DOOR COUNTY — Wintertime in Wisconsin’s state parks means hunters, hikers and other visitors are sharing the same space.
To stay safe, people should be aware of hunting rules, which differ from park to park.
In a social media post Tuesday, the Door County Land Trust urged people to be careful throughout the winter months.
“It really is best to just wear Orange from September through January. There are a variety of overlapping seasons bringing hunters to public lands,” read the post.
For maximum safety, download the map and list of rules for each park HERE. The maps show which parts of the park are open for hunting and list hunting dates.
Door County has five state parks. Here are the hunting rules in each park, compliled from this list on the Wisconsin DNR website:
Potawatomi State Park HUNTING MAP
Fall/Winter: Gun and archery hunting and trapping are allowed in the open areas of the property from Nov. 15 – Dec. 15., except that hunting with legal archery methods is allowed through the Sunday nearest Jan. 6. Trapping is not permitted in closed areas as noted on this map or within 100 yards of any designated use area, including trails.
Spring: Gun and archery hunting and limited trapping are allowed April 1 through the Tuesday nearest May 3.
Updates will be posted at the park office.
Penninsula State Park HUNTING MAP
Archery only; muzzleloader deer hunting only
Fall/Winter (Deer Hunting): Muzzleloader-only hunting is allowed during the traditional 9-day deer hunting season. Archery deer hunting (bow and crossbow) is allowed from Nov. 15 through the Sunday nearest Jan. 6. There is MUZZLELOADER ONLY DEER HUNTING at this park.
Fall/Winter (All Hunting and Trapping other than Deer Hunting): Archery only (bow and crossbow) hunting is allowed in the open areas of the property from Nov. 15 through the Sunday nearest Jan. Trapping is allowed in the open areas of the property from Nov. 15 – Dec. Trapping is not permitted in closed areas as noted on this map or within
100 yards of any designated use area, including trails.
Spring: Archery only (bow and crossbow) hunting and limited trapping are allowed April 1 through the Tuesday nearest May 3. Updates will be posted at the park office.
Whitefish Dunes State Park HUNTING MAP
Fall/Winter: Gun and archery hunting and trapping are allowed in the open areas of the property from Nov. 15 – Dec. 15., except that hunting with legal archery methods is allowed through the Sunday nearest Jan. 6. Trapping is not permitted in closed areas as noted on the map or within 100 yards of any designated use area, including trails.
Spring: Gun and archery hunting and limited trapping are allowed April 1 through the Tuesday nearest May 3.
Updates will be posted at the park office.
Newport State Park HUNTING MAP
Fall/Winter: Gun and archery hunting and trapping are allowed in the open areas of the property from Nov. 15 – Dec. 15., except that hunting with legal archery methods is allowed through the Sunday nearest Jan. 6. Trapping is not permitted in closed areas as noted on the map or within 100 yards of any designated use area, including trails.
Spring: Gun and archery hunting and limited trapping are allowed April 1 through the Tuesday nearest May 3. Updates will be posted at the park office.
Rock Island State Park HUNTING MAP
Fall/Winter: Gun and archery hunting and trapping are allowed in the open areas of the property from Nov. 15 – Dec. 15., except that hunting with legal archery methods is allowed from Oct. 15 through the Sunday nearest Jan. 6. Trapping is not permitted in closed areas as noted on this map or within 100 yards of any designated use area, including trails.
Spring: Gun and archery hunting and limited trapping are allowed April 1 through the Tuesday
nearest May 3. Updates will be posted at the park office.
Wisconsin hunting seasons
Of course hunters can only hunt in state parks during designated hunting seasons.
For example, the turkey hunting season in Door County runs from Sept. 18, 2021 – Jan. 9, 2022, so hunters can be in the parks as long as they abide by the rules listed above.
Seasons include deer, bear, migratory birds, turkey, small mammals, other game birds, furbearers and wolf.
Check to see which seasons are in effect on the 2021 DNR hunting season list HERE.
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