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] or the printable version 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 0590 |
| 2 | Albany Wildlife Area | Albany Conservation Club |
| 3 | Badfish Creek Wildlife Area | Friends of Badfish Creek Watershed |
| 4 | Big Muskego Lake Wildlife Area | UW Milwaukee Conservation Club |
| 5 | Bloomfield Wildlife Area | Pheasants Forever - Walworth County Chapter 0053 |
| 6 | Bluff Creek Fishery Area | Southeast WI Chapter of Trout Unlimited |
| 7 | Brillion Wildlife Area | Oxbow Sportsman's Club |
| 8 | Buena Vista Wildlife Area | UWSP TWS |
| 9 | Clam Rivers Fishery Area | Wild Rivers Trout Unlimited |
| 10 | Clay Corners Wildlife Area | Pheasants Forever - Kinni Chapter |
| 11 | Deansville Wildlife Area | Catfish River 4H Club |
| 12 | Dewey Marsh Wildlife Area | UWSP BHA |
| 13 | Eldorado Wildlife Area | Fond du Lac County Chapter of Pheasants Forever 0582 |
| 14 | Footville Wildlife Area | Pheasants Forever - Rock River Valley |
| 15 | Glacial Habitat Restoration Area (Fox & Basel - Nicolet/Snyder) | Pheasants Forever - Fox River Valley Chapter |
| 16 | Glacial Habitat Restoration Area (Werth) | Dodge County Pheasants Forever Chapter 0262 |
| 17 | Goose Lake Wildlife Area | Backcountry Hunters and Anglers |
| 18 | Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area | Wisconsin Waterfowl Association Cedar Creek |
| 19 | Koshkonong Wildlife Area | Lake Koshkonong Wetland Association |
| 20 | Lodi Marsh Wildlife Area | Ice Age Trail Alliance - Dane Co. Chapter |
| 21 | Lyons Wildlife Habitat Area | Kettle Moraine Land Trust |
| 22 | McMillan Marsh Wildlife Area | Boy Scouts of America - Troop 385 |
| 23 | Mead Wildlife Area | Muddy Waters Retriever Club |
| 24 | Mead Wildlife Area | UWSP DU |
| 25 | Mead Wildlife Area | Mead Grounds Association |
| 26 | Meadow Valley Wildlife Area | Farmland Management Services - Yellow River and Meadow Valley Division |
| 27 | Mud Lake Wildlife Area | Wisconsin Waterfowl Association Mud Lake |
| 28 | Nagel Wildlife Area | Vernon Nagel |
| 29 | Onion River Fishery Area | Lakeshore Chapter of Trout Unlimited |
| 30 | Paradise Valley Wildlife Area | Wisconsin Waterfowl Association Waukesha |
| 31 | Parker Creek FIshery Area | Pheasants Forever - Kinni Chapter |
| 32 | Paul J. Olson Wildlife Area | Farmers of Mill Creek |
| 33 | Paul J. Olson Wildlife Area | Prairie Chicken Project |
| 34 | Pine River Fishery Area - Yuba | Foremost Farms |
| 35 | Rome Pond Wildlife Area | Wisconsin Waterfowl Association Waukesha |
| 36 | Thunder lake Wildlife Area | Three Lakes Lions Scrappers Club |
| 37 | Tichigan Wildlife Area | Southeast Wisconsin Chapter of Trout Unlimited |
| 38 | Tichigan Wildlife Area | Wings Over Wisconsin |
| 39 | Tiffany Wildlife Area (Swede Ramble/Tulip Unit) | Ruffed Grouse Society, Missi-Croix Chapter |
| 40 | Tom Lawin Wildlife Area | UWEC Biology Club |
| 41 | Turtle Creek Wildlife Area | Pleasant St. Turtle Creek Project |
| 42 | Van Loon Wildlife Area | Friends of McGilvray Road |
| 43 | White River Fishery Area | Wild Rivers Trout Unlimited |
| 44 | White River Marsh Wildlife Area | Huckleberry Duck Hunters |
| 45 | Wolf River Bottoms (La Sage) | Shadows on the Wolf - Outagamie Chapter |
| 46 | Wolf River Wildlife Area (Deltox Marsh) | Wisconsin Waterfowl Association Valley |
| 47 | Wood County Wildlife Area | Wisconsin Trappers Association |
| 48 | Wood County Wildlife Area | Farmland Management Services - Oakridge Cranberry |
| 49 | Woodboro Lakes Wildlife Area | Ruffed Grouse Society, Wisconsin River Chapter |
| 50 | Yellowstone Wildlife Area | Pheasants Forever - Southwest Wisconsin 0733 |
Friends Groups
| # | Group |
|---|---|
| 1 | Friends of the Bird Sanctuary - Douglas County Wildlife Area |
| 2 | Friends of Brillion Nature Center |
| 3 | Friends of Crex |
| 4 | Friends of Horicon Marsh |
| 5 | Friends of Mead/McMillan |
| 6 | Friends of Navarino Nature Center |
| 7 | Friends of Poynette Game Farm |
| 8 | Friends of Sandhill |
| 9 | Friends of Vernon |
| 10 | Friends of Namekagon Barrens |
| 11 | Friends of Collins Marsh |
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: