https://ebird.org/hotspot/L1569335
Habitat: 1927 acres of Southern Hardwood Forest, Oak-Hickory Forest, Kickapoo River Bottomland Hardwoods, Cropland, Successional Oldfield, Open water.
Best Birds: In the Kickapoo River wetlands look for waterfowl, Red-shouldered Hawk, Sedge Wren, and Prothonotary Warbler. Look for Wild Turkey, woodpeckers, Tufted Titmouse, and Orchard Oriole in the forest. From the wooded parking lot at the end of Badger Lane walk the trail south and look for Wild Turkey, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Pileated Woodpecker, flycatchers, vireos, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, and Cerulean Warbler. Bird Onstine Road enroute to the end of the road where you should scan DNR leased property to the north and private land to the east and south looking for Lark Sparrow, Bobolink, and meadowlarks. By taking the 3 mile trail from the State Highway 131 parking lot you will connect with the 2 mile long Badger Lane Parking Lot Trail in about a mile and with the 2 mile long Onstin Road Parking Lot Trail in another two miles on the old narrow gauge railroad bed.
Directions: 61 miles SSE of La Crosse/2 miles northeast of Wauzeka west of State Highway 131 and east of the Kickapoo River. The State Highway 131 parking lot is one mile north of State Highway 60, 43.109522, -90.867400. All trails connect to each other. The trail from the State Highway 131 parking lot goes 3 miles into the property on a former farm road and then on a former railroad bed. The Badger Lane Parking Lot 43.115206, -90.885823, is off Onstine Road to the left as you get to the top of the hill. At the end of the road take the 2 mile trail south into the woods, along an old field, and then downhill to meet the trail from the State Highway 131 Parking Lot. The Onstine Road Parking Lot is at the end of Onstine Road 43.118875, -90.886028. Take the trail along the ridge one mile north, then west one mile down hill to the railroad bed. If you hike back to the State Highway Parking Lot you will have hiked about 7 miles. This property is rugged and wild. Trails are on old farm and hill roads or the railroad bed.
Site Address and Additional Information:
Highway 131 and Mulberry Lane, Wauzeka WI
Badger Lane Parking
Onstine Road Parking
https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/lands/wildlifeareas/kickapoowu.html
Dennis Kirschbaum
