The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) acquired 1,830 acres adjacent to Princes Point Wildlife Area in Jefferson County. The addition nearly doubles the size of the state property, located about 3 miles northeast of Whitewater, which is sponsored by the UW-Whitewater Ducks Unlimited Chapter.
The property, currently managed as a muck farm, will be closed to the public to allow for the completion of several wetland restoration projects. The DNR will also add infrastructure, signage and parking lots for the public to safely access the property upon completing these projects, expected as early as 2025. Once open to the public, this new wildlife area will provide excellent waterfowl hunting, paddling and bird-watching opportunities.
The planned wetland restoration will restore hydrology on the property and feature four impoundments, allowing habitat managers to manipulate water levels in each impoundment separately. These restoration projects will be completed in partnership with Ducks Unlimited (DU) through a contract with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
“The conservation of wetlands that Ducks Unlimited does is super important- now more than ever,” said UW-W chapter member Casey Milbauer. “As more towns and cities expand, the natural habitat that ducks need to survive is diminishing. And the conservation of this habitat is not just good for ducks, but other native species that use them too.”
Waterfowl conservation is facing important challenges as wetlands and other habitats are being degraded and destroyed across the continent. Ducks Unlimited has a vision to reverse this trend. It conserves, restores and manages wetlands and associated habitats for North America’s waterfowl. These habitats also benefit other wildlife and people.
The UW-W Ducks Unlimited chapter is run by President Nathan Stanislawski, a sophomore at the university.
“I wasn’t a hunter coming in my freshman year here, but I wanted to join Ducks Unlimited because the conservation aspect is pretty cool, and they do a whole lot with other organizations,” said Stansilawski. “I feel like it was a good way to meet fellow outdoorsmen and learn how to hunt. I went into it thinking it was a hunting club, but I knew they did a little bit of conservation projects and raising money.”
Ducks Unlimited holds numerous events each year. The most popular is the annual banquet where attendees can buy raffles, participate in contests and bid in a silent auction. Winnings include hunting gear, decoy packages, firearms and other outdoor items, which are all donated by the national chapter of Ducks Unlimited. Other events include hosting a bingo night, along with going to duck habitat boxes in Princes Point Wildlife Refuge here in Whitewater.
Ducks Unlimited was founded in 1937 by a group of hunters during the Dust Bowl after the duck population dropped drastically due to unprecedented laws. members raise money to help the duck population rise again. For more information visit www.ducks.org.
