Allenton Marsh Wildlife Area
Allenton Marsh Wildlife Area is a 1,160-acre property in western Washington County. Bottomland hardwood, swamp hardwood, tamarack, and shrub wetland plant communities cover 80% of the property. Uplands are primarily tallgrass prairie interspersed with tree lines and young forest stands. Numerous small creeks including Allenton Creek, a Class 2 trout stream, flow north across the property and join to form the East Branch of the Rock River.
History
Allenton Marsh Wildlife Area is a 1,160-acre property in western Washington County. Bottomland hardwood, swamp hardwood, tamarack, and shrub wetland plant communities cover 80% of the property. Uplands are primarily tallgrass prairie interspersed with tree lines and young forest stands. Numerous small creeks including Allenton Creek, a Class 2 trout stream, flow north across the property and join to form the East Branch of the Rock River.
Habitat and Wildlife Management
Tallgrass prairie uplands are managed using prescribed fire, haying, and mowing to enhance cover and forage for white-tailed deer, wild turkey, grassland nesting ducks, and ring-necked pheasants. Pheasants are stocked in upland grasslands throughout the pheasant hunting season.
Wetland impoundments are flooded and dewatered periodically to produce migratory stopover and brood rearing habitat for waterfowl. Forested and shrub wetland plant communities are largely passively managed.
Farmed fields of corn, sorghum, soybeans, winter wheat, and other crops provide forage and cover for a variety of wildlife species. Additionally, farming is used to prepare sites for conversion to prairie or forest.
Recreation
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The Allenton Marsh Wildlife Area offers many recreational opportunities.
- Birding
- Cross country skiing (no designated trail)
- Fishing
- Hiking (no designated trail)
- Hunting (Wheelchair accessible blind available)
- Paddling
- Trapping
- Wild edibles/gathering
- Wildlife viewing
Prohibited Activities
- No target shooting
- No blocking access to gates with vehicles
- No stocking or releasing any wild or domestic animals
- No biking
- No horses
- No ATV/UTV riding or operation of other motor vehicles
- No overnight camping, parking or open burning
Hunting
- Archery and firearm hunting and trapping are allowed in the wildlife area.
- Pheasant hunting is prohibited after 12 p.m. beginning the third day of the season through November 3.
- Portable stands and artificial blinds may be used but must be completely removed from the property at the close of hunting hours each day.
- Refuges "Closed Area" boundaries are posted by yellow signs. No hunting or trapping is permitted in these areas. Walk-through is permitted on state land within a closed area provided all bows are unstrung or cased and all firearms are unloaded and cased. Do not enter private land without permission (including retrieving game).
Maps
Download a map of this property: Map A [PDF] or Map B [PDF]
If you are interested in exploring this property further, you can access an interactive map.
