 38 season segments apply to DuPage Lake Peatlands 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/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.
Iron County harvest near DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area
No history before 2025 exists for these forest DMUs, the DNR says. Through Oct. 19, 2026: 54 antlered and 51 antlerless in DMU 117 (preliminary). CWD year 2025 brought 26 Iron County samples and 0 positives. Running total since 1999: 832 tested. The 2025 bear count for Iron County was 106. No harvest is published for DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area itself, so the county unit is the finest level.
Registered deer in the DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area county unit
| Unit | Bucks | Does | Registered 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 117 | 523 | 372 | 895 |
CWD tests in Iron County
| CWD year | Wild deer sampled | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 2 | 0 |
| 2025 | 26 | 0 |
| 2024 | 23 | 0 |
| 2023 | 25 | 0 |
| 2022 | 55 | 0 |
| 2021 | 41 | 0 |
Bear numbers near DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area
| Year | Total | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Around DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area: more places to hunt
The big marker is DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area. Smaller ones are its 10 closest neighbours. The neighbours add 56,366 acres between them.
| Nearby | Kind | Acres | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mary Lake | State natural area | 51 | 6.4 mi | northeast |
| Powell Marsh | Wildlife area | 4,342 | 7.1 mi | southeast |
| Lake Evelyn | State natural area | 303 | 8.7 mi | northwest |
| Turtle-Flambeau Patterned Bog | State natural area | 5,461 | 10 mi | southwest |
| Lehto Lake | State natural area | 1,612 | 11 mi | south |
| Tomahawk Timberlands (moose Lake Trct) | Easement land | 3,014 | 11 mi | west |
| Underwood | Wildlife area | 1,553 | 11 mi | northwest |
| Turtle Flambeau Scenic Waters Area | Riverway | 35,736 | 11 mi | southwest |
| Moose Lake | State natural area | 4,293 | 12 mi | west |
| Stateline Lake | Wildlife area | 1 | 13 mi | northeast |
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.
DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area: nearby towns and businesses
Town pages first, then shops, processors and DNR desks.
| Base town | County | Away | Residents | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercer | Iron | 3.5 mi | — | 111,827 |
| Lac du Flambeau | Vilas | 15 mi | — | 37,716 |
| Boulder Junction | Vilas | 16 mi | — | 103,002 |
| Hurley | Iron | 22 mi | 1,610 | 37,166 |
County-level hunting pages: Iron County.
Shops a short drive from DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area
DNR desks closest to DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area
Service center for Iron 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.
DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area: nearest ranges
About 2 miles separates DuPage Lake Peatlands 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.
Shooting light at DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area by date
At DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area the offset is 8 minutes (Zone C). 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 | 6:03 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 89.97 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
What people ask about hunting DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area
Which DMU takes in DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area?
Deer unit DMU 117; zone Northern Forest. The 2026 antlerless quota is 550 (DMU 117); use a public-access antlerless tag here.
What game is legal on DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area?
Any species in an open season, as long as you follow the property rules.
Which turkey zone is DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area in?
Zone 7, one bird per spring authorization.
Which bear management zone holds DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area?
Bear Zone B. Zone B took 11 preference points in 2026.
Is deer baiting legal near DuPage Lake Peatlands 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 DuPage Lake Peatlands 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 DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area?
Through GameReg (online, phone or a station) by 5 p.m. the day after recovery.
Do I need blaze orange at DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area?
In any open firearm deer season, wear blaze orange or pink on at least half your coat and cap.
If DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area is full, where next?
Within a short drive: Mary Lake State Natural Area (6 miles), Powell Marsh Wildlife Area (7 miles) and Lake Evelyn State Natural Area (9 miles).
Which Wisconsin license covers DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area?
Go Wild sells everything needed; antlerless tags on public land must be public-access tags.
Which agency sets the rules on DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area?
The Wisconsin DNR treats it as a DNR-owned State Natural Area.
Which property holds DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area?
The parent is Northern Highland State Forest.
Where do DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area hunters spend the night?
Start from Mercer; the land is 4 miles off, in Iron County.
Check DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area once more
Refuges, closed areas and park windows at DuPage Lake Peatlands State Natural Area can shift mid-season; the property page and the DNR map have the current picture.
Sources for this page: DNR: DuPageLakePeatlands · DNR GIS · DNR: StateNaturalAreas; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: YellowstoneNPS (Public domain); USFWS/Southeast (Public domain).