Goose Lake Wildlife Area
Goose Lake Wildlife Area is a 134-acre property located in east central Burnett County on the north side of Goose Lake, a 62-acre seepage lake. The property is approximately 3.5 miles northeast of the intersection of highways A and H in Scott Township. Access can be found along Kessler Road, including a boat ramp and a small parking lot in the center of the property.
Goose Lake Wildlife Area supports quality habitat for wildlife such as deer, turkey, waterfowl, and furbearers. Enjoy the upland areas of this habitat area, where jack pine and aspen surround an 11-acre warm-season grass meadow, offering opportunities to observe grassland bird and plant species. Explore Goose Lake using the boat ramp to paddle around the three state-owned islands, or fish for panfish and northern pike. With a lake maximum depth of 6 feet and a shallow boat ramp, Goose Lake is ideal for non-motorized boat use.
Management Objectives
This property was conveyed to the DNR in 1959 by a U.S. government agency and was designated for public use. Presently, the 11-acre field is burned approximately every five years to maintain the warm-season grass and prairie forb plant community for grassland birds and other wildlife. Timber sales have taken place periodically on the uplands for wildlife habitat management and the harvest of forest products.
Management objectives are focused on protecting and enhancing fish and wildlife habitats, and providing public opportunities for fishing, hunting, and trapping. Within wetland areas on the property, management particularly benefits habitat for waterfowl nesting, brooding, and migratory stopovers, as well as enhances herptile nesting opportunities. In the early 2010s, a windstorm created standing snags immediately adjacent to the lake, which is valuable habitat for wood ducks, mergansers, and woodpeckers.
Recreation
The Goose Lake Wildlife Area offers many recreational opportunities:
- Birding
- Canoeing
- Cross-country skiing (no designated trail)
- Fishing
- Hiking (no designated trail)
- Hunting (pheasant 12 p.m. closure rule applies)
- Kayaking
- Snowshoeing
- Trapping
- Wild edibles/gathering
- Wildlife viewing
Amenities
- Bathroom - none.
- Parking lot - There is a parking lot 1.75 miles east of Highway H on Kessler Road.
- Campground and size - none.
- Trails, Types and Lengths - none.
- Other amenities - There is a one-lane non-motorized boat ramp next to the parking lot.
Maps
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