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Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area hunting guide
Everything we could verify about Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area: acreage, zones, property rules, harvest around it and nearby ground.
Photo: wackybadger (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area
The short version on Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area
In La Crosse and Trempealeau counties you will find Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area, a DNR-owned State Natural Area. On the DNR map it belongs to the West Central Region. The managing body is the Wisconsin DNR. At 317 acres it sits 175th by area in a field of 449 state natural areas. It is State Natural Area No. 568, in T18N-R8W, Sections 28, 34. About 3 miles northwest of Holmen. Look up Van Loon Wildlife Area for the wider property it sits in.
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 Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area
Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area, as the managers tell it
Word for word from the property page.
Van Loon Floodplain Forest features a mature floodplain forest situated between channels of the Black River. Canopy dominants are large silver maple, swamp white oak, and green ash. Associated species include river birch, cottonwood, yellow bud hickory, American elm, basswood, and black ash. Swamp white oak is reproducing well and there is good distribution of both size and age classes for most tree species, although very large individuals are relatively infrequent. The site is dissected by several flood channels and topography is nearly level.
The shrub layer is moderately dense and composed of prickly ash, elderberry, buttonbush, common winterberry, and nannyberry. Characteristic ground layer species include cut-leaved coneflower, Virginia wild rye, Virginia waterleaf, wild ginger, wood nettle, sensitive fern, meadow rue and calico aster. Throughout the floodplain are pockets of sloughs, ponds, wet meadows and shrub swamps. Avifauna includes many rare and uncommon species. Other birds include pileated woodpecker, wood duck, green heron, eastern wood-pewee, yellow-throated vireo, blue-gray gnatcatcher, ovenbird, American redstart and indigo bunting.
Quoted from the property page, retrieved 2026-10-19; checked October 19, 2026.
Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area: what is allowed
How access works on Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area
Hunters and trappers are welcome on DNR-owned SNA acres unless posted; leave vehicles, drones and tents outside and take no plants.
Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area: rules from the regulations
From the October youth hunt through the Holiday Hunt, blaze orange or pink covers half of your upper clothing and cap. Mark a ground blind with 144 square inches of blaze orange or pink while firearm deer seasons run. Tree stands: no tree damage, ID on unattended stands, overnight only north of Hwy. 64 during Sept. 1-Jan. 31. Register deer, turkeys and bears through GameReg by 5 p.m. the day after recovery.
What Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area costs in licenses
Buy through Go Wild; the free Farmland tags and bonus tags are marked public-access or private-land, and only public-access ones work here.
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.
Tags and zones for Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area
For deer it lies in the Central Farmland zone (La Crosse and Trempealeau). This season the unit quota is 4,000 and 4,800 antlerless deer. Zone E bear permits took 1 preference point in 2026; the target is 185 bears. The 2025 spring level for Turkey Zone 1 was 64,574 authorizations; 13,813 birds were registered. La Crosse and Trempealeau counties: CWD found in wild deer, and a CWD-positive deer earns a replacement authorization. No deer bait or feed: La Crosse and Trempealeau counties are a ban county.
Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area: antlerless quota and bonus tags
| Deer unit | Zone | 2026 quota | Public bonus left | Private bonus left | Free farmland tags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Crosse | Central Farmland | 4,000 | 397 | 1,191 | 3 |
| Trempealeau | Central Farmland | 4,800 | 241 | 994 | 3 |
Every other zone Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area touches
| Zone | Detail | Figures | Points or note | Taken |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black bear E | Hounds barred | 185 target, 2,628 permits | 1 point | 128 bears in 2025 |
| Turkey zone 1 | 64,574 spring tags (2025) | 21% success | 13,813 gobblers | 1,500 fall bonus |
| Grouse A | Sep 12–Jan 3 | 5 a day | ||
| Duck zone | Southern | Oct 3–Oct 11 Oct 17–Dec 6 | ||
| Goose zone | Southern | Sep 16–Oct 11 Oct 17–Dec 6 Dec 19–Jan 2 | ||
| Gray wolf zone 6 | No season | Federally listed |
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.
Quarry and limits, Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area
Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area has no species list on record. Any season open in La Crosse County is fair game, subject to the property rules.
Below: 46 season rows for La Crosse County.
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.
Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area season calendar, 2026-27
Archery, the nine-day gun hunt, muzzleloader, bear, turkey, upland birds, rabbits, furbearers and the duck and goose splits for Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area.
| Game | Hunt | Zone | First day | Last day | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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: La Crosse | 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 | Antlerless-only Holiday Hunt | Holiday Hunt: La Crosse | 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 | 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 | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring youth turkey hunt | Turkey Zone 1 | Apr 17, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period A | Turkey Zone 1 | Apr 21, 2027 | Apr 27, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period B | Turkey Zone 1 | Apr 28, 2027 | May 4, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period C | Turkey Zone 1 | May 5, 2027 | May 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period D | Turkey Zone 1 | May 12, 2027 | May 18, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period E | Turkey Zone 1 | May 19, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring turkey Period F | Turkey Zone 1 | May 26, 2027 | Jun 1, 2027 | |
| Ruffed Grouse | Ruffed grouse | Grouse Zone A | Sep 12, 2026 | Jan 3, 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 (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 1) | Mississippi River Zone | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 11, 2026 | |
| Geese | Regular goose (split 2) | Southern Goose Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Geese | Regular goose (split 2) | Mississippi River Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Jan 5, 2027 | |
| 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.
Units connected to Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area
Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area is one of 2 units that Van Loon Wildlife Area lists.
Van Loon Wildlife Area units beside Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area
| Unit | Type | Where | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Van Loon Floodplain Savanna | State natural area | La Crosse | 1,574 |
Nearest public ground to Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area, mapped
10 more properties lie close to Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area, shown with smaller pins. Acres across them: 102,666.
| Neighbour | Type | Acres | Miles off | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great River Trail Prairies | State natural area | 33 | 2.8 mi | south |
| Upper Mississippi River Refuge La Crosse District | Refuge district | 19,975 | 3.1 mi | southwest |
| Great River | State trail | 256 | 3.6 mi | south |
| Mississippi Islands | Wildlife area | 60 | 4.3 mi | southwest |
| Trempealeau Lakes | Fishery area | 169 | 4.5 mi | west |
| Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge | Wildlife refuge | 80,794 | 5.2 mi | south |
| Trempealeau | Fishery area | — | 5.4 mi | west |
| Perrot | State park | 1,261 | 7.4 mi | west |
| Brady's Bluff Prairie | State natural area | 57 | 8.2 mi | west |
| Trempealeau Mountain | State natural area | 61 | 8.7 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) (point inside polygon (centroid falls outside))). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Registered deer and bears near Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area
The 2025 registered deer total for the La Crosse County unit was 4,515 (1,911 antlered). 2025 was the busiest year shown (4,515 deer) and 2017 the leanest (3,396). The 2026 season to date shows 207 deer in La Crosse and 559 deer in Trempealeau; the DNR calls it preliminary. 154 samples, 1 positive: that is La Crosse County in CWD year 2025. All years combined: 3 of 2,083. 1 bears came out of La Crosse County in 2025. These numbers describe the county around Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area, not the property alone.
Deer registered near Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area
| Year | Bucks registered | Antlerless registered | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,911 | 2,604 | 4,515 |
| 2024 | 1,757 | 2,282 | 4,039 |
| 2023 | 1,848 | 2,238 | 4,086 |
| 2022 | 1,812 | 2,114 | 3,926 |
| 2021 | 1,669 | 1,875 | 3,544 |
| 2020 | 1,812 | 2,033 | 3,845 |
La Crosse County CWD by year
| CWD year | Samples | Positives |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (partial) | 19 | 2 |
| 2025 | 154 | 1 |
| 2024 | 140 | 0 |
| 2023 | 159 | 0 |
| 2022 | 139 | 0 |
| 2021 | 136 | 0 |
La Crosse County bear harvest
| Year | Bear harvest | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 | 1 | 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.
Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area: nearest ranges
About 47 miles separates Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area from Viola Sportsman's Club, the nearest public map range. Closer club options sit beside it.
rifle, trap, shotgun, air gun, smallbore rimfire on file
archery, 3D archery on file
From the DNR public range map and its map layer, checked October 19, 2026.
Towns, offices and services around Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area
Towns, then services in this county and the next one over.
| Town | County | Distance | People | Public acres, 10 mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holmen | La Crosse | 3.3 mi | 11,866 | 23,671 |
| Brice Prairie | La Crosse | 3.9 mi | — | 23,918 |
| Trempealeau | Trempealeau | 5.2 mi | 1,856 | 27,422 |
| Galesville | Trempealeau | 6.6 mi | 1,663 | 17,458 |
Our county write-ups: La Crosse County, Trempealeau County.
Butchers, mounts and gun counters near Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area
Service centers near Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area
For La Crosse County, the DNR points to its 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.
When the shooting day opens and closes at Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area
The DNR tables are worked out for Zone A in the east; Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area lies in longitude Zone E, so add 16 minutes to each table time.
| Day | Reason | Northern table | Southern table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 12, 2026 | Bow, turkey, grouse opener | 6:11 a.m. to 7:43 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 7:42 p.m. |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Pheasant and duck dates | 6:55 a.m. to 6:37 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 6:40 p.m. |
| Nov 1, 2026 | Early November | 6:16 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. | 6:13 a.m. to 5:17 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer opener | 6:44 a.m. to 4:50 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 4:56 p.m. |
| Dec 1, 2026 | Muzzleloader week | 6:56 a.m. to 4:44 p.m. | 6:51 a.m. to 4:51 p.m. |
| Dec 24, 2026 | Holiday Hunt opener | 7:15 a.m. to 4:46 p.m. | 7:09 a.m. to 4:54 p.m. |
| Jan 3, 2027 | Archery close (most units) | 7:17 a.m. to 4:55 p.m. | 7:11 a.m. to 5:02 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 E offset of 16 minutes for longitude 91.32 W, checked October 19, 2026. Shooting hours for every county.
Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area in questions and answers
Is Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area good turkey ground?
Apply for Zone 1; spring periods A-F run in 2027 from April 21.
Are hounds allowed for bear at Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area?
Bear Zone E: 2,628 permits drawn for 2026.
What are the CWD and bait rules for Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area?
Deer bait is illegal in La Crosse and Trempealeau counties. La Crosse and Trempealeau counties: CWD-positive deer on record.
Is Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area in the northern or southern duck zone?
Southern duck zone and Southern goose zone. First regular duck day in the Southern Zone: Oct 3.
How fast must I register a kill on Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area?
GameReg by 5 p.m. the day after you recover the animal.
Can pink replace orange at Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area?
Yes while gun deer seasons are open; half your upper clothing and hat in orange or fluorescent pink.
What neighbours Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area?
Closest first: Great River Trail Prairies State Natural Area (3 miles), Upper Mississippi River Refuge – La Crosse District (3 miles) and Great River State Trail (4 miles).
Is a permit required for Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area?
Your Wisconsin license is enough; residents pay $24 for gun deer, $18 for small game.
Who is the land manager for Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area?
The Wisconsin DNR manages it; the land is a DNR-owned State Natural Area.
Is Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area part of a larger property?
It is a unit of Van Loon Wildlife Area.
How far is the drive from Holmen to Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area?
La Crosse and Trempealeau counties, roughly 3 miles out of Holmen.
How large is Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area, in acres?
Acreage on record: 317.
Is Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area forest or farmland deer country?
La Crosse and Trempealeau in the Central Farmland zone. The unit quota stands at 4,000 and 4,800 antlerless deer this year.
Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area, final notes
Print the Van Loon Floodplain Forest State Natural Area map, carry your tags, and check the manager page the week you go.
Sources for this page: DNR: VanLoonFloodplainForest · 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); bgautrea (CC BY-SA 2.0).