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State natural area, the Northwoods
Rice Creek State Natural Area hunting notes
435 acres of state natural area in Vilas County, with 2026-27 zones, quotas, rules, CWD testing and a map.
Photo: wackybadger (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Rice Creek State Natural Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Rice Creek State Natural Area
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 1.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 1.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 2.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Papoose Lake Boat LandingBoat ramp · 3.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.1 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.
Rice Creek State Natural Area, by its record
Count Rice Creek State Natural Area among the state natural areas of Vilas County. It falls in the DNR Northern Region, the Northwoods. The Wisconsin DNR manages the land. By size (435 acres) it is number 138 among 449 state natural areas on our list. Natural area 504 lies in T42N-R6E, Section 4. T43N-R6E, Sections 28, 33, 34, 35. Head northwest from Boulder Junction for about 5 miles. The DNR and agency lists place it inside Northern Highland 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 Rice Creek State Natural Area
Zone lines at Rice Creek State Natural Area
Deer rules follow the Northern Forest zone and DMU 117. For 2026 the antlerless quota stands at 550. In Bear Zone B the DNR drew 1,545 permits for a target of 850 bears; drawn hunters needed 11 points. Turkey Zone 7: 4,401 spring authorizations in 2025 and 16% hunter success. Vilas County is on the CWD list: a positive wild deer has been found. Deer may not be baited or fed in Vilas County.
Rice Creek State Natural Area deer management units
| DMU | Zone | 2026 antlerless | Public bonus | Private bonus | Free per license |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 117 | Northern Forest | 550 | 620 | 619 | — |
Bear, turkey, grouse and waterfowl lines through Rice Creek State Natural Area
| Zone | Setting | Data | Also | Last season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear B | Hound hunting | 850 target, 1,545 permits | 11 points | 851 bears in 2025 |
| Turkey 7 | 4,401 spring tags (2025) | 16% success | 726 gobblers | — |
| Grouse A | Sep 12–Jan 3 | 5 a day | ||
| Ducks | Northern | Sep 26–Nov 24 | ||
| Canada geese | Northern | Sep 16–Dec 16 | ||
| Wolf zone 1 | Closed | Federal protection |
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.
Hunting Rice Creek State Natural Area within the rules
Who may hunt Rice Creek State Natural Area
The DNR keeps SNA land open to hunting and trapping by default; posted closures, and NR 45 bans on camping, vehicles, drones and plant collecting, still apply.
Statewide rules that reach Rice Creek State Natural Area
Wisconsin asks for 50% blaze orange or fluorescent pink above the waist in firearm deer seasons, archers included, waterfowlers not. Ground blinds on DNR land in a firearm deer season show at least 144 square inches of solid orange or pink, visible from all sides. Unattended stands carry your name or customer ID; they may be left out north of State Hwy. 64 (up to two per county), never south of it. Registration through GameReg closes at 5 p.m. on the day after recovery.
Rice Creek State Natural Area license list
Residents often take the Conservation Patron, which bundles the hunting licenses. Antlerless tags on public land must be public-access tags.
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.
Rice Creek State Natural Area: the game on record
No species list is published for Rice Creek State Natural Area, so every open season applies under the property rules.
See the 38 seasons listed for Vilas County below.
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.
Rice Creek State Natural Area hunting dates, fall 2026 to spring 2027
20 species and 38 segments reach Rice Creek State Natural Area. The last column compares each one with today.
| Quarry | Season | Zone | From | To | Status today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone B/A | Sep 9, 2026 | Sep 15, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone B/A | Sep 16, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone B/A | Oct 7, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall turkey | Turkey Zone 7 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 7 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 7 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 7 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 7 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 7 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 7 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 7 | 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.
The land at Rice Creek State Natural Area
This is the agency description, quoted.
Rice Creek SNA features a two-mile stretch of creek surrounded by a large wetland complex of conifer swamp, boreal rich fen, sedge meadow, and northern wet-mesic forest. White cedar dominates the forest but the cover is variable with balsam fir, black spruce, tamarack, black ash, red maple, white spruce, yellow birch, paper birch and hemlock all present in the canopy. Thickets of mountain maple and alder are found in some areas. The understory is diverse and includes heart-leaf twayblade, blunt-leaved orchid, naked miterwort, three-leaved goldthread, yellow blue-bead lily, early coralroot and striped coralroot.
The slow, warm, hard-water Rice Creek has extensive lush beds of aquatic macrophytes including dense stands of wild rice. Just west of Keego Lake are two small, but high-quality stands of old-growth hemlock with super-canopy white and red pines. The undeveloped, 24-acre lake is a deep, soft-water seepage lake with a maximum depth of 18 feet. Situated between Rice Creek and the rich conifer swamp is an undisturbed, diverse boreal-rich fen, which is fed by a small seepage flowing through the westernmost portion.
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
The larger property around Rice Creek State Natural Area
Within Northern Highland State Forest there are 22 units with pages, this one included.
Sister units to Rice Creek State Natural Area
| Unit | Type | County | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| DuPage Lake Peatlands | State natural area | Iron | 3,287 |
| Toy Lake Swamp | State natural area | Vilas, Iron | 2,308 |
| Frog Lake and Pines | State natural area | Iron | 1,290 |
| Johnson Lake Barrens and Springs | State natural area | Vilas | 1,130 |
| Lost Canoe | State natural area | Vilas | 1,119 |
| Devine Lake and Mishonagon Creek | State natural area | Vilas | 1,088 |
| Bittersweet Lakes | State natural area | Vilas | 1,070 |
| Catherine Lake Hemlock-Hardwoods | State natural area | Iron | 869 |
| Lake Laura Hardwoods | State natural area | Vilas | 852 |
| Aurora Lake | State natural area | Vilas | 831 |
| Plum Lake Hemlock Forest | State natural area | Vilas | 747 |
| Nixon Lake | State natural area | Vilas | 737 |
| Papoose Creek Pines | State natural area | Vilas | 563 |
| Van Vliet Hemlocks | State natural area | Vilas | 412 |
| Allequash Lake and Pines | State natural area | Vilas | 398 |
Deer, bears and CWD around Rice Creek State Natural Area
Vilas County has no county-named deer unit, so the DNR reports harvest by forest DMU; 2025 is the only year under the new boundaries. So far in 2026 (preliminary, Oct. 19): DMU 117 105 deer. In CWD year 2025, 221 Vilas County deer were tested and 0 came back positive. Since 1999: 3,270 sampled, 2 positive. Bear hunters registered 70 bears in Vilas County in 2025. Property-level harvest does not exist for Rice Creek State Natural Area; county numbers stand in.
Deer table, Vilas County
| Deer unit | Bucks 2025 | Antlerless 2025 | Total 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 117 | 523 | 372 | 895 |
CWD results near Rice Creek State Natural Area
| CWD year | Sampled | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 31 | 0 |
| 2025 | 221 | 0 |
| 2024 | 272 | 1 |
| 2023 | 234 | 0 |
| 2022 | 292 | 0 |
| 2021 | 214 | 1 |
Bear table, Vilas County
| Season | Total bears | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 88 | 43 | 45 |
| 2025 | 70 | 41 | 29 |
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.
Where Rice Creek State Natural Area hunters stay and shop
Every town listed has a hunting guide of its own on this site.
| Town | County | Distance | Population | Public ground (10 mi) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder Junction | Vilas | 5.5 mi | — | 103,002 |
| Mercer | Iron | 14 mi | — | 111,827 |
| Sayner | Vilas | 16 mi | — | 123,140 |
| Lac du Flambeau | Vilas | 16 mi | — | 37,716 |
County hunting overviews: Vilas County.
Rice Creek State Natural Area: businesses in the area
Offices that answer for Rice Creek State Natural Area
Vilas County is served by the DNR Woodruff 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.
The closest public land to Rice Creek State Natural Area
Rice Creek State Natural Area is the large pin, with 10 neighbours around it. Their acreage adds up to 245,006.
| Property | Type | Acres | Straight line | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural Area – Dedication | State natural area | 707 | 5.7 mi | northeast |
| Stateline Lake | Wildlife area | 1 | 6.1 mi | north |
| Day Lake | State natural area | 209 | 7.2 mi | south |
| Powell Marsh | Wildlife area | 4,342 | 9.0 mi | southwest |
| Dunn Lake | State natural area | 954 | 9.2 mi | east |
| Mary Lake | State natural area | 51 | 9.7 mi | northwest |
| Northern Highland-American Legion | State forest | 237,127 | 11 mi | southeast |
| White Sand Lake | Fishery area | 1 | 12 mi | south |
| Big Crawling Stone | Fishery area | 2 | 17 mi | south |
| Lehto Lake | State natural area | 1,612 | 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.
DNR shooting hours for Rice Creek State Natural Area
Wisconsin prints its shooting hours as tables. For deer, bear, elk, small game and fall turkey the day runs from 30 minutes before sunrise to 20 minutes after sunset; migratory birds and spring turkey stop at sunset.
| When | Event | North | South |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 12, 2026 | Bow, turkey, grouse opener | 6:03 a.m. to 7:35 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 7:34 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Pheasant and duck dates | 6:47 a.m. to 6:29 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 6:32 p.m. |
| Nov 1, 2026 | Early November | 6:08 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer opener | 6:36 a.m. to 4:42 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. to 4:48 p.m. |
| Dec 1, 2026 | Muzzleloader week | 6:48 a.m. to 4:36 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 4:43 p.m. |
| Dec 24, 2026 | Holiday Hunt opener | 7:07 a.m. to 4:38 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 4:46 p.m. |
| Jan 3, 2027 | Archery close (most units) | 7:09 a.m. to 4:47 p.m. | 7:03 a.m. to 4:54 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 C offset of 8 minutes for longitude 89.74 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Rice Creek State Natural Area: nearest ranges
Boulder Junction Shooting Range in Vilas County is the nearest DNR-map range, 9 miles out.
rifle, handgun, trap, skeet, shotgun on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
Rice Creek State Natural Area: the questions that come up
Can I shoot antlerless deer on Rice Creek State Natural Area?
Northern Forest zone; unit DMU 117. 550 antlerless deer is the 2026 quota.
Which game seasons apply on Rice Creek State Natural Area?
All open seasons apply, subject to the property rules; the source names no species.
What turkey tag do I need for Rice Creek State Natural Area?
Your spring tag must be for Zone 7 and a period A-F.
What are the bear rules around Rice Creek State Natural Area?
It is in Bear Zone B, target 850 bears in 2026.
Does the baiting ban cover Rice Creek State Natural Area?
Banned in Vilas County. Vilas County has had CWD-positive wild deer.
Which duck and goose zones cover Rice Creek State Natural Area?
Use the Northern duck dates and the Northern goose dates. Regular duck hunting in the Northern Zone starts Sep 26.
Is there a check station for Rice Creek State Natural Area?
Use GameReg online or call 844-426-3734 by 5 p.m. the day after.
What does the orange rule mean at Rice Creek State Natural Area?
Yes, 50% orange or pink above the waist from the youth deer hunt through the Holiday Hunt.
Which properties are close to Rice Creek State Natural Area?
Nearest on the list: Natural Area – Dedication (6 miles), Stateline Lake State Habitat Area (6 miles) and Day Lake State Natural Area (7 miles).
How do I get permission to hunt Rice Creek State Natural Area?
A regular Wisconsin license from Go Wild (gun deer $24 for residents); antlerless deer need a public-access tag.
Whose property is Rice Creek State Natural Area?
The Wisconsin DNR oversees this DNR-owned State Natural Area.
Where does Rice Creek State Natural Area fit?
It belongs to Northern Highland State Forest.
In which Wisconsin county is Rice Creek State Natural Area?
Boulder Junction is closest (5 miles); the property is in Vilas County.
Rice Creek State Natural Area: confirm on the ground
A last look before the drive: the Rice Creek State Natural Area map, your Go Wild licenses and any posted closures.
Sources for this page: DNR: RiceCreek · DNR GIS · DNR: StateNaturalAreas; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: USFWS Midwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0); scostello22 (CC BY 2.0).