Location

Located in the southwest corner of Burnett County, 2-1/2 miles south of Grantsburg.
Enter from the east via State Highway "48" or County Highway "O".
Town roads furnish access from the north and west boundaries.

Ten thousand years ago, the area now occupied by the Fish Lake Wildlife Area was covered by a huge glacial lake known as Glacial Lake Grantsburg. The lake drained away several thousand years ago, but the deepest portions of the lake remained. These undrained areas have since evolved into the extensive sedge marshes which now occupy a large portion of the wildlife area.

The upland areas of Fish Lake were historically covered by a jack pine savannah or brush-prairie. The vegetation consisted of large jack and red pine widely scattered throughout an open expense of oak sprouts, prairie grasses and forbs, hazel and sweet fern. The vegetation was maintained by wildfires which frequently swept through the area.

Prior to settlement, the Fox, Dakota, and Chippewa Indians frequented the area. The Indians were probably attracted by the abundance of waterfowl, sandhill cranes, deer; and other wildlife species. They also harvested cranberries, blueberries, and wild rice. Many wildfires were attributed to the Indians who used fire for hunting, to make travel easier, and to improve beny crops.

White settlement began in the mid-1800's The settlers farmed the uplands and began draining the marshes. Large scale commercial drainage for farming and cranberry production occurred in the late 1800's. Although these efforts were commercially unsuccessful, they upset the entire ecological balance of the area.

In 1912, the area was purchased by the Crex Carpet Company. For nearly 20 years this company harvested "wire grass" ( Carexstricta) from the marshes and shipped it to their factory in St. Paul to manufacture grass carpets and other grass products. The remains of a large company camp are still evident in the center of the wildlife area.

By 1930, competition from other markets and ecological changes in the marsh forced the Carpet Company into bankruptcy. During the 1930's the Depression and drought of the 1930's most agricultural attempts also failed. By 1940, much of the land was tax delinquent.

The Fish Lake Wildlife Area began in 1945 when the State Conservation Department (now Department of Natural Resources) began buying these tax delinquent lands. At that time, most of the wetlands were drained and much of the uplands had changed from a brush-prairie to an oak-jack pine forest. Many of the original wildlife inhabitants of the area were greatly reduced in number or had completely disappeared. The primary management objective for the wildlife area was to restore the brush-prairie and wetlands to their original conditions, thereby providing quality habitat for native wildlife species.

The wildlife area totals 14,124 acres, over 13,000 of which are state owned. This includes eight flowages and one 2,500-acre natural lake.

Plenty of land and water make Fish Lake an ideal place to hunt. Except for a l,200-acre refuge, all of the state-owned land is open to hunting and trapping. Deer hunting is allowed in the refuge during the gun deer season.

In recent years, a picnic area and several new parking and observation areas were developed to enhance recreational opportunties, The wildlife area is also used for wildlife observation, nature study, picnicking, berry picking, wood gathering and other activities.

Management activities on the wildlife area are designed to increase populations of waterfowl, sharp-tailed grouse, forest wildlife species such as deer, ruffed grouse, and bear, and other native wildlife, including several endangered and threatened species. The brush-prairie characteristic of presettlement days is being restored by clearing and prescribed burning. Wetland restoration involves construction of flowages, water transfer ditches, run-off ponds and potholes. Fifteen hundred acres of forest will be retained and managed for forest wildhfe habitat and timber production.

The restoration efforts on Fish Lake are still in the early stages. Future management plans include restoring 2000 acres of brush-prairie, constructing additional flowages, potholes and transfer ditches, improving forest habitat, and constructing additional public use facilities.

Fish Lake will continue to be a unique wildlife area because of the great diversity of habitat types. A spectacular response in prairie, wetland, and forest wildlife species is expected. Recreational opportunities for hunting, trapping, and wildlife observation will increase accordingly, and future generations will share in the rewards of proper stewardship of our wildlife resources.

Fish Lake Wildlife Area is one of over 200 wildlife areas managed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Fish Lake, Amsterdam Sloughs, Crex Meadows and Danbury Wildlife Areas comprise the Glacial Lake Grantsburg Wildlife Management Work Unit. All four are located in Western Burnett County.