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Kenosha County · State natural area
Hunting at Peat Lake State Natural Area
Peat Lake State Natural Area, 228 acres in Kenosha County: whitetails, zones and tags, property rules, county harvest and the land nearby.
Photo: newagecrap (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Peat Lake State Natural Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Peat Lake State Natural Area
- Parking areaParking · 0.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 1.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 1.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 1.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.7 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.
Peat Lake State Natural Area on one card
Hunters reach Peat Lake State Natural Area in Kenosha County; it is a DNR-owned State Natural Area. This is southeast Wisconsin, in the DNR Southeast Region. Day-to-day it is in the hands of the Wisconsin DNR. Measured at 228 acres, it comes in 218th of 449 state natural areas. SNA number: 106. Location by survey: T1N-R20E, Section 32. Kenosha is the nearest town with a guide on this site, about 15 miles away; the land lies southwest of it. It sits within Peat Lake State Habitat Area.
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 Peat Lake State Natural Area
Zones that take in Peat Lake State Natural Area
Peat Lake State Natural Area is Southern Farmland deer country, unit Kenosha. Antlerless quota, 2026: 300. The Zone F bear quota for 2026 is 50, spread over 764 drawn permits. Zone 2 turkey numbers for 2025: 51,056 spring tags, 22% success. Wild deer with CWD have been confirmed in Kenosha County. Leave the corn at home; Kenosha County bans deer baiting.
Antlerless tags near Peat Lake State Natural Area
| Unit | Zone | Quota 2026 | Bonus, public | Bonus, private | Farmland tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenosha | Southern Farmland | 300 | 100 | 265 | 1 |
Peat Lake 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 2 | 51,056 spring tags (2025) | 22% success | 11,024 gobblers | 2,500 fall bonus |
| Ruffed grouse B | Oct 17–Dec 8 | 2 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 | ||
| 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 Peat Lake State Natural Area
The managing agency's own text.
Peat Lake is a small shallow lake with very low water levels in most years and a maximum depth of five feet. The lake is situated in the ground moraine and contains a wide belt of sedge meadow and cattail marsh. Peat Lake does not have a significant fishery; it supports only carp. The bottom is muck with occasional marl mounds. Although not especially diverse in aquatic plants, bladderwort, several pondweeds, and yellow and white water lilies can be found.
Cat-tail, soft stem bulrush, and marsh loosestrife dominate the shoreline. Pickerel-weed is common on the east shore. The uplands were formerly grazed. Wildlife use is heavy, especially for birds. Recorded nesting species are mallard, blue-winged teal, wood duck, great-blue and green-backed herons, Virginia and king rails, sora, American woodcock, swamp sparrow, common yellowthroat, American and least bitterns, and four swallow species. Peat Lake is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 1973.
Hunting notes printed for Peat Lake State Natural Area
- Note: Except for gun deer hunting, a majority of this site is a "No entry wildlife refuge" and closed to the public from Sept.
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
What Peat Lake State Natural Area requires of hunters
Peat Lake 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 Peat Lake 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 Peat Lake 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 Peat Lake State Natural Area sits in the larger property
Peat Lake State Habitat Area takes in Peat Lake State Natural Area and 0 other units.
What hunters pursue at Peat Lake State Natural Area
Species the agency lists here: whitetails.
White-tailed deer
Unlisted species follow the Kenosha County dates below, subject to the property rules.
Species from the property record (species named by the source); bag limits from the DNR regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Peat Lake State Natural Area: opening and closing days
From bear baiting in September to the last spring turkey period, 42 season segments apply to Peat Lake 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 | 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 | Extended archery and crossbow | Metro sub-unit | 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 | Open Water Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 15, 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.
Kenosha County harvest near Peat Lake State Natural Area
Deer registered in the Kenosha County unit, 2025: 510. The decade peaked at 510 in 2025 and bottomed at 318 in 2019. Through Oct. 19, 2026: 15 antlered and 11 antlerless in Kenosha (preliminary). CWD year 2025 brought 35 Kenosha County samples and 1 positives. Running total since 1999: 1,320 tested. No harvest is published for Peat Lake State Natural Area itself, so the county unit is the finest level.
Registered deer in the Peat Lake State Natural Area county unit
| Year | Antlered | Antlerless | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 316 | 194 | 510 |
| 2024 | 276 | 143 | 419 |
| 2023 | 317 | 164 | 481 |
| 2022 | 269 | 176 | 445 |
| 2021 | 228 | 151 | 379 |
| 2020 | 245 | 166 | 411 |
CWD tests in Kenosha County
| CWD year | Wild deer sampled | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 1 | 1 |
| 2025 | 35 | 1 |
| 2024 | 24 | 3 |
| 2023 | 24 | 0 |
| 2022 | 29 | 1 |
| 2021 | 25 | 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 Peat Lake State Natural Area: more places to hunt
The big marker is Peat Lake State Natural Area. Smaller ones are its 10 closest neighbours. The neighbours add 7,020 acres between them.
| Nearby | Kind | Acres | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camp Lake | Fishery area | 227 | 1.0 mi | north |
| Silver Lake Marsh | Fishery area | 35 | 4.1 mi | north |
| Hooker Lake Marsh | Fishery area | 46 | 5.1 mi | northeast |
| New Munster | Wildlife area | 1,501 | 5.4 mi | northwest |
| Paddock Lake | Wildlife area | 5 | 5.5 mi | northeast |
| New Munster Bog Island | State natural area | 42 | 5.9 mi | northwest |
| George Lake | Wildlife area | 161 | 6.9 mi | east |
| Karcher | Wildlife area | 282 | 9.2 mi | northwest |
| Karcher Springs | State natural area | 30 | 9.3 mi | northwest |
| Richard Bong | Recreation area | 4,691 | 9.4 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.
Peat Lake State Natural Area: nearby towns and businesses
Town pages first, then shops, processors and DNR desks.
| Base town | County | Away | Residents | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenosha | Kenosha | 15 mi | 99,578 | 703 |
| Elkhorn | Walworth | 23 mi | 10,122 | 4,385 |
| Racine | Racine | 23 mi | 78,057 | — |
| Mukwonago | Waukesha | 26 mi | 8,512 | 19,552 |
County-level hunting pages: Kenosha County.
Shops a short drive from Peat Lake State Natural Area
DNR desks closest to Peat Lake State Natural Area
Service center for Kenosha County business: DNR Milwaukee 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.
Peat Lake State Natural Area: nearest ranges
About 28 miles separates Peat Lake State Natural Area from Lakeview Rod & Gun Club, the nearest public map range. Nearby rod and gun clubs round out the list.
rifle, trap, handgun, smallbore rimfire, archery on file
archery, 3D archery on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
Shooting light at Peat Lake State Natural Area by date
At Peat Lake 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 88.16 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
What people ask about hunting Peat Lake State Natural Area
Which agency sets the rules on Peat Lake State Natural Area?
The Wisconsin DNR treats it as a DNR-owned State Natural Area.
Which property holds Peat Lake State Natural Area?
The parent is Peat Lake State Habitat Area.
Where do Peat Lake State Natural Area hunters spend the night?
Start from Kenosha; the land is 15 miles off, in Kenosha County.
What acreage is listed for Peat Lake State Natural Area?
Roughly 228 acres.
Which DMU takes in Peat Lake State Natural Area?
Deer unit Kenosha; zone Southern Farmland. The 2026 antlerless quota is 300 (Kenosha); use a public-access antlerless tag here.
Which species are hunted on Peat Lake State Natural Area?
Listed: whitetails.
Which turkey zone is Peat Lake State Natural Area in?
Zone 2, one bird per spring authorization.
Which bear management zone holds Peat Lake State Natural Area?
Bear Zone F. Zone F took 1 preference point in 2026.
Is deer baiting legal near Peat Lake State Natural Area?
No: Kenosha County bans deer baiting and feeding. Wild deer with CWD are documented in Kenosha County.
What are the waterfowl zones for Peat Lake 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 Peat Lake State Natural Area?
Through GameReg (online, phone or a station) by 5 p.m. the day after recovery.
Do I need blaze orange at Peat Lake State Natural Area?
In any open firearm deer season, wear blaze orange or pink on at least half your coat and cap.
If Peat Lake State Natural Area is full, where next?
Within a short drive: Camp Lake Fishery Area (1 mile), Silver Lake Marsh Fishery Area (4 miles) and Hooker Lake Marsh Fishery Area (5 miles).
Check Peat Lake State Natural Area once more
Refuges, closed areas and park windows at Peat Lake State Natural Area can shift mid-season; the property page and the DNR map have the current picture.
Sources for this page: DNR: PeatLake · DNR GIS · DNR: StateNaturalAreas; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain); Virginia State Parks staff (CC BY 2.0).