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State natural area, the Northwoods
Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area, a hunter's guide
Who runs it, which deer unit and bear zone cover it, and the public land and towns around it in Burnett County.
Photo: aarongunnar (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area
- Parking areaParking · 1.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 1.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 2.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Wallen Overlook LotParking · 2.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.9 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.
What the record says about Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area
On paper it is a DNR-owned State Natural Area; on the map it is in Burnett County. DNR staff of the Northern Region cover this part of the Northwoods. Manager: the Wisconsin DNR. Its 3,992 acres rank 7th of the 449 Wisconsin state natural areas with an acreage on file. The DNR owns 3,992 acres of the natural area; the rest belongs to National Park Service (30 ac). In the natural areas program it is site 151. From Danbury, our closest town page, it is roughly 11 miles to the southwest. Parent property: Governor Knowles 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 Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area
Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area in the agency's words
Unedited text from the official page.
Norway Point Bottomlands lies along a bend in the St. Croix River and encompasses five major lowland plant communities including a southern wet-mesic forest at its northern range limit in Wisconsin. Also present are a northern wet-mesic forest, shrub carr, northern sedge meadow, and a 0.3-mile reach of Iron Creek. Closest to the river is a bottomland hardwood forest with silver maple, American elm, white ash, and black ash. Between the floodplain and uplands are swamp hardwoods dominated by black ash with yellow birch and elm.
Along the base of the river terrace escarpments are similar hardwoods and white cedar with numerous springs and seeps that feed into Iron Creek. Willow, alder, dogwood, and Spirea dominate the surrounding shrub thickets. The adjacent sedge meadow was historically used for mowing before state ownership. Iron Creek is a minnow stream with turbid, acid, and infertile waters. The wetlands provide nesting habitat for waterfowl and the area is home to high beaver and deer populations.
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area rules and licenses
Access rules at Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area
State Natural Area rules: hunt and trap where not posted, but no camping, no vehicles, no drones and no collecting plants. Not all of it is DNR land: National Park Service sets the rules on its share.
State law on Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area
Orange or pink, 50% above the waist and 50% of the head covering, is the rule while gun deer seasons run; duck and goose hunters are exempt. Gun-season ground blinds on DNR property display 144 sq in of orange or pink from every direction. No screw-in steps or cut shooting lanes on DNR land. Overnight stands are legal north of Hwy. 64 from Sept. 1 to Jan. 31; south of it, remove them every day. By 5 p.m. the following day, register the deer on GameReg (online, phone or station).
Which licenses Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area needs
Get licenses on Go Wild or at an agent. Antlerless tags are unit-specific and labelled public or private land.
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.
Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area: DMU, bear zone and turkey zone
Deer management: DMU 108, Northern Forest zone. The Natural Resources Board set 2,850 antlerless deer as the 2026 quota there. Bear Zone D has a 2026 harvest target of 1,100 with 3,855 Class A permits drawn; it took 2 preference points to win one. Spring turkey tags are sold for Zone 4; the DNR issued 34,997 there in 2025, the newest level published. Baiting deer is lawful in Burnett County, at no more than 2 gallons a site.
Deer units that cover Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area
| Deer unit | Zone | Antlerless goal | Public tags left | Private tags left | Included tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 108 | Northern Forest | 2,850 | 3,017 | 7,467 | — |
Zones beyond deer for Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area
| Zone | Setting | Data | Also | Last season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear D | Dogs legal | 1,100 target, 3,855 permits | 2 points | 931 bears in 2025 |
| Turkey zone 4 | 34,997 spring tags (2025) | 24% success | 8,472 gobblers | 1,500 fall bonus |
| Grouse zone A | Sep 12–Jan 3 | 5 a day | ||
| Duck zone | Northern | Sep 26–Nov 24 | ||
| Goose zone | Northern | Sep 16–Dec 16 | ||
| Wolf zone 3 | No season | Listed endangered |
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.
Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area: species with bag limits
The record lists no species. Every season open in Burnett County works here within the rules above.
That makes the Burnett County calendar (40 rows) the one to read.
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.
Season dates that cover Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area
Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area sits in the Northern Forest and Central Farmland deer zone. These 40 rows are the dated hunting segments the DNR schedule puts there, from the September archery opener into spring turkey.
| Game | Season | Applies in | Begins | Through | Right 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, Burnett | 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 D/A | Sep 9, 2026 | Sep 15, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone D/A | Sep 16, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone D/A | Oct 7, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall turkey | Turkey Zone 4/6 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 4/6 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 4/6 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 4/6 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 4/6 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 4/6 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 4/6 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 4/6 | 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.
Linked units of Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area
It shares Governor Knowles State Forest with 5 sibling units.
Other units of Governor Knowles State Forest
| Name | Type | County | Acreage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trade River Forest and Wetlands | State natural area | Polk | 909 |
| St. Croix Ash Swamp | State natural area | Burnett | 543 |
| Sterling Barrens | State natural area | Polk | 322 |
| Ekdall Wetlands | State natural area | Burnett | 305 |
| Brant Brook Pines | State natural area | Burnett | 150 |
Public property near Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area
The large pin is Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area; the others are the 10 closest public properties. Together they hold 40,650 acres.
| Name | Type | Size (ac) | Away | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kohler-Peet Barrens | State natural area | 834 | 2.0 mi | east |
| Reed Lake Meadow/Barrens | State natural area | 3,568 | 3.8 mi | south |
| Crex Sand Prairie | State natural area | 80 | 4.7 mi | southwest |
| Crex Meadows | Wildlife area | 29,800 | 5.5 mi | south |
| Yellow Lake | Wildlife area | 233 | 9.8 mi | east |
| Blomberg Lake & Woods | State natural area | 965 | 10 mi | southeast |
| Amsterdam Sloughs | Wildlife area | 5,098 | 11 mi | southeast |
| Clam River | Wildlife area | 9 | 15 mi | southeast |
| Clam Lake Cumberland Point | Access site | 20 | 16 mi | southeast |
| Fish Lake Pines | State natural area | 43 | 17 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.
How the land around Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area hunts, by the numbers
Burnett County hunters registered 2,861 deer in 2025, 1,327 of them bucks. Totals swing between 2,861 and 5,290 across the years charted. 2026 so far, still changing: DMU 108, 307. CWD sampling in Burnett County, CWD year 2025: 130 wild deer sampled, 0 positive. Overall: 3,047 samples and 0 positives. Burnett County: 164 bears in 2025. The DNR reports deer by unit, not by property: read these as the Burnett County picture.
Burnett County bucks and antlerless
| Year | Bucks | Antlerless | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,327 | 1,534 | 2,861 |
| 2024 | 2,240 | 1,588 | 3,828 |
| 2023 | 1,922 | 1,571 | 3,493 |
| 2022 | 2,590 | 2,449 | 5,039 |
| 2021 | 2,379 | 2,201 | 4,580 |
| 2020 | 2,560 | 2,315 | 4,875 |
Burnett County CWD sampling
| Year | Sampled | Positives |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 9 | 0 |
| 2025 | 130 | 0 |
| 2024 | 144 | 0 |
| 2023 | 152 | 0 |
| 2022 | 187 | 0 |
| 2021 | 169 | 0 |
Burnett County bears
| Year | Bears registered | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 224 | 93 | 131 |
| 2025 | 164 | 74 | 90 |
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.
Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area: nearest ranges
No range sits on Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area; the nearest on the DNR public range map is Frog Creek Washburn Cty. Forest, about 39 miles away. Nearby club or private ranges are shown too.
rifle, trap, shotgun, handgun, smallbore rimfire on file
trap, skeet, rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire on file
sporting clays, shotgun on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
Home bases for a Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area trip
Closest towns, measured as the crow flies, then the businesses around them.
| Town | County | Straight line | 2024 pop. | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Danbury | Burnett | 11 mi | — | 47,402 |
| Webster | Burnett | 11 mi | 712 | 49,270 |
| Grantsburg | Burnett | 12 mi | 1,372 | 59,716 |
| Siren | Burnett | 15 mi | 927 | 18,217 |
Read up on the county: Burnett County.
Taxidermy and supplies for Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area hunters
Phone numbers for Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area questions
The DNR service center listed for Burnett County is DNR Spooner Service Center, 715-635-2101.
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.
Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area: legal shooting time, table by date
Big game and small game hunters get 20 minutes after sunset in Wisconsin, not 30. Waterfowl and spring gobbler hunters quit at sunset.
| Date | Hunt | Northern Area hours | Southern Area hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 12, 2026 | Bow, turkey, grouse opener | 6:15 a.m. to 7:47 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 7:46 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Pheasant and duck dates | 6:59 a.m. to 6:41 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 6:44 p.m. |
| Nov 1, 2026 | Early November | 6:20 a.m. to 5:17 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 5:21 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer opener | 6:48 a.m. to 4:54 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| Dec 1, 2026 | Muzzleloader week | 7:00 a.m. to 4:48 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 4:55 p.m. |
| Dec 24, 2026 | Holiday Hunt opener | 7:19 a.m. to 4:50 p.m. | 7:13 a.m. to 4:58 p.m. |
| Jan 3, 2027 | Archery close (most units) | 7:21 a.m. to 4:59 p.m. | 7:15 a.m. to 5:06 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 F offset of 20 minutes for longitude 92.58 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Straight answers on Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area
Where do I register game taken on Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area?
Register on GameReg by 5 p.m. the next day; the confirmation number starts with W.
Is there a separate permit for Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area?
The standard license for your game; no landowner permission on public ground.
Which public properties lie near Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area?
Three to try: Kohler-Peet Barrens State Natural Area (2 miles), Reed Lake Meadow/Barrens State Natural Area (4 miles) and Crex Sand Prairie State Natural Area (5 miles).
Is Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area its own property?
Yes, Governor Knowles State Forest.
How is Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area classified?
DNR-owned State Natural Area, under the Wisconsin DNR.
How much land is in Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area?
It covers 3,992 acres by the recorded figure.
Where in the state does Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area lie?
Burnett County holds it, 11 miles from Danbury.
Does Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area limit which species I hunt?
No species list is published, so every open season applies under the property rules.
Which deer management unit holds Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area?
The Northern Forest zone, DMU 108. Quota for 2026: 2,850 antlerless.
Is bear hunting possible at Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area?
Zone D; hounds are legal there.
Can I turkey hunt Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area in spring?
Zone 4; 2025 saw 8,472 birds registered in the zone.
When can I hunt ducks at Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area?
Northern for ducks, Northern for geese. The regular Northern Zone duck season opens Sep 26.
Has CWD turned up in the county around Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area?
There is no county baiting ban here; the 2-gallon rules apply. CWD has not been found in this county's wild deer.
Last checks on Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area before you go
Treat this page as a starting point: the manager of Norway Point Bottomlands State Natural Area has the final say on closures and maps.
Sources for this page: DNR: NorwayPointBottomlands · 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 & Wildlife Service Southwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Peter Sheik (CC BY 2.0).