Brillion Wildlife Area
Brillion Wildlife Area is a 4,800-acre property consisting of bottomland hardwoods, open prairies, emergent wetlands, several brood ponds, some upland hardwoods, and agricultural fields. This mosaic of habitat types provides ample opportunities for hunting, trapping, bird watching and other wildlife viewing, as well as hiking and exploring.
This property also has the Brillion Nature Center located on the northeast side of the property, which is operated and maintained by a friends group with an on-site naturalist.
Find Brillion Wildlife Area as State Highway 10 enters the city of Brillion on the north. Go approximately 1 mile south of Brillion on Highway PP, then 1 mile west on Deerview Road to the end past the waste collection facility. Brillion Wildlife Area is surrounded by the communities of Brillion, Hilbert and Potter in the townships of Brillion and Rantoul.
History
In 1947, the DNR leased portions of the site as a public hunting ground for ducks, deer and other wildlife. The area was known for its abundant wealth of ducks during the hunting season and deer during the winter. By 1962, a formal proposal was made to acquire lands within the current boundary structure. The Calumet County Board, the Natural Resources Board and others approved the project by the end of 1962. In 1963, formal acquisition began — leading up to the acquisition of the current nature center site and a total of about 5,000 acres of land within the Brillion Wildlife Area project boundary.
In 1975, an Environmental Impact Statement was prepared for the project, and a formal Master Plan was drafted for review. By early 1977, both plans were adopted by the Natural Resources Board. The goals were to develop and manage the area for waterfowl production and a broad spectrum of hunting recreation and to provide opportunities for educational and compatible non-hunting recreational activities. The original objectives were to:
- Produce 2,000 ducklings annually.
- Provide 8,600 participant days of use through hunting and other recreational use.
- Provide adequate food and cover to maintain a wintering herd of 200-300 deer.
The benefits of the project included:
- Providing upland and lowland habitat for a wide variety of non-game species.
- Providing wetland habitat for 15 to 20 muskrats per acre with an annual harvest of 3,000 to 6,000 muskrats,
- Managing upland timber stands for sound silvicultural practices.
- Providing 1,000 participant days of non-consumptive use such as wildlife observation, photography and hiking.
Management objective
Today, the Brillion Wildlife Area encompasses roughly 5,000 acres of habitat devoted to a broad spectrum of uses, meeting the intent of the Master Plan. Created are 11 wetland restorations, 21 parking lots, 1,500 acres of restored grassland prairie and a large 50-acre flowage funded in large part by local partners for waterfowl production. An important tool for habitat management, sharecropping and marsh hay harvest are also used to further enhance the property's variety of habitats. These practices allow the farmers access to additional land for producing crops, but this also helps the DNR when various fields need to have a reset or stands become monotypic or invaded by undesirable vegetation.
The property also receives approximately 800 ring-necked pheasants raised at the state game farm annually to augment the huntable population.
Recreation
The Brillion Wildlife Area offers many recreational opportunities:
- Birding
- Cross-country skiing (on Brillion Nature Center Trails but not groomed)
- Canoeing (Manitowoc River)
- Dog training and trialing site (150 acres)
- Hiking (designated trails near the nature center)
- *Hunting (noted for deer, waterfowl, mourning doves [in natural habitat and harvested winter wheat fields], pheasant and turkey)
- Model airplane field adjoining public lands (Calumet Flyers)
- Snowmobiling trail
- Trapping
- Wild edibles/gathering
- Wildlife viewing
- Other: Brillion Nature Center [exit DNR]
*Hunting note: The wildlife area includes a special closed area (40 acres) surrounding the nature center, except during gun deer season.
Amenities
- Bathroom - indoor and outdoor restrooms.
- Parking lot - there are 21 parking areas surrounding the property as well as a parking area and platform for water access near the nature center.
- Campground and size - none.
- Trails, Types and Lengths - designated trails near the nature center.
Maps
Download a map of this property.
If you are interested in exploring this property further, you can access an interactive map.
