Nine Mile Island State Natural Area: hunting and access
Nine Mile Island State Natural Area is 1,319 acres of land managed by the Wisconsin DNR in Pepin and Dunn counties, 3 miles from Durand. Hunters registered 2,215 deer in Pepin County in 2025.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: the DNR's DNR property data, read 2026-10. Harvest: DNR Deer Metrics.
State wildlife areas, forests and other DNR landOther federal landOther county, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landVoluntary Public Access landNine Mile Island State Natural AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 1,319 acres in 8 pieces |
|---|---|
| Counties | Pepin County and Dunn County |
| Deer Management Unit | Pepin County, Dunn County |
| Public access (DNR) | Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping |
| DNR property page | Nine Mile Island |
| Nearest towns | Durand (3 mi), Arkansaw (5 mi) and Downsville (5 mi) |
What is Nine Mile Island State Natural Area like?
Nine Mile Island is located within an extensive river ecosystem that includes the Chippewa River and Nine Mile Slough and features two high-quality native plant communities - oak barrens and floodplain forest. Most of the island is an extensive floodplain forest of silver maple, river birch, green ash, swamp white oak, elms, hackberry, and yellow bud hickory. Understory species include hop hornbeam, common winterberry and herbs such as cut-leaved coneflower, fox, bur and swollen sedges. On the island's northeast corner the sandy, gravelly soils support excellent oak barrens maintained through the scouring action of floods, and other disturbances, such as fire and grazing. Canopy trees are mostly Hill's oak along with several bur and red oaks. There are also a few scattered red cedar and white pine.
Grasses are dominated by big and little blue-stem with lesser amounts of Indian grass, needle grass, June grass, prairie cord grass, and three species of drop seed. The area has been identified as having an exceptionally diverse fauna with several rare species, including three freshwater mussel species, 9 species of fish, and numerous plants and other animals that prefer unfragmented floodplain forests as habitat. Nine Mile Island is owned by the DNR and was designated a State Natural Area in 1990. Dunn and Pepin Counties. T25N-R12W, Section 6. T25N-R13W, Sections 1, 2, 3, 10, 11, 14, 15. T26N-R12W, Section 31. T26N-R13W, Sections 35, 36. 1,592 acres. The main portion of the natural area is accessible by canoe. From the intersection of State Highways 10 and 85 in Durand, go northeast on 85 for 2.5 miles, then north on M for 2.1 miles to a carry-in canoe landing. Park on the road.
In the DNR's words, from its page for the property.
What are the rules on Nine Mile Island State Natural Area?
The DNR's property map lists Nine Mile Island State Natural Area as "Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping". Hunting follows Wisconsin's statewide seasons and the rules posted on the property.
How many deer are taken around Nine Mile Island State Natural Area?
Nine Mile Island State Natural Area lies in 2 deer management units. The DNR registered 2,215 deer in Pepin County in 2025, against 2,120 in 2024.
| DMU | Nine Mile Island State Natural Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pepin County | 889 | 2,215 | 2,120 | 1,904 |
| Dunn County | 430 | 9,118 | 7,819 | 6,979 |
Harvest for the whole deer management unit, not the property alone: Wisconsin DNR Deer Metrics (registered harvest by deer management unit).
How do you get to Nine Mile Island State Natural Area?
Nearest towns: Durand (3 miles), Arkansaw (5 miles), Downsville (5 miles) and Rock Falls (9 miles). Highways within 5 miles: WI 25, WI 85 and US 10.
What other public land is near Nine Mile Island State Natural Area?
DNR properties within 10 miles:
- Dunnville Wildlife Area: 4,357 acres, next to it
- Lower Chippewa River State Natural Area: 3,486 acres, next to it
- Red Cedar State Trail: 392 acres, 1.3 miles away
- Chippewa River State Trail: 306 acres, 3.6 miles away
- Tiffany Wildlife Area: 14,019 acres, 5.8 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Nine Mile Island State Natural Area
Counting Nine Mile Island State Natural Area itself, 5,756 of the 36,318 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (15.8%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State wildlife areas, forests and other DNR land | 5,720 |
| Other federal land | 29 |
| Other county, city and regional land | 6 |
| State parks | 1 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Nine Mile Island State Natural Area?
In Pepin and Dunn counties, 3 miles from Durand. The DNR's property page has its maps and parking.
Is Nine Mile Island State Natural Area open to hunting?
Yes. The DNR's property map lists it as "Open to Hiking, Fishing, Hunting and Trapping". Posted refuges or closed areas, where there are any, are marked on site.
Which deer management unit is Nine Mile Island State Natural Area in?
Pepin County (889 acres) and Dunn County (430 acres).
How much public land is around Nine Mile Island State Natural Area?
5,756 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Nine Mile Island State Natural Area included, by PAD-US 4.1. The closest other DNR property is Dunnville Wildlife Area (next to it).
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Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Nine Mile Island State Natural Area; Wisconsin DNR managed lands open to hunting.
- Boundary and acres: the DNR's map layer above. Surrounding public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public).
- Deer harvest: Wisconsin DNR Deer Metrics (registered harvest by deer management unit).
FilledTag is not part of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Check the DNR's rules and posted signs before you go.
Wisconsin hunting Pepin County Dunn County Pepin County Dunn County