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Polk County · State natural area
Hunting at Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area
Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area, 457 acres in Polk County: zones and tags, property rules, county harvest and the land nearby.
Photo: wackybadger (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area
Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area on one card
Hunters reach Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area in Polk County; it is a DNR-owned State Natural Area. This is the Northwoods, in the DNR Northern Region. Day-to-day it is in the hands of the Wisconsin DNR. Measured at 457 acres, it comes in 125th of 449 state natural areas. SNA number: 592. Location by survey: T36N-R16W, Sections 17, 18. T36N-R17W, Section 13. Luck is the nearest town with a guide on this site, about 4 miles away; the land lies northeast of it. It sits within Straight Lake Wilderness State Park.
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 Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area
Zones that take in Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area
Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area is Central Farmland deer country, unit Polk. Antlerless quota, 2026: 11,200. The Zone D bear quota for 2026 is 1,100, spread over 3,855 drawn permits. Zone 4 turkey numbers for 2025: 34,997 spring tags, 24% success. Wild deer with CWD have been confirmed in Polk County. Leave the corn at home; Polk County bans deer baiting.
Antlerless tags near Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area
| Unit | Zone | Quota 2026 | Bonus, public | Bonus, private | Farmland tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polk Central Farmland | Central Farmland | 11,200 | 987 | 5,191 | 2 |
Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area: other game zones
| Zone | Detail | Numbers | More | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear zone D | Hounds allowed | 1,100 target, 3,855 permits | 2 points | 931 bears in 2025 |
| Turkey 4 | 34,997 spring tags (2025) | 24% success | 8,472 gobblers | 1,500 fall bonus |
| Ruffed grouse A | Sep 12–Jan 3 | 5 a day | ||
| Duck zone | Northern | Sep 26–Nov 24 | ||
| Canada goose | Northern | Sep 16–Dec 16 | ||
| Wolf 3 | 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 Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area
The managing agency's own text.
The rolling glacial terrain of Tunnel Channel Woods supports an extensive, second-growth dry-mesic forest with scattered ephemeral ponds and kettle wetlands. The dominant trees include red oak, white oak, basswood, and red maple. Canopy associates are green ash, bur oak, paper birch, and aspen. White pine, yellow birch, shagbark hickory, and yellowbud hickory are also present. The shrub layer is variable in density with hazelnut, alternate-leaved dogwood, and maple-leaf viburnum. Characteristic ground layer species include wild sarsaparilla, big-leaf aster, lady fern, wild geranium, large-flowered bellwort, enchanter's nightshade, pointed tick-trefoil, American lopseed, and white avens.
More northern ground layer species are found scattered throughout the forest and represented by partridgeberry, yellow blue bead lily, early low blueberry, and American starflower. Inclusions of more mesic forests with yellow birch, maidenhair fern, and false rue anemone are also present and small ponds and pockets of wet swamp hardwoods also occur. The forest supports numerous rare species, including several Species of Greatest Conservation Need.
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
What Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area requires of hunters
Tunnel Channel Woods 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 Tunnel Channel Woods 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 Tunnel Channel Woods 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 Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area sits in the larger property
Straight Lake Wilderness State Park takes in Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area and 1 other unit.
Sibling pages of Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area
| Unit | Category | County | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight Lake Tamarack Fen | State natural area | Polk | 85 |
What hunters pursue at Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area
Nothing narrows the game at Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area; all open seasons apply as long as the property rules are followed.
The Polk County season table below has 40 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.
Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area: opening and closing days
From bear baiting in September to the last spring turkey period, 40 season segments apply to Tunnel Channel Woods 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, Polk | 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 | Sep 9, 2026 | Sep 15, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone D | Sep 16, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Bear, Class A draw | Bear Zone D | Oct 7, 2026 | Oct 13, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall turkey | Turkey Zone 4 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 4 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 4 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 4 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 4 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 4 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 4 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 4 | 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.
Polk County harvest near Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area
Deer registered in the Polk County unit, 2025: 8,091. The decade peaked at 9,066 in 2016 and bottomed at 7,275 in 2023. Through Oct. 19, 2026: 316 antlered and 447 antlerless in Polk Central Farmland (preliminary). CWD year 2025 brought 340 Polk County samples and 2 positives. Running total since 1999: 3,006 tested. The 2025 bear count for Polk County was 149. No harvest is published for Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area itself, so the county unit is the finest level.
Registered deer in the Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area county unit
| Year | Antlered | Antlerless | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3,702 | 4,389 | 8,091 |
| 2024 | 3,564 | 4,408 | 7,972 |
| 2023 | 3,266 | 4,009 | 7,275 |
| 2022 | 3,874 | 5,155 | 9,029 |
| 2021 | 3,584 | 4,434 | 8,018 |
| 2020 | 3,759 | 5,074 | 8,833 |
CWD tests in Polk County
| CWD year | Wild deer sampled | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 32 | 0 |
| 2025 | 340 | 2 |
| 2024 | 265 | 2 |
| 2023 | 252 | 1 |
| 2022 | 174 | 0 |
| 2021 | 170 | 0 |
Bear numbers near Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area
| Year | Total | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 187 | 84 | 103 |
| 2025 | 149 | 91 | 58 |
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 Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area: more places to hunt
The big marker is Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area. Smaller ones are its 10 closest neighbours. The neighbours add 27,662 acres between them.
| Nearby | Kind | Acres | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Straight River | Wildlife area | 1,499 | 0.7 mi | north |
| Bone Lake (Remnant) | Fishery area | 58 | 2.7 mi | south |
| Tula Lake | State natural area | 160 | 4.3 mi | east |
| McKenzie Creek | Wildlife area | 5,545 | 5.6 mi | northeast |
| Pickerel Lake | Fishery area | 9 | 5.7 mi | southeast |
| Big Round Lake (Remnant) | Fishery area | 36 | 6.5 mi | southeast |
| Polk | County forest | 17,183 | 6.7 mi | east |
| Round Lake | Wildlife area | 24 | 9.6 mi | west |
| Rice Beds Creek | Wildlife area | 3,136 | 11 mi | southeast |
| Alabama Lake | Wildlife area | 12 | 11 mi | west |
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.
Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area: nearby towns and businesses
Town pages first, then shops, processors and DNR desks.
| Base town | County | Away | Residents | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luck | Polk | 3.8 mi | 1,064 | 7,158 |
| Frederic | Polk | 4.6 mi | 1,141 | 9,929 |
| Lewis | Polk | 8.0 mi | — | 20,655 |
| Balsam Lake | Polk | 10 mi | 954 | 3,736 |
County-level hunting pages: Polk County.
Shops a short drive from Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area
DNR desks closest to Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area
Service center for Polk County business: DNR Spooner 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.
Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area: nearest ranges
About 26 miles separates Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area from Owen-Anderson Rifle Range, the nearest public map range. Nearby rod and gun clubs round out the list.
rifle on file
sporting clays, shotgun on file
trap, skeet, rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
Shooting light at Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area by date
At Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area the offset is 20 minutes (Zone F). 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 | 6:15 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 92.40 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
What people ask about hunting Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area
How do I register a deer from Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area?
Through GameReg (online, phone or a station) by 5 p.m. the day after recovery.
Do I need blaze orange at Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area?
In any open firearm deer season, wear blaze orange or pink on at least half your coat and cap.
If Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area is full, where next?
Within a short drive: Straight River Wildlife Area (1 mile), Bone Lake Fishery Area (Remnant) (3 miles) and Tula Lake State Natural Area (4 miles).
Which Wisconsin license covers Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area?
Go Wild sells everything needed; antlerless tags on public land must be public-access tags.
Which agency sets the rules on Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area?
The Wisconsin DNR treats it as a DNR-owned State Natural Area.
Which property holds Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area?
The parent is Straight Lake Wilderness State Park.
Where do Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area hunters spend the night?
Start from Luck; the land is 4 miles off, in Polk County.
What acreage is listed for Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area?
Roughly 457 acres.
Which DMU takes in Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area?
Deer unit Polk; zone Central Farmland. The 2026 antlerless quota is 11,200 (Polk Central Farmland); use a public-access antlerless tag here.
What game is legal on Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area?
Any species in an open season, as long as you follow the property rules.
Which turkey zone is Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area in?
Zone 4, one bird per spring authorization.
Which bear management zone holds Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area?
Bear Zone D. Zone D took 2 preference points in 2026.
Is deer baiting legal near Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area?
No: Polk County bans deer baiting and feeding. Wild deer with CWD are documented in Polk County.
Check Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area once more
Refuges, closed areas and park windows at Tunnel Channel Woods State Natural Area can shift mid-season; the property page and the DNR map have the current picture.
Sources for this page: DNR: TunnelChannelWoods · DNR GIS · DNR: StateNaturalAreas; regulations from the Fall 2026-Spring 2027 Wisconsin hunting regulations. Checked October 19, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Fort McCoy (Public Domain Mark 1.0); USFWS Headquarters (CC BY 2.0).