US-4313 Muddy Creek State Wildife Area
Created Wednesday 12 February 2025
Muddy Creek Wildlife Area was officially established in 1969. At that time, nearly 1,400 acres were already protected through state ownership. Several attempts by landowners to drain the marsh were evident by the 10,000-plus linear feet of ditches that were present throughout the marsh. Beaver took full advantage of these ditches, creating numerous impoundments. Adjacent farmland was considered marginal at best. Acquisition goals have yet to be met for this property, and new acquisitions have occurred as recently as 2017.
Management objective
Initial management of this property consisted mostly of restoring drained wetlands, including the creation of a 560-acre closed area. There are currently no closed areas in the wildlife area. Another key objective was converting agricultural lands back to their presettlement vegetation types, primarily prairie and savanna. Currently, the management focus is on protecting the Muddy Creek watershed and maintaining the wildlife habitat that has been created or restored over the last 40 years.
My Hunter Log
00:43 2025-02-13 W0BTS 599 599 WI 14.038 20m CW US-4313