Lands_Content Page_Little Rice Wildlife Area

Little Rice Wildlife Area

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Little Rice Wildlife Area is a 2,660-acre property located in Forest County near the city of Crandon. The property contains a 1,200-acre flowage created by a DNR-managed dam on the Wolf River. There are approximately 1,050 forested acres consisting of black spruce, swamp hardwood, northern hardwoods and aspen. The remainder of the property consists of wetland shrubs, bog and emergent wetlands. The flowage provides recreational opportunities for hunting, trapping, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, wild rice harvesting and more. The flowage boasts a 330-acre bed of wild rice on the north end that attracts migrating waterfowl and a host of wetland wildlife. This provides an excellent wild rice harvesting opportunity and is one of the largest publicly owned wild rice beds in the state. The flowage also supports a good fishery of panfish, bass and northern pike.

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, wild rice harvesting and outdoor recreation.

The DNR owns flowage easement rights on surrounding private lands that allow for the impoundment of water up to a specific elevation. The remainder of the flowage bed is publicly owned. There are two boat launches and a carry-in canoe/kayak access on the property. Three parking areas and the boat launches are managed in cooperation with the town of Crandon. The Little Rice Lake Association operates an aerator on the flowage to aid in overwinter fish survival.

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

Little Rice Wildlife Area dam

Recreation

The Little Rice Wildlife Area offers many recreational opportunities:

  • Birding
  • Boating (motorized and non-motorized)
  • Canoeing
  • Fishing
  • Hiking (no designated trail)
  • Hunting (noted for waterfowl and upland game)
  • Kayaking
  • Swimming
  • Trapping
  • Wild edibles/gathering
  • Wild rice harvesting
  • Wildlife viewing

Amenities

  • Bathroom – None.
  • Parking lot – Yes, there are three parking lots on the property.
  • Campground and size – None.
  • Trails, Types and Lengths – None.
  • Other amenities – There are two docks and a canoe/kayak launch.

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.