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Jackson Marsh State Natural Area hunting guide
Everything we could verify about Jackson Marsh State Natural Area: acreage, zones, property rules, harvest around it and nearby ground.
Photo: Joe K Gage (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Jackson Marsh State Natural Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Jackson Marsh State Natural Area
- Parking areaParking · 0.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.7 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.
The short version on Jackson Marsh State Natural Area
In Washington County you will find Jackson Marsh State Natural Area, a DNR-owned State Natural Area. On the DNR map it belongs to the Southeast Region. The managing body is the Wisconsin DNR. At 590 acres it sits 103rd by area in a field of 449 state natural areas. It is State Natural Area No. 278, in T10N-R20E, Sections 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16. About 3 miles northeast of Jackson. Look up Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area for the wider property it sits in.
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 Jackson Marsh State Natural Area
Jackson Marsh State Natural Area, as the managers tell it
Word for word from the property page.
Jackson Marsh features a southern wet forest of silver maple and a white cedar-tamarack swamp, a community type more common in northern Wisconsin. The silver maple forest is a mature, seasonally inundated wet forest with typically northern elements such as yellow birch and black ash. White cedar and tamarack are present in smaller numbers. The shrub layer is sparse with common winterberry and the ground layer is depauperate. The cedar swamp is a white-cedar-tamarack tract with trees 6-12 inches in diameter.
Both cedar and tamarack have good reproduction – an indication of low deer browse. The ground layer contains sphagnum moss and boasts an excellent northern flora including twinflower, gay-wings, false mayflower, three-leaved goldthread, tall northern bog orchid, and numerous sedges. A large area of wet-mesic forest with yellow birch and black ash borders the conifer swamp and may serve as a good buffer for the swamp and help protect it from windthrow. Bird life is diverse with a sharp-shinned hawk, broad-winged hawk, northern waterthrush, white-throated sparrow, scarlet tanager, winter wren, veery, and blue-winged, mourning, Canada and black-throated green warblers.
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
Jackson Marsh State Natural Area: what is allowed
How access works on Jackson Marsh State Natural Area
Hunters and trappers are welcome on DNR-owned SNA acres unless posted; leave vehicles, drones and tents outside and take no plants.
Jackson Marsh State Natural Area: rules from the regulations
From the October youth hunt through the Holiday Hunt, blaze orange or pink covers half of your upper clothing and cap. Mark a ground blind with 144 square inches of blaze orange or pink while firearm deer seasons run. Tree stands: no tree damage, ID on unattended stands, overnight only north of Hwy. 64 during Sept. 1-Jan. 31. Register deer, turkeys and bears through GameReg by 5 p.m. the day after recovery.
What Jackson Marsh State Natural Area costs in licenses
Buy through Go Wild; the free Farmland tags and bonus tags are marked public-access or private-land, and only public-access ones work here.
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.
Tags and zones for Jackson Marsh State Natural Area
For deer it lies in the Southern Farmland zone (Washington). This season the unit quota is 2,200 antlerless deer. Zone F bear permits took 1 preference point in 2026; the target is 50 bears. The 2025 spring level for Turkey Zone 2 was 51,056 authorizations; 11,024 birds were registered. Washington County: CWD found in wild deer, and a CWD-positive deer earns a replacement authorization. No deer bait or feed: Washington County is a ban county.
Jackson Marsh State Natural Area: antlerless quota and bonus tags
| Deer unit | Zone | 2026 quota | Public bonus left | Private bonus left | Free farmland tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | Southern Farmland | 2,200 | 500 | 1,550 | 3 |
| Milwaukee Metro Sub-unit | Metro area | In parent quota | — | — | — |
Every other zone Jackson Marsh State Natural Area touches
| Zone | Detail | Figures | Points or note | Taken |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black bear F | Hounds barred | 50 target, 764 permits | 1 point | 27 bears in 2025 |
| Turkey zone 2 | 51,056 spring tags (2025) | 22% success | 11,024 gobblers | 2,500 fall bonus |
| Grouse B | Oct 17–Dec 8 | 2 a day | ||
| Duck zone | Southern | Oct 3–Oct 11 Oct 17–Dec 6 | ||
| Goose zone | Southern | Sep 16–Oct 11 Oct 17–Dec 6 Dec 19–Jan 2 | ||
| Gray wolf zone 6 | No season | Federally listed |
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.
Quarry and limits, Jackson Marsh State Natural Area
Jackson Marsh State Natural Area has no species list on record. Any season open in Washington County is fair game, subject to the property rules.
Below: 42 season rows for Washington County.
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.
Jackson Marsh State Natural Area season calendar, 2026-27
Archery, the nine-day gun hunt, muzzleloader, bear, turkey, upland birds, rabbits, furbearers and the duck and goose splits for Jackson Marsh State Natural Area.
| Game | Hunt | Zone | First day | Last day | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Metro sub-unit gun | Metro sub-unit: Milwaukee | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 9, 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: Washington | 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 2 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 2 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 2 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 2 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 2 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 2 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 2 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 2 | May 26, 2027 | Jun 1, 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.
Units connected to Jackson Marsh State Natural Area
Jackson Marsh State Natural Area is one of 1 unit that Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area lists.
Nearest public ground to Jackson Marsh State Natural Area, mapped
10 more properties lie close to Jackson Marsh State Natural Area, shown with smaller pins. Acres across them: 59,911.
| Neighbour | Type | Acres | Miles off | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Creek Streambank Protection Area | Habitat area | 101 | 1.2 mi | southwest |
| Cedarburg Habitat Preservation | Wildlife area | 19 | 4.6 mi | east |
| Cedarburg Bog | State natural area | 1,757 | 6.1 mi | northeast |
| Kettle Moraine State Forest Pike Lake Unit | State forest | 781 | 10 mi | west |
| Kettle Moraine | State forest | 55,890 | 10 mi | west |
| Lucas | WPA | 41 | 11 mi | northeast |
| Allenton Marsh | Wildlife area | 1,159 | 11 mi | west |
| Ulao | WPA | 44 | 11 mi | east |
| Milwaukee River Floodplain Forest | State natural area | 77 | 12 mi | north |
| Kewaskum Maple-Oak Woods | State natural area | 42 | 12 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.
Registered deer and bears near Jackson Marsh State Natural Area
The 2025 registered deer total for the Washington County unit was 3,731 (1,656 antlered). 2025 was the busiest year shown (3,731 deer) and 2017 the leanest (2,742). The 2026 season to date shows 136 deer in Washington; the DNR calls it preliminary. 172 samples, 0 positive: that is Washington County in CWD year 2025. All years combined: 2 of 1,827. These numbers describe the county around Jackson Marsh State Natural Area, not the property alone.
Deer registered near Jackson Marsh State Natural Area
| Year | Bucks registered | Antlerless registered | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,656 | 2,075 | 3,731 |
| 2024 | 1,563 | 1,864 | 3,427 |
| 2023 | 1,412 | 1,560 | 2,972 |
| 2022 | 1,373 | 1,804 | 3,177 |
| 2021 | 1,247 | 1,593 | 2,840 |
| 2020 | 1,357 | 2,043 | 3,400 |
Washington County CWD by year
| CWD year | Samples | Positives |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 2 | 0 |
| 2025 | 172 | 0 |
| 2024 | 142 | 0 |
| 2023 | 118 | 1 |
| 2022 | 146 | 0 |
| 2021 | 132 | 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.
Jackson Marsh State Natural Area: nearest ranges
About 11 miles separates Jackson Marsh State Natural Area from Bear Arms Boutique Shooting Range, the nearest public map range. Closer club options sit beside it.
rifle, handgun on file
rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire on file
trap, skeet, sporting clays, shotgun on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
Towns, offices and services around Jackson Marsh State Natural Area
Towns, then services in this county and the next one over.
| Town | County | Distance | People | Public acres, 10 mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson | Washington | 2.8 mi | 8,169 | 5,035 |
| West Bend | Washington | 6.2 mi | 32,149 | 9,587 |
| Cedarburg | Ozaukee | 7.0 mi | 13,011 | 2,691 |
| Richfield | Washington | 9.2 mi | 11,783 | 4,937 |
Our county write-ups: Washington County.
Butchers, mounts and gun counters near Jackson Marsh State Natural Area
Service centers near Jackson Marsh State Natural Area
For Washington County, the DNR points to its DNR Waukesha 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.
When the shooting day opens and closes at Jackson Marsh State Natural Area
The DNR tables are worked out for Zone A in the east; Jackson Marsh State Natural Area lies in longitude Zone B, so add 4 minutes to each table time.
| Day | Reason | Northern table | Southern 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 88.12 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Jackson Marsh State Natural Area in questions and answers
Is Jackson Marsh State Natural Area good turkey ground?
Apply for Zone 2; spring periods A-F run in 2027 from April 21.
Are hounds allowed for bear at Jackson Marsh State Natural Area?
Bear Zone F: 764 permits drawn for 2026.
What are the CWD and bait rules for Jackson Marsh State Natural Area?
Deer bait is illegal in Washington County. Washington County: CWD-positive deer on record.
Is Jackson Marsh State Natural Area in the northern or southern duck zone?
Southern duck zone and Southern goose zone. First regular duck day in the Southern Zone: Oct 3.
How fast must I register a kill on Jackson Marsh State Natural Area?
GameReg by 5 p.m. the day after you recover the animal.
Can pink replace orange at Jackson Marsh State Natural Area?
Yes while gun deer seasons are open; half your upper clothing and hat in orange or fluorescent pink.
What neighbours Jackson Marsh State Natural Area?
Closest first: Cedar Creek Streambank Protection Area (1 mile), Cedarburg Habitat Preservation (5 miles) and Cedarburg Bog State Natural Area (6 miles).
Is a permit required for Jackson Marsh State Natural Area?
Your Wisconsin license is enough; residents pay $24 for gun deer, $18 for small game.
Who is the land manager for Jackson Marsh State Natural Area?
The Wisconsin DNR manages it; the land is a DNR-owned State Natural Area.
Is Jackson Marsh State Natural Area part of a larger property?
It is a unit of Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area.
How far is the drive from Jackson to Jackson Marsh State Natural Area?
Washington County, roughly 3 miles out of Jackson.
How large is Jackson Marsh State Natural Area, in acres?
Acreage on record: 590.
Is Jackson Marsh State Natural Area forest or farmland deer country?
Washington in the Southern Farmland zone. The unit quota stands at 2,200 antlerless deer this year.
Jackson Marsh State Natural Area, final notes
Print the Jackson Marsh State Natural Area map, carry your tags, and check the manager page the week you go.
Sources for this page: DNR: JacksonMarsh · DNR GIS · DNR: StateNaturalAreas; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Shenandoah National Park (Public Domain Mark 1.0); bgautrea (CC BY-SA 2.0).