Black River State Forest

Dike 17 Wildlife Management Area

Dike 17 Wildlife Area consists of over 3,700 acres of open land, with approximately 2,100 acres classified as a wildlife refuge closed to public access except during the gun deer season. This area was originally created to provide waterfowl resting and loafing areas through creation and maintenance of thirteen flowages and to provide an open landscape within the state forest for sharp-tailed grouse habitat. The flowages are still maintained and annual drawdowns occur to promote vegetative growth for feeding waterfowl. Recently, wild rice was planted in some of the flowages in the hopes of providing a natural recurring food source for waterfowl, as well as in the future provide additional recreational opportunities in the form of rice harvest to the public.

Numerous wildlife species can be found within the property. Wolves have been sighted walking the sandy dikes, and deer are plentiful within the property. Visit the observation tower and you might be lucky enough to see a whooping crane, sandhill cranes, geese, ducks, bobolinks, warblers, harriers, bald eagles and a variety of other birds. Even the whip-poor-will can be heard in the evening among the frogs and toads singing.

Fishing is allowed on the flowages outside of the refuge boundary. Sucker, bullheads, northern pike, largemouth bass, yellow perch and black crappies are the most common species.

The entire property is open during the gun deer season.

Dike 17 Wildlife Management Area Map [PDF, 317KB]