Wood County Wildlife Area

Wood County Wildlife Area is a 21,000 acre property. Wood County Wildlife area lies in southwestern Wood County, approximately 20 miles north of Necedah, 25 miles south of Marshfield and 18 miles west of Wisconsin Rapids. Access to the area can be achieved by town roads or County Highway X which intersects with State Highway 173.

The area lies between the Meadow Valley Wildlife Area on the south and the Sandhill Wildlife Area on the north. Collectively, these three areas are referred to as the Sandhill-Meadow Valley Work Unit which represents the largest block of statemanaged wildlife lands in Wisconsin. Nearly 150 square miles of public lands are found in the Work Unit.

Property History

The wildlife area lies within the bed of old Glacial Lake Wisconsin, an area characterized by large expanses of wetlands interspered with forested uplands and islands. The original vegetation consisted primarily of sedge, grasses, tamarack and black spruce in the wetlands and white and red pine forests mixed with oak on the uplands.

During the 1800's, the land was logged and burned to create openings. Pioneer farmers followed but their activities were limited by high water tables (little natural drainage was present), short growing seasons and poor soils.

During the land boom of th early 1900's, widespread efforts were made to drain the area. The first drainage ditch in the area was constructed in 1902. In all, about 60 miles of ditches were constructed in the Remington Township.

Ditching was somewhat successful in improving drainage but this attempt to develop an agricultural economy failed. Poor soils dominated by peat and sand, killing frosts during the growing season, high taxes, and the Great Depression hastened the end of the agricultural era.

Following the farming era, much of the land became tax delinquent and reverted to county ownership. By the late 1930's, most of the land was deserted and natural vegetation reclaimed the area. Repeated wild fires maintained the fields and openings as grasslands. These areas resembled the vast treeless prairies of the western states, and prairie chickens flourished. During this period (late 1930's and early 1940's), "Wood County" became famous for superb prairie chicken hunting.

By the early 1940's, advancing forest and shrub growth displaced prairie openings and prairie chicken, but created excellent habitat for sharptailed grouse. Sharp-tails prospered until the 1960's when forest growth displaced them in favor of the more traditional wooded species, the ruffed grouse. However, remnant openings on the western portion of the rea remained to provide suitable habitat for sharp-tailed grouse which persist to the present.

In 1939, the State Conservation Department negotiated a long-term lease with Wood County. The lease transferred management responsbility to the Department for which the county received an annual lease payment. This lease dedicates the property as an area to be managed for wildlife production and public recreation. It reflects the commitment of Wood County and the State to a sound, long-term management program.

For more information on Wood County Wildlife Area contact the property manager.

Questions for Wildlife Management