Hunting Program

Hunting at Door County Land Trust Preserves

Door County Land Trust preserves accommodate a wide variety of public uses including hiking, canoeing, cross country skiing, scientific research and hunting. In order to create a safe and enjoyable environment for all visitors to our preserves, we ask hunters to review and comply with our hunting program rules.

Hunters play an important role as conservation partners with the Door County Land Trust by helping regulate and maintain the populations of white-tailed deer and turkeys. The overabundance of these species negatively impacts ecosystem health on lands we protect. Hunters also provide valuable information from the field that is used in making management decisions for Land Trust preserves.

Please be aware that lands on which the Door County Land Trust holds a conservation easement are private property and the Land Trust does not have the authority to grant permission to hunt on these lands.

There are a few properties owned by the Door County Land Trust that are not open for any hunting seasons. These areas are usually small in size, located in residential neighborhoods, or too ecologically sensitive for off-trail foot traffic.

However, most of the lands owned by the Land Trust are open for hunting.  The list of Door County Land Trust Preserves at which hunting is permitted, the seasons permitted and links to printable hunting maps are located at the bottom of this page.

If you are interested in hunting on lands owned by the Door County Land Trust, please carefully review the hunting rules below.

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Tips for Hikers on Land Trust Preserves During Hunting Season

  • Wear blaze orange or bright colors.
  • Stay on trails.
  • Keep pets on leash.
  • View the list below of Land Trust properties that do NOT allow hunting.
  • Don't wear white as it resembles the rear of a white-tailed deer.
  • Make some noise! Talk loudly or whistle so hunters know you're there.

Rules for Hunting at Door County Land Trust Preserves

  • Prior to the hunt, hunters are requested to contact the Land Trust by completing the Hunter Information Form on our website.
  • Use of Door County Land Trust Preserves is a privilege extended to all legally-permitted hunters who abide by the rules and regulations of the WI-DNR and the Door County Land Trust. Failure to do so may result in loss of hunting privilege and if warranted, referral to the WI-DNR and/or Door County Sheriff for possible enforcement action.
  • Portable hunting stands and structures (including trail cameras) are permitted for day use only and must be removed each night. All stands and structures must contain ownership information (name, address and phone number). If a stand or other structure is left overnight it will be dismantled and removed by staff or preserve stewards.
  • The following activities are not allowed:
    • cutting trees or vegetation or removing brush from properties
    • baiting
    • motorized vehicles of any kind
  • Hunters must respect adjacent private property. If a hunter needs to follow a wounded animal onto
    private lands, prior permission must be obtained from the landowner.
  • Dogs actively engaged in hunting may be off leash, except that all dogs must be kept on leash from
    April 15 to July 31 to protect ground-nesting birds.
  • Hunters are asked to help “keep an eye” on things when hunting and to inform the Land Trust if there are any activities taking place on the property of which we should be aware.

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Door County Land Trust Preserves at which Hunting is Permitted

Click on a preserve name below to view or print a map showing areas open to hunting for that preserve in Adobe PDF format.

Preserve Name Map Township Fall Traditional Deer Gun Deer Gun Special Hunts Deer Bow Spring Turkey Bow Spring Turkey Gun Fall Turkey Bow Fall Turkey Gun All Other WI-DNR Game Seasons
Bay Shore Blufflands Nature Preserve Zone 1 Map Egg Harbor yes no yes yes yes yes no no
Bay Shore Blufflands Nature Preserve Zone 2 Map Egg Harbor no no no no no no no no
Big and Little Marsh State Natural Area Map Washington yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes
Carlson Natural Area Map Liberty Grove yes yes yes yes yes yes yes no
Chambers Island Nature Preserve Zone 1 Map Gibraltar yes no yes yes yes no no no
Chambers Island Nature Preserve Zone 2 Map Gibraltar yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes
Detroit Harbor Nature Preserve Zone 1 Map Washington yes no yes yes yes yes no no
Detroit Harbor Nature Preserve Zone 2 Map Washington yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes
Detroit Island Nature Preserve Map Washington yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes
Domer Neff Nature Preserve and Bird Sanctuary Map Washington yes no yes yes yes yes no no
Ephraim Nature Preserve at Anderson Pond Map Ephraim (Village of) no no yes yes no yes no no
Gibraltar-Ephraim Swamp Natural Area Zone 1 Map Ephraim (Village of) no no yes yes no yes no no
Gibraltar-Ephraim Swamp Natural Area Zone 2 Map Gibraltar (Town of) yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes
Gilson-Peterson Forest Natural Area Map Ellison Bay yes no yes yes yes yes no no
Heins Creek Nature Preserve Map Baileys Harbor yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes
Hibbard Creek Natural Area Map Egg Harbor yes no yes yes yes yes no no
Kangaroo Lake Nature Preserve Zone 1 Map Baileys Harbor yes no yes yes yes yes no no
Kangaroo Lake Nature Preserve Zone 2 Map Baileys Harbor yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes
Kellner Fen Natural Area Zone 1 Map Sturgeon Bay yes no yes yes yes yes no no
Kellner Fen Natural Area Zone 2 Map Sturgeon Bay yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes
Kellner Fen Natural Area Zone 3 Map Sturgeon Bay no no no no no no no no
Lautenbach Woods Nature Preserve Zone 1 Map Egg Harbor yes no yes yes yes yes no no
Lautenbach Woods Nature Preserve Zone 2 Map Egg Harbor yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes
Legacy Nature Preserve at Clay Banks Map Clay Banks yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes
Little Lake Nature Preserve Map Washington yes no yes yes yes yes no no
Mostek Natural Area Map Washington yes no yes yes yes yes no no
Oak Road Nature Preserve Map Egg Harbor yes no yes yes yes yes no no
Picha Woods Natural Area Map Egg Harbor yes no yes yes yes yes no no
Richter Community Forest Nature Preserve Map Washington yes no yes yes yes yes no no
Solitude Natural Area Map Baileys Harbor yes no yes yes yes yes yes no
Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Nature Preserve Map Sturgeon Bay (City of) Special rules apply. Shotgun & muzzleloader only. no Special rules apply. Shotgun & muzzleloader only. Special rules apply. Shotgun & muzzleloader only. no Special rules apply. Shotgun & muzzleloader only. no no
Three Springs Nature Preserve Map Sister Bay yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes
Walt's Woods Natural Area Map Baileys Harbor yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes
White Cliff Nature Preserve Map Egg Harbor yes no yes yes yes yes no no

The tracts listed below are open to hunting, however, please be aware that they are relatively small in size and located in remote areas.  To locate a taxparcel number on a web map, please visit the Door County Land Information Portal.

Hunting is Not Permitted at the Following Door County Land Trust Preserves

The preserves listed below are not open for any hunting seasons. These areas may be guided by a management agreement that does not permit hunting, or they may be too small in size, located in residential neighborhoods, or too ecologically sensitive for off-trail foot traffic.

Boo’s Bluff Natural Area

Erskine Woods Natural Area

Dammon-Welcker Natural Area

Gordy and Pat Nevins Shoreline Preserve Natural Area

Griffin Woods Natural Area

Haswell Natural Area

Indian Point Natural Area

Washington Harbor Scenic Overlook

Please contact us at [email protected] with any questions or for more information about hunting or trapping at Door County Land Trust preserves.

Visit the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WI-DNR) website to find out the dates of this year's hunting seasons.

To locate a tax parcel number on a web map, please visit the Door County Land Information Portal.

Join the Land Trust to Help Protect More Wildlife Habitat

If you are not already a supporter of the Land Trust, we hope you will consider Becoming a Member. Membership dues and donations provide the needed financial resources to protect lands in Door County. Your donation will increase our ability to protect, maintain and restore wildlife habitat in Door County and continue to provide public recreation and hunting opportunities.