Turtle-Flambeau Scenic Waters Area
Nature and Wildlife Viewing

The Turtle-Flambeau Scenic Waters Area offers an abundance of opportunities for those wishing to observe wildlife either on the water or in the backcountry.

Nature Watch Tips

Tools of the Trade

Binoculars and cameras with long lenses safely bring you close to wildlife without disturbing them.

Field guides and hand lenses open up new vistas in knowledge and ways of seeing.

Time, Place, & Season

Watch at sunrise and sunset and check edges of habitats for the best views of wildlife.

Spring and summer bring the wonder of new life. Lend wildlife a helping hand by avoiding nests and animals with young.

Move Gently Through Wild Homes

Observe wildlife behaving naturally. Feeding human food to wild animals can harm them and endanger you.

Celebrate a wildflower on the stem, not in the hand. Stay on trails, walk with a careful step and flowers will flourish.

Savor watching fish in their natural habitat; move quietly, slowly and avoid repeated visits.

Wildlife

The Turtle-Flambeau Scenic Waters Area encompasses nearly 37,000 acres and a wide variety of wildlife habitats. There are large expanses of open water, hundreds of scattered islands and many quiet bays in the Turtle-Flambeau Flowage; surrounding woodlands vary from steeply rolling hills to level terrain; there are grassy openings, small wild lakes and ponds, and expansive wetlands. The woodlands consist primarily of aspen, northern hardwoods and white birch with scattered old growth hemlock and pine.

The Flowage, known for its high density of bald eagles, osprey, and common loons is also home to black terns, merlins, trumpeter swans, and over 150 other bird species. In addition, a variety of reptiles, amphibians and mammals, including deer, bear, bobcat, and timber wolves are found here. There have even been occasional sightings of moose.

Many opportunities exist to observe and enjoy wildlife in a remote and wild setting. Approach wildlife slowly and quietly and be particularly careful not to disturb nesting birds or animals with small young.

• Birds of the Turtle-Flambeau Scenic Waters Area [PDF 355KB]
• Wildlife Management

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Hiking / Nature Trails

The Turtle-Flambeau Scenic Waters Area offers five trails designated for hiking; there are also many miles of old logging roads if you care to explore the back country.

The Hidden Rivers Nature Trail is a 2 mile interpretive trail located off Fisherman's Landing Road. Big Island Trail [PDF 132KB], Wilson Hills Trail [PDF 133KB] and Deadhorse Trail [PDF 136KB] are hunter walking trails that are great for hiking any time of year. Little Turtle Trail [PDF 167KB] is also a hunter walking trail and is a favorite of bird watchers - this trail is closed to hiking between December 15 and April 15 if the ground is snow covered because it is part of the MECCA Cross Country Ski Trail system.

Property owners wanting to manage their property specifically for grouse should check out the seven new interpretive signs on the Deadhorse trail. Located in a special management unit dedicated to intensive management for ruffed grouse, the signs describe specific management practices and their benefits to grouse. All of the management practices can be applied by private landowners with as little as ten acres.   Deadhorse Trail Map [PDF 136KB]

Much like beauty, wilderness is in the eye of the beholder. Many people come to the Turtle-Flambeau Flowage seeking a sense of wilderness. What visitors often do not see is that humans have played a vital role in shaping the natural systems of the Flowage.

Enjoy a leisurely walk on the Hidden Rivers Trail, take in the natural beauty of the area, and learn how humans have transformed the Turtle and Flambeau Rivers into the environment you experience today.   Hidden Rivers Trail Map [PDF 39KB]

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Auto Tour

The Turtle-Flambeau Scenic Waters Area Auto Tour is a self guiding tour illustrating the interactions of humans with our native flora and fauna. This tour will give you a glimpse of the spectacular resources of the area. Management programs that will insure the future of these resources are explained. The tour is 24 miles long and has fifteen stops.

Turtle-Flambeau Scenic Waters Area Auto Tour booklets [PDF 3.4MB] are available at the Mercer Ranger Station and can also be found in the literature box on the kiosk at the Little Turtle Waterfowl Management Area parking lot – this site is the first stop on the tour.

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Hunting

The diverse topography, vegetative cover and water resources of the Turtle-Flambeau Scenic Waters Area offer a wide variety of hunting and trapping opportunities. Deer, bear, ruffed grouse, woodcock, turkey, snowshoe hare, raccoon, coyote, bobcat, red fox, mink, beaver, otter, fisher, muskrat, and a variety of waterfowl call the area home.

The property includes two special wildlife management units.

The Deadhorse Ruffed Grouse Management Demonstration Area is intensively managed in cooperation with the Ruffed Grouse Society to enhance habitat for ruffed grouse. The emphasis is to provide a variety of habitat types of various age classes. Managing for ruffed grouse entails maintaining a relatively young, highly productive forest as well as encouraging mast (acorns) and berry crops.

The Little Turtle Waterfowl Management Area encompasses the Little Turtle Flowage where maintaining breeding and nesting habitat for waterfowl is emphasized. The open grasslands and wetlands help protect nesting waterfowl from predators.

There are twenty-four miles of designated hunter walking trails at four locations. Trails are mowed approximately once every two years to maintain the grass and clover for wildlife and to provide hunter access.

This trail begins at the bridge to Big Island. From County Highway FF go south on Popko Circle West approximately 3.6 miles and turn right on a woods road heading west towards Big Island. There is a grass parking area for 2 - 3 vehicles about 100 yards before the bridge. There are 8.8 miles of trail on the Island. Big Island Trail Map [PDF 132KB]

The Deadhorse Trail is located in a special management unit dedicated to intensive management for ruffed grouse. Interpretive signs explaining ruffed grouse management techniques are located at various points on this 4.6-mile trail. Access is off Popko Circle West, approximately 2.0 miles south of County Highway FF. Deadhorse Trail Map [PDF 136KB]

There are 5.2 miles of mowed trail in the Little Turtle Waterfowl Management Area. To access the trail take Popko Circle East south from County Highway FF approximately 1.1 miles to Joe's Shack Road. At the end of Joe's Shack Road turn right to the trail head parking area on the north edge of the Little Turtle Flowage. NOTE: Between the dates of December 15 and April 15 this hunter walking trail is designated part of the MECCA Cross Country Ski Trail. You may not walk or hike on the groomed portion of this trail any time the ground is snow covered between these dates. Little Turtle Trail Map [PDF 167KB]

There are 5.5 miles of maintained trail in two segments between Wilson Lake and the Bonies Mound area of the Turtle-Flambeau Flowage. To access the trails from County Highway FF go south on Popko Circle East approximately 3.6 miles to Wilson Lake Road East. Take Wilson Lake Road East 1.1 miles to a woods road heading east. There are several access points along this woods road. Wilson Hills Trail Map [PDF 133KB]

Hunting Regulations/Rules

All general hunting and trapping regulations apply within the Turtle-Flambeau Scenic Waters Area, but you should take special note of the following regulations before hunting or trapping on this or other state properties.

It is illegal to:

• Hunt or possess a loaded or uncased firearm or bow within 100 yards of any campsite.
• Build or use any elevated devise or ground blind unless it does not damage any trees and it is completely removed from the property each day at the close of hunting hours.
• Hunt from any ground blind unless at least 144 square inches of solid blaze orange is displayed on all sides.
• Leave any ground blind or elevated devise unattended unless it is identified with your DNR customer I.D. number or your name and address. It is important to note that it is still not legal to leave tree stands or ground blinds (except for waterfowl blinds) over night on DNR lands.
• Damage any trees or shrubbery. NOTE: The cutting of shooting lanes and the use of screw-in tree stands or steps are considered damaging and are illegal.
• Operate any ATV's or snowmobiles on state lands except on designated trails posted open to their use. NOTE: There are no designated ATV trails on the Turtle-Flambeau Scenic Waters Area.

The Turtle-Flambeau Scenic Waters Area is located in Deer Management Unit 29A, Bear Zone A, Fisher Zone B, Turkey Zone 7 and the Northern Zones for Otter and Waterfowl.

Other Considerations

Many areas of private land lie scattered within the Turtle-Flambeau Scenic Waters Area. Care should be taken to stay on state-owned land and not trespass on adjacent lands without the permission of the landowner. Maps showing the location of public and private land within the Turtle-Flambeau Scenic Waters Area are available at the Mercer Ranger Station and also in map boxes located at a number of boat access sites and trail heads throughout the property.

Most trail access points are gated. Please do not park in front of gates. Access to these gated trails is needed for emergency rescue activities, fire suppression, and forest management operations.

Because the Turtle-Flambeau Scenic Waters Area is used by many other recreationists, hunters should be especially aware of gun safety and his/her conduct while hunting. Hunting near any trail while it is being used by hikers, bikers, and skiers is discouraged. The most heavily used trails are the MECCA Ski Trail and the Hidden Rivers Nature Trail.

• Hunting in Wisconsin
• Wisconsin Hunting and Trapping Regulations
• Hunting Opportunities in the Turtle-Flambeau Scenic Waters Area [PDF 672KB] - includes maps of four designated hunter walking trails
  (DNR PUB-LF-044 2006)

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