Home › Wisconsin › Public land › Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area
Jackson County · State natural area
Hunting at Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area
Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area, 424 acres in Jackson County: zones and tags, property rules, county harvest and the land nearby.
Photo: aarongunnar (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area
- Smrekar Lot Black River State ForestParking · 0.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Wildcat Lot Black River State ForestParking · 1.8 mi from the centreDirections
- TrailheadTrailhead · 1.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 2.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.3 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.
Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area on one card
Hunters reach Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area in Jackson 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 424 acres, it comes in 140th of 449 state natural areas. SNA number: 243. Location by survey: T20N-R2W, Sections 11-14. Millston is the nearest town with a guide on this site, about 4 miles away; the land lies northeast of it. It sits within Black River 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 Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area
Zones that take in Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area
Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area is Central Forest deer country, unit DMU 203. Antlerless quota, 2026: 450. 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 Jackson County. Leave the corn at home; Jackson County bans deer baiting.
Antlerless tags near Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area
| Unit | Zone | Quota 2026 | Bonus, public | Bonus, private | Farmland tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 203 | Central Forest | 450 | 0 | 268 | — |
Ketchum Creek Pines 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 | ||
| Elk | Central (Black River Elk Range) | 6 bull and 6 antlerless | Public land nearly 70% | |
| 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 Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area
The managing agency's own text.
Ketchum Creek Pines slopes gently from north to south with a dry, sandy upland containing jack pine and oak forest grading rapidly into a northern wet-mesic forest of white pine and red maple. The site becomes increasingly wetter moving toward the south end of the property and the wet-mesic forest gives way to a tamarack black spruce bog and eventually an open sedge meadow. Thin muck soils overlay wet sand and sphagnum moss covers much of the forest floor.
Scattered across the forest floor is a tangle of raised tree roots filled with pockets of cold, dark water. A sparse to moderate shrub layer is dominated by winterberry with smaller amounts of mountain holly and huckleberry. The understory is a dense sea of 3-4 foot high cinnamon ferns. Resident avifauna includes the common raven, veery, and Canada, pine, and black-throated green warblers. Northern flying squirrels and porcupines also inhabit the forest. Ketchum Creek Pines is owned by the DNR and was designated in 1991.
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
What Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area requires of hunters
Ketchum Creek Pines 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 Ketchum Creek Pines 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 Ketchum Creek Pines 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 Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area sits in the larger property
Black River State Forest takes in Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area and 12 other units.
Sibling pages of Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area
| Unit | Category | County | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Komensky Barrens | State natural area | Jackson | 1,831 |
| Upper Black River | State natural area | Jackson | 1,533 |
| Starlight Wetlands | State natural area | Jackson | 1,052 |
| Washburn Marsh | State natural area | Jackson | 604 |
| East Fork of the Black River | State natural area | Jackson, Clark | 513 |
| Wildcat Ridge | State natural area | Jackson | 379 |
| Arbutus Oaks | State natural area | Clark | 214 |
| Milllston Ridge Barrens | State natural area | Jackson | 193 |
| Waazija Haci | State natural area | Jackson | 142 |
| Robinson Creek Pines | State natural area | Jackson | 126 |
| Castle Mound Pine Forest | State natural area | Jackson | 115 |
| Catfish Eddy Terraces | State natural area | Jackson | 75 |
What hunters pursue at Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area
Nothing narrows the game at Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area; all open seasons apply as long as the property rules are followed.
The Jackson County season table below has 42 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.
Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area: opening and closing days
From bear baiting in September to the last spring turkey period, 42 season segments apply to Ketchum Creek Pines 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, Jackson | 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 E/C | 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 1/3 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 1/3 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 1/3 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 1/3 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 1/3 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 1/3 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 1/3 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 1/3 | 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 | 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.
Jackson County harvest near Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area
Deer registered in the Jackson County unit, 2025: 4,911. The decade peaked at 6,250 in 2022 and bottomed at 4,911 in 2025. Through Oct. 19, 2026: 41 antlered and 38 antlerless in DMU 203 (preliminary). CWD year 2025 brought 198 Jackson County samples and 1 positives. Running total since 1999: 3,127 tested. The 2025 bear count for Jackson County was 47. No harvest is published for Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area itself, so the county unit is the finest level.
Registered deer in the Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area county unit
| Year | Antlered | Antlerless | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,333 | 2,578 | 4,911 |
| 2024 | 2,940 | 2,780 | 5,720 |
| 2023 | 2,884 | 2,403 | 5,287 |
| 2022 | 3,230 | 3,020 | 6,250 |
| 2021 | 3,143 | 2,533 | 5,676 |
| 2020 | 3,198 | 3,018 | 6,216 |
CWD tests in Jackson County
| CWD year | Wild deer sampled | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 19 | 0 |
| 2025 | 198 | 1 |
| 2024 | 213 | 1 |
| 2023 | 225 | 2 |
| 2022 | 204 | 0 |
| 2021 | 186 | 0 |
Bear numbers near Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area
| Year | Total | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 110 | 48 | 62 |
| 2025 | 47 | 25 | 22 |
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 Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area: more places to hunt
The big marker is Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area. Smaller ones are its 10 closest neighbours. The neighbours add 235,001 acres between them.
| Nearby | Kind | Acres | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jay Creek Pine Forest | State natural area | 441 | 4.4 mi | southeast |
| Monroe | County forest | 7,443 | 5.1 mi | southeast |
| Jackson | County forest | 122,685 | 8.2 mi | northeast |
| Bauer-Brockway Barrens | State natural area | 120 | 10 mi | northwest |
| Mill Creek | Fishery area | 35 | 10 mi | south |
| Rathbone Creek | Fishery area | 21 | 14 mi | southwest |
| Kingston Pines | State natural area | 535 | 14 mi | east |
| Fort McCoy | Army post | 45,648 | 14 mi | south |
| Meadow Valley | Wildlife area | 58,071 | 15 mi | east |
| Cataract Pond | Fishery area | 2 | 16 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.
Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area: nearby towns and businesses
Town pages first, then shops, processors and DNR desks.
| Base town | County | Away | Residents | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Millston | Jackson | 4.1 mi | — | 115,461 |
| Warrens | Monroe | 6.9 mi | 541 | 79,341 |
| Sand Pillow | Jackson | 12 mi | — | 102,555 |
| Mission | Jackson | 13 mi | — | 101,157 |
County-level hunting pages: Jackson County.
Shops a short drive from Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area
DNR desks closest to Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area
Service center for Jackson 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.
Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area: nearest ranges
About 20 miles separates Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area from Sherwood Shooting Range, the nearest public map range. Nearby rod and gun clubs round out the list.
rifle, trap, sporting clays, shotgun on file
sporting clays, shotgun on file
sporting clays, shotgun on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
Shooting light at Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area by date
At Ketchum Creek Pines 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 90.57 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
What people ask about hunting Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area
Which turkey zone is Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area in?
Zone 1, one bird per spring authorization.
Which bear management zone holds Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area?
Bear Zone C. Zone C took 2 preference points in 2026.
Is deer baiting legal near Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area?
No: Jackson County bans deer baiting and feeding. Wild deer with CWD are documented in Jackson County.
What are the waterfowl zones for Ketchum Creek Pines 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 Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area?
Through GameReg (online, phone or a station) by 5 p.m. the day after recovery.
Do I need blaze orange at Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area?
In any open firearm deer season, wear blaze orange or pink on at least half your coat and cap.
If Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area is full, where next?
Within a short drive: Jay Creek Pine Forest State Natural Area (4 miles), Monroe County Forest (5 miles) and Jackson County Forest (8 miles).
Which Wisconsin license covers Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area?
Go Wild sells everything needed; antlerless tags on public land must be public-access tags.
Which agency sets the rules on Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area?
The Wisconsin DNR treats it as a DNR-owned State Natural Area.
Which property holds Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area?
The parent is Black River State Forest.
Where do Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area hunters spend the night?
Start from Millston; the land is 4 miles off, in Jackson County.
What acreage is listed for Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area?
Roughly 424 acres.
Which DMU takes in Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area?
Deer unit DMU 203; zone Central Forest. The 2026 antlerless quota is 450 (DMU 203); use a public-access antlerless tag here.
Check Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area once more
Refuges, closed areas and park windows at Ketchum Creek Pines State Natural Area can shift mid-season; the property page and the DNR map have the current picture.
Sources for this page: DNR: KetchumCreekPines · DNR GIS · DNR: StateNaturalAreas; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: GerryT (CC BY 2.0); Dana Beveridge (CC BY 2.0).