Wisconsin DNR Lands Collecting Permission (NR 45)
Wisconsin
lake superior agatesquartzjasperinvertebrate fossilscalcite
Public land, rules apply · Free with permit
Wisconsin DNR Lands Collecting Permission (NR 45)
Wisconsin is stricter than most visiting rockhounds expect. Under NR 45.04, collecting on DNR-managed land is noncommercial only and requires written permission from that property's manager before a single stone goes in your pocket — then 5 pounds a day, 50 pounds a year, hand tools only. State trails and Havenwoods State Forest are closed outright, as is any site posted as a noncollection area, and state natural areas require a separate scientific collector permit. Treat this as a route to one specific approved property, not as blanket permission to hunt Wisconsin public land.
The card catalog
| What you can find | lake superior agates, quartz, jasper, invertebrate fossils, calcite |
|---|---|
| Access | Public land, rules apply — Free with permit |
| Fees | No fee, but you must hold written permission from the individual property manager before you collect anything, and you are capped at 5 pounds per day from any one property and 50 pounds per year total. |
| Season & hours | Year-round wherever the property is open, but permission is issued property by property rather than statewide. Ask several weeks out — a manager may simply decline. |
| Kids | Family-friendly — The collecting itself is family-scale hand work — by hand or with a hand-held rock hammer, which is all the code allows. The paperwork is the real barrier: without the written permission in hand, a family outing here is a citation waiting to happen. |
| Official source | Wisconsin Administrative Code NR 45.04 |
| Last checked | Checked against its source August 16, 2026 |
Hours, fees, and access rules change. Verify with the operator or land agency before you go.
More drawers in Wisconsin
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Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest
Rhinelander, WI
quartz, lake superior agates, jasper
Before you go
What does Wisconsin DNR Lands Collecting Permission (NR 45) cost?
No fee, but you must hold written permission from the individual property manager before you collect anything, and you are capped at 5 pounds per day from any one property and 50 pounds per year total. Hours, fees, and access rules change. Verify with the operator or land agency before you go.
When is Wisconsin DNR Lands Collecting Permission (NR 45) open?
Year-round wherever the property is open, but permission is issued property by property rather than statewide. Ask several weeks out — a manager may simply decline. Hours, fees, and access rules change. Verify with the operator or land agency before you go.
Is Wisconsin DNR Lands Collecting Permission (NR 45) good for kids?
Yes — Wisconsin DNR Lands Collecting Permission (NR 45) works for families. The collecting itself is family-scale hand work — by hand or with a hand-held rock hammer, which is all the code allows. The paperwork is the real barrier: without the written permission in hand, a family outing here is a citation waiting to happen.