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Statewide Recreation Opportunities
Namekagon Barrens Wildlife Area
The Namekagon Barrens Wildlife Area (NBWA) is a 5,050 acre (all leased from Burnett County) property located in the northeast corner of Burnett County, consisting of a north and south unit. The north unit lies 7 miles east of Hwy 35 on the St. Croix Trail road or 11 miles west of Minong. The south unit is 2 miles to the south and west of the north unit on the Namekagon and Springbrook Trail roads. The St. Croix River flows within one mile west of the barrens and the Namekagon River lies between the north and south units - both wild and scenic designated rivers.
The NBWA is part of the Northwest Sands Area of northwest Wisconsin, containing mainly pine barrens community habitat. This community type is globally rare and includes rich and diverse prairie flora and fauna. Beaver and Clemens Creek trout streams originate from springs on the north unit and flow to the nearby St. Croix River. The surrounding lands are mainly Burnett County Forest and industrial forests owned by Mosinee Paper Company, containing mostly jack pine, scrub oak, and red pine plantation forests.
Sharptail Grouse Viewing Opportunity
Sharp-tailed grouse, a native prairie bird and currently found only in isolated areas of the state do a courtship tango each spring. Similar to greater prairie chickens, sharp-tails gather at grassy openings, called dancing grounds where the fast stepping males swing their wings and bob their heads to attract a mate. It is an awesome sight.
Dancing activity peaks from about April 15 to May 15, depending on the year. The department puts up blinds on the Namekagon Barrens Wildlife Area to aid in viewing and surveying the spring population of sharp-tailed grouse.
To find out more and reserve a spot in one of the blinds, call Department of Natural Resource's wildlife management at 715-635-4023. The wildlife staff will provide information about the dancing grounds and a map of the property. Plan to arrive at least a half hour before sunrise and to stay for three or four hours.
Management
History of Management
The land in the barrens area was settled in the early 1900s, but went tax delinquent and reverted to Burnett County in the 1930s due to the dry sandy soils, drought and the depression. The NBWA was established in the mid 1950s through a lease with Burnett County out of concern for the rapidly declining prairie grouse species in Wisconsin.
Management Objective
Today, the NBWA is divided into 30 burn units and is managed through a 5 to 8 year rotation of prescribed burning. The burning maintains this critical pine barrens habitat type for a wide variety of plant and animal species that depend on this habitat community for survival, including the Sharp-tailed Grouse. Several Sharp-tailed Grouse habitat and population research projects have been conducted on the barrens over the years. Sharp-tailed Grouse dancing ground blinds are available by reservation in the spring for public viewing of the male’s spring mating dance ritual. A scenic view parking lot can be found on the Springbrook Trail on the south unit overlooking beautiful, rolling topography of pine barrens and wetlands.
Recreation
The following recreational opportunities exist at Namekagon Barrens Wildlife Area:
- Hunting (Sharp-tailed grouse hunting by permit only in years permits are available)
- Trapping
- Hiking
- Camping (by permit on adjoining Burnett County Forest)
- Auto travel
- Berry picking
- Cross country skiing
- Sharptail Grouse Viewing
- Wildlife Viewing
- Snowmobiling Trail (on marked trails only)
- ATV Trail (on marked trails only in winter.)
- Biking
- Fishing
- Bird watching
- Photography
- Dog Trialing
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Map
Download [PDF 384KB] a map of this property.
Useful Links
For more information on Namekagon Barrens Wildlife Area contact the property manager.
Questions for Wildlife Management
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