Avon Bottoms Wildlife Area

Avon Bottoms Wildlife Area is a 2734 acre property located in Rock County. The property follows the Sugar River bottoms through the Rock County Town of Avon, from County Highway T on the Rock/Green County line to the Illinois border. Take State Highway 81 west from Beloit for 10 miles, then west on Beloit-Newark Road 3 miles. From north, go south on County T, 6 miles from State Highway 11 at Brodhead, turning east on Beloit-Newark Road.

Numerous sloughs and old oxbows wind among bottomland hardwoods, grassland and agricultural cropland.

Avon Bottoms Wildlife Area was begun in 1960 as a Federal Aid in Fish and Wildlife Restoration project to provide public hunting and produce ducks and pheasants.

Avon Bottoms Wildlife Area is gaining new respect for its wild nature in close proximity to Wisconsin and Illinois population centers. Surrounding the many sloughs and oxbows of the lower Sugar River, the property includes two State Natural Areas set aside for their rare intact plant communities, and was recognized in 2006 by the Wisconsin Land Legacy Report as part of Legacy aquatic and floodplain communities. Just recently, Avon Bottoms was declared a Wisconsin Important Bird Area, known for breeding Cerulean and Yellow-throated warbler, Acadian Flycatcher, and Yellow-crowned night-heron. The floodplain forest and grassy sloughs are heavily used by migrating birds of all description.

Recreation Opportunities

The following recreational opportunities exist at Avon Bottoms Wildlife Area:

Hunting - waterfowl, deer, stocked pheasant Trapping - raccoon, mink, otter Hiking - limited trails Biking - limited roads Pets (Note)

Fishing - Sugar River for catfish, northern, walleye Wildlife Viewing - waterfowl, shorebirds and waders Bird watching - Designated Wisconsin Important Bird Area Canoeing - Sugar River, put-in Avon to take-out Sugar River Forest Preserve, Winnebago County, Illinois.

Additional Information

Download [PDF 319KB] a map of this property.

Useful Links:

• Avon Bottoms State Natural Area (found within the property boundary)
• Swenson Wet Prairie (found within the property boundary)
• Hunting in Wisconsin
• Hunting and Trapping Regulations
• Season Dates
• Rock County Information [Exit DNR]
• Plan your trip to Rock County [Exit DNR]

For more information on Avon Bottoms Wildlife Area contact the property manager.

Questions for Wildlife Management