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Little Rice Wildlife Area

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Little Rice Wildlife Area is a 1,900-acre property located about 4 miles west of Crandon in Forest County. The property consists of a 1,200-acre flowage on the Wolf River as well as adjacent wetlands and upland forest. The flowage boasts a large bed of wild rice and floating bog and tamarack islands. A wide variety of wetland wildlife inhabit the property. The large flowage is known for panfish and northern pike in addition to a large population of muskrats and beaver. Two pairs of bald eagles, an osprey pair and a small great blue heron rookery occur on the property. There are two drive-in boat landings and one walk-in canoe landing on the flowage. The landings are managed cooperatively with the town of Crandon.

Management Objectives

The federal Works Progress Administration constructed the Little Rice Dam in 1935 and transferred it to the town of Crandon for a recreation area. By 1952, the property was transferred to the state of Wisconsin for a wildlife management area.

Today, the DNR manages the dam and the 1,200 acre-flowage for a variety of public benefits including hunting, fishing, trapping and outdoor recreation.

For more information on master planning for this and other wildlife areas around the state, visit the property planning page.

Recreation

The Little Rice Wildlife Area offers many recreational opportunities:

  • Birding;
  • Canoeing;
  • Cross-country skiing (no designated trail);
  • Fishing;
  • Hiking (no designated trail);
  • Hunting;
  • Swimming;
  • Trapping;
  • Wild edibles/gathering; and
  • Wildlife viewing.

Maps

Download [PDF] a map of this property.

If you are interested in exploring this property further, you can access an interactive map.

Find out more about how to adopt this wildlife area.