Wildlife management volunteer opportunities
Becoming involved in habitat and wildlife management provides numerous opportunities for a rewarding experience that benefits you, your conservation and your community. Adopt a Fish or Wildlife Area and Wildlife Friends Groups are group-oriented partners focusing on a specific state property. Suppose you cannot form a group or are looking for work more closely related to wildlife. In that case, other opportunities exist, such as wildlife surveys, Southwest Wisconsin Deer Research, waterfowl banding and carnivore tracking.
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What Adopt a Fish or Wildlife Area is about
Wisconsin state fisheries areas, wildlife areas, flowages, wild rivers and riverways provide critical fish and wildlife habitat with outstanding nature-based recreation. The department can use your help in managing these lands, including property posting, habitat improvements, litter removal, surveys, financial donations and many other activities. Sponsors may choose from over 300 fish and wildlife areas throughout Wisconsin.
If you or your organization want to adopt a fish or wildlife area, please apply via fillable PDF [Download] and contact the assistant public lands specialist to get started. They will work with you and the property manager to create the best fit for your group or organization. By adopting a fish or wildlife area, volunteers agree to a minimum of 100 hours over at least three workdays or a financial donation of $3,000 per year. Agreements run for three years with the option to renew. The DNR will also provide necessary training and equipment if it falls within the parameters of the agreed activities. Partner efforts will be recognized through property signage and social media outreach.
Adoptable properties include:
What Friends Groups Do
Wildlife Area Friends Group and the art of conserving, enhancing and educating people about natural resources in several wildlife areas around the state. Friends Groups are nonprofit conservation organizations that volunteer their time and services and continually improve state public lands for the benefit of residents and visitors of Wisconsin.
Friends Groups are located in the state's more significant and ecologically vital wildlife areas. Each group brings something unique to their conservation efforts, but the key activities focus on the following:
- apply for grants to undertake development projects, including the expansion of recreational opportunities, fixing health or safety issues, habitat restoration and improvement of environmental education programs;
- sponsor and support volunteer services and environmental education activities, seminars, lectures and other informative programs;
- provide and distribute interpretive materials for the wildlife area, such as brochures and maps;
- actively raise funds through membership fees and coordinated events to update education programs and infrastructure to provide financial support for the wildlife area or property; and
- participate in building and maintaining trails, observation structures, and other public use infrastructure.
There are multiple Wildlife Friends Groups around the state that are always looking for more volunteers. If you wish to join a group, follow the links at the bottom of the page to find one near you. Each has membership opportunities to contribute to the organization and various activities and projects to get involved with.
List of Friends Groups
Current Adopt a Fish or Wildlife Areas/Friends Groups
Adopt a Fish or Wildlife Areas
| # | Property | Sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adell Wildlife Area | Pheasants Forever - Sheboygan/Manitowac Chapter |
| 2 | Badfish Creek Wildlife Area | Friends of Badfish Creek Watershed |
| 3 | Big Muskego Lake Wildlife Area | UW Milwaukee Conservation Club |
| 4 | Bloomfield Wildlife Area | Pheasants Forever - Walworth County Chapter |
| 5 | Bluff/Whitewater Fishery Area | Southeast Wisconsin Chapter of Trout Unlimited |
| 6 | Brillion Wildlife Area | Oxbow Sportsman's Club |
| 7 | Buena Vista Wildlife Area | UW Stevens Point Chapter of the Wildlife Society |
| 8 | Dewey Marsh Wildlife Area | UW Stevens Point Chapter Backcountry Hunter and Anglers |
| 9 | Eldorado Wildlife Area | Fond du Lac County Chapter of Pheasants Forever |
| 10 | Mead Wildlife Area | UWSP- Ducks Unlimited |
| 11 | Glacial Habitat Restoration Area (Werth) | Dodge County Pheasants Forever Chapter 0262 |
| 12 | Fox & Basel - Nicolet/Snyder | Pheasants Forever - Fox River Valley Chapter |
| 13 | Goose Lake Wildlife Area | Backcountry Hunters and Anglers |
| 14 | Tom Lawin Wildlife Area | UW Eau Claire Biology Club |
| 15 | Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area | Wisconsin Waterfowl Association |
| 16 | Koshkonong Wildlife Area | Lake Koshkonong Wetland Association |
| 17 | Lyons Wildlife Habitat Area | Kettle Moraine Land Trust |
| 18 | McMillan Marsh Wildlife Area | Boy Scouts of America Troop 385 |
| 19 | Meadow Valley Wildlife Area | Farmland Management Services - Yellow River and Meadow Valley Division |
| 20 | Mud Lake Wildlife Area | Wisconsin Waterfowl Association |
| 21 | Nagel Wildlife Area | Vernon and Becky Nagel |
| 22 | Onion River Fishery Area | Lakeshore Chapter of Trout Unlimited |
| 23 | Patrick Marsh Wildlife Area | Groundswell Conservancy |
| 24 | Paradise Valley Wildlife Area | Wisconsin Waterfowl Association |
| 25 | Paul J. Olson Wildlife Area | Farmers of Mill Creek |
| 26 | Woodboro Lakes Wildlife Area | Ruffed Grouse Society, Wisconsin River Chapter |
| 27 | REM Pine River Fishery Area - Yuba | Foremost Farms |
| 28 | Rome Pond Wildlife Area | Wisconsin Waterfowl Association |
| 29 | Tichigan Wildlife Area | Wings Over Wisconsin |
| 30 | Tichigan Wildlife Area | Southeast Wisconsin Chapter of Trout Unlimited |
| 31 | Swede Ramble/Tulip Unit, Tiffany Wildlife Area | Ruffed Grouse Society, Missi-Croix Chapter |
| 32 | Van Loon Wildlife Area | Friends of McGilvray Road |
| 33 | White River Marsh Wildlife Area | Berlin Conservation Club |
| 34 | White River Marsh Wildlife Area | Huckleberry Duck Hunters |
| 35 | Wood County Wildlife Area | Oakridge Cranberry Division of Farmland Management Services |
| 36 | Yellowstone Wildlife Area | Southwest Wisconsin Chapter of Pheasants Forever |
| 37 | White River Fishery Area | Wild Rivers Trout Unlimited |
| 38 | Clam Rivers Fishery Area | Wild Rivers Trout Unlimited |
| 39 | Wolf River Bottoms - La Sage | Shadows on the Wolf - Outagamie Chapter |
| 40 | Albany Wildlife Area | Lake Winnetka Sugar River Improvement Association |
| 41 | Wood County Wildlife Area | Wisconsin Trappers Association |
| 42 | Deansville Wildlife Area | Catfish River 4H Club |
| 43 | Mead Wildlife Area | Muddy Waters Retriever Club |
| 44 | Footville Wildlife Area | Pheasants Forever - Rock River Valley |
| 45 | Clay Corners Wildlife Area | Pheasants Forever - Kinni Chapter |
| 46 | Parker Creek Fishery Area | Pheasants Forever - Kinni Chapter |
Friends Groups
| # | Group |
|---|---|
| 1 | Friends of the Bird Sanctuary - Douglas County Wildlife Area |
| 2 | Friends of Brillion Nature Center |
| 3 | Friends of Collins Marsh Nature Center |
| 4 | Friends of Crex Meadows Wildlife Area |
| 5 | Friends of Mead-McMillan Wildlife Area |
| 6 | Friends of Horicon Marsh Education and Visitor Center |
| 7 | Friends of Namekagon Barrens Wildlife Area |
| 8 | Friends of Navarino Nature Center |
| 9 | Friends of Poynette Game Farm |
| 10 | Friends of Sandhill Wildlife Area |
| 11 | Friends of Vernon Marsh Wildlife Area |
Other Opportunities
Are you looking for volunteer opportunities to gain experience, become involved in wildlife management or something else? There are plenty of opportunities to get involved. For example, students who want to gain experience can look into volunteering with the Southwest Wisconsin CWD, Deer and Predator Study. Want to capture photos of wildlife in their natural habitats? Check out the Snapshot Wisconsin program to help monitor animals and gather data for wildlife management decisions.
Conducting wildlife surveys is an integral component of assessing and determining wildlife populations. The DNR relies on the registration of harvested animals to create population estimates. However, citizen scientists are also critical in determining the final numbers. You can get involved by collecting data that helps the DNR create population estimates — volunteer in the surveying of several different species such as deer, grouse, pheasant, turkey and waterfowl.
Use the links provided below to see what the DNR offers. This webpage does not list all volunteer opportunities; some may be too specific and pertain to a particular county or region. If you are interested in a certain species or specific state land, use the contact information provided to inquire about additional volunteer options.
Other volunteer opportunities include: