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Outagamie County · State natural area
Hunting at Hortonville Bog State Natural Area
Hortonville Bog State Natural Area, 769 acres in Outagamie County: zones and tags, property rules, county harvest and the land nearby.
Photo: Daniel M. Hendricks (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Hortonville Bog State Natural Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Hortonville Bog State Natural Area
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 2.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.1 mi from the centreDirections
- US 45/WIS 15 Park & RideParking · 3.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.6 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.
Hortonville Bog State Natural Area on one card
Hunters reach Hortonville Bog State Natural Area in Outagamie County; it is a DNR-owned State Natural Area. This is northeast Wisconsin, in the DNR Northeast Region. Day-to-day it is in the hands of the Wisconsin DNR. Measured at 769 acres, it comes in 73rd of 449 state natural areas. SNA number: 214. Location by survey: T22N-R15E, Sections 2, 3, 9, 10, 11. Hortonville is the nearest town with a guide on this site, about 5 miles away; the land lies north 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 Hortonville Bog State Natural Area
Zones that take in Hortonville Bog State Natural Area
Hortonville Bog State Natural Area is Central Farmland deer country, unit Outagamie. Antlerless quota, 2026: 2,500. The Zone F bear quota for 2026 is 50, spread over 764 drawn permits. Zone 3 turkey numbers for 2025: 55,612 spring tags, 22% success. Leave the corn at home; Outagamie County bans deer baiting.
Antlerless tags near Hortonville Bog State Natural Area
| Unit | Zone | Quota 2026 | Bonus, public | Bonus, private | Farmland tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outagamie | Central Farmland | 2,500 | 597 | 1,381 | 2 |
Hortonville Bog State Natural Area: other game zones
| Zone | Detail | Numbers | More | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear zone F | No hounds | 50 target, 764 permits | 1 point | 27 bears in 2025 |
| Turkey 3 | 55,612 spring tags (2025) | 22% success | 12,324 gobblers | 1,500 fall bonus |
| 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 6 | 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 Hortonville Bog State Natural Area
The managing agency's own text.
Hortonville Bog is one of the best bogs in southern Wisconsin and contains an open ericaceous bog with a very deep sphagnum layer. Dominants are leather-leaf and Labrador-tea. Poison sumac is abundant throughout the site. Although there is no open water, the bog is very spongy. Surrounding the bog is an advancing ring of tamarack and black spruce in all age and size classes. To the south is a wet-mesic forest dominated by tamarack and white cedar.
The bog contains several species of birds indicative of northern bog communities: winter wren, Canada warbler, Nashville warbler, white-throated sparrow, sharp-shinned hawk, northern waterthrush, and Lincoln's sparrow. Hortonville Bog is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 1987.
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
What Hortonville Bog State Natural Area requires of hunters
Hortonville 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 Hortonville 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 Hortonville 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.
What hunters pursue at Hortonville Bog State Natural Area
Nothing narrows the game at Hortonville Bog State Natural Area; all open seasons apply as long as the property rules are followed.
The Outagamie County season table below has 44 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.
Hortonville Bog State Natural Area: opening and closing days
From bear baiting in September to the last spring turkey period, 44 season segments apply to Hortonville 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 | |
| White-tailed deer | Antlerless-only Holiday Hunt | Holiday Hunt: Outagamie | 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 3/2 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 3/2 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 3/2 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 3/2 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 3/2 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 3/2 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 3/2 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 3/2 | 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 | |
| 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 | Northern Duck Zone | Sep 26, 2026 | Nov 24, 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 | Northern Goose Zone | Sep 16, 2026 | Dec 16, 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.
Outagamie County harvest near Hortonville Bog State Natural Area
Deer registered in the Outagamie County unit, 2025: 4,322. The decade peaked at 4,384 in 2016 and bottomed at 3,623 in 2022. Through Oct. 19, 2026: 191 antlered and 216 antlerless in Outagamie (preliminary). CWD year 2025 brought 87 Outagamie County samples and 0 positives. Running total since 1999: 1,184 tested. The 2025 bear count for Outagamie County was 4. No harvest is published for Hortonville Bog State Natural Area itself, so the county unit is the finest level.
Registered deer in the Hortonville Bog State Natural Area county unit
| Year | Antlered | Antlerless | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,159 | 2,163 | 4,322 |
| 2024 | 2,207 | 2,111 | 4,318 |
| 2023 | 1,928 | 1,919 | 3,847 |
| 2022 | 1,661 | 1,962 | 3,623 |
| 2021 | 1,743 | 2,013 | 3,756 |
| 2020 | 1,728 | 2,231 | 3,959 |
CWD tests in Outagamie County
| CWD year | Wild deer sampled | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 2 | 0 |
| 2025 | 87 | 0 |
| 2024 | 65 | 0 |
| 2023 | 81 | 0 |
| 2022 | 66 | 0 |
| 2021 | 105 | 0 |
Bear numbers near Hortonville Bog State Natural Area
| Year | Total | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 2025 | 4 | 4 | 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.
Around Hortonville Bog State Natural Area: more places to hunt
The big marker is Hortonville Bog State Natural Area. Smaller ones are its 10 closest neighbours. The neighbours add 8,161 acres between them.
| Nearby | Kind | Acres | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wolf River-Hortonville Flats (Remnant) | Fishery area | 54 | 2.5 mi | southwest |
| LaSage Bottoms | State natural area | 125 | 3.5 mi | east |
| Wolf River | Fishery area | 205 | 5.0 mi | west |
| Mukwa | Wildlife area | 1,337 | 6.0 mi | west |
| Mukwa Bottomland Forest | State natural area | 171 | 6.5 mi | west |
| Shaky Lake | State natural area | 221 | 6.5 mi | southwest |
| Wolf River-Spoehrs Marsh (Remnant) | Wildlife area | 137 | 8.6 mi | northeast |
| Outagamie | Wildlife area | 942 | 8.7 mi | northeast |
| Mack | Wildlife area | 1,831 | 8.9 mi | northeast |
| Wolf River Bottoms Wildlife Area La Sage Unit | Wildlife area | 3,138 | 9.2 mi | north |
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.
Hortonville 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hortonville | Outagamie | 4.5 mi | 3,331 | 8,574 |
| Shiocton | Outagamie | 5.7 mi | 932 | 10,054 |
| Dale | Outagamie | 8.4 mi | — | 11,116 |
| Winchester | Winnebago | 14 mi | — | 7,592 |
County-level hunting pages: Outagamie County.
Shops a short drive from Hortonville Bog State Natural Area
DNR desks closest to Hortonville Bog State Natural Area
Service center for Outagamie County business: 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.
Hortonville Bog State Natural Area: nearest ranges
About 6 miles separates Hortonville Bog State Natural Area from Shiocton Shooting Range, the nearest public map range. Nearby rod and gun clubs round out the list.
rifle, handgun, archery on file
archery, 3D archery on file
trap, skeet, rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
Shooting light at Hortonville Bog State Natural Area by date
At Hortonville Bog State Natural Area the offset is 4 minutes (Zone B). 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 | 5:59 a.m. to 7:31 p.m. | 6:01 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Pheasant and duck dates | 6:43 a.m. to 6:25 p.m. | 6:42 a.m. to 6:28 p.m. |
| Nov 1, 2026 | Early November | 6:04 a.m. to 5:01 p.m. | 6:01 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer opener | 6:32 a.m. to 4:38 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 4:44 p.m. |
| Dec 1, 2026 | Muzzleloader week | 6:44 a.m. to 4:32 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 4:39 p.m. |
| Dec 24, 2026 | Holiday Hunt opener | 7:03 a.m. to 4:34 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 4:42 p.m. |
| Jan 3, 2027 | Archery close (most units) | 7:05 a.m. to 4:43 p.m. | 6:59 a.m. to 4:50 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 B offset of 4 minutes for longitude 88.67 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
What people ask about hunting Hortonville Bog State Natural Area
Which bear management zone holds Hortonville Bog State Natural Area?
Bear Zone F. Zone F took 1 preference point in 2026.
Which DMU takes in Hortonville Bog State Natural Area?
Deer unit Outagamie; zone Central Farmland. The 2026 antlerless quota is 2,500 (Outagamie); use a public-access antlerless tag here.
What are the waterfowl zones for Hortonville 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.
Which turkey zone is Hortonville Bog State Natural Area in?
Zone 3, one bird per spring authorization.
Do I need blaze orange at Hortonville Bog State Natural Area?
In any open firearm deer season, wear blaze orange or pink on at least half your coat and cap.
Is deer baiting legal near Hortonville Bog State Natural Area?
No: Outagamie County bans deer baiting and feeding. The county is not on the CWD list.
Which Wisconsin license covers Hortonville Bog State Natural Area?
Go Wild sells everything needed; antlerless tags on public land must be public-access tags.
How do I register a deer from Hortonville Bog State Natural Area?
Through GameReg (online, phone or a station) by 5 p.m. the day after recovery.
Which agency sets the rules on Hortonville Bog State Natural Area?
The Wisconsin DNR treats it as a DNR-owned State Natural Area.
If Hortonville Bog State Natural Area is full, where next?
Within a short drive: Wolf River-Hortonville Flats Fishery Area (Remnant) (2 miles), LaSage Bottoms State Natural Area (3 miles) and Wolf River Fishery Area (5 miles).
Where do Hortonville Bog State Natural Area hunters spend the night?
Start from Hortonville; the land is 5 miles off, in Outagamie County.
What acreage is listed for Hortonville Bog State Natural Area?
Roughly 769 acres.
What game is legal on Hortonville Bog State Natural Area?
Any species in an open season, as long as you follow the property rules.
Check Hortonville Bog State Natural Area once more
Refuges, closed areas and park windows at Hortonville Bog State Natural Area can shift mid-season; the property page and the DNR map have the current picture.
Sources for this page: DNR: HortonvilleBog · DNR GIS · DNR: StateNaturalAreas; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); USFWSmidwest (Public domain).