Upload
others
View
2
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
FAW_504_18
RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
NEARBY ATTRACTIONSVisitors to the region may enjoy visiting Whitewater State Park, an angler’s paradise with brown, brook, and rainbow trout swimming in its streams, a sandy swimming beach, year-round interpretive programs and visitor center, hiking trails, and camping. Camping is also available at Carley State Park and Trout Valley State Forest Campground near Weaver. (Camping is not allowed at WMAs.) Crystal Springs Fish Hatchery lies 2 miles east of Elba. The 110-foot Elba Fire Tower, constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1936, offers spectacular views of the surrounding countryside. The Marnach House, southeast Minnesota’s oldest surviving example of traditional European construction, was built 1857-1860 and restored through an international collaboration with Luxembourg in the early 1990s. Occasional public events provide guided tours of the interior.
Whitewater is Minnesota’s eighth largest Wildlife Management Area (WMA). Its location within a couple hours of the Twin Cities, roughly midway between Rochester and Winona, makes it one of the more popular.
Minnesota has more than 1,400 WMAs that protect about 1.29 million acres of habitat all across the state, providing recreational opportunities for hunters, trappers and wildlife watchers.
You can find more information about Whitewater and other WMAs, including detailed maps, on the DNR’s website:www.mndnr.gov/wmas
These activities are permitted on the Whitewater and McCarthy Lake WMAs: · Hunting and fishing in accordance with
state regulations · Hiking, cross-country skiing, and
snowshoeing, both on and off designated trails
· Picking fruit and mushrooms for personal use
These activities are allowed only with a permit available from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) area wildlife manager: · Trapping · Cutting commercial timber · Cutting fuel wood for home use · Hunting raccoon with dogs
WILDLIFEWhitewater is home to a variety of wildlife. Commonly hunted species found there include white-tailed deer, turkeys, ruffed grouse, and squirrels. Waterfowl, shorebirds, wading birds, and aquatic furbearers benefit from the 15 water impoundments that are drawn down every few years to mimic natural drought cycles and to encourage aquatic plant regeneration that attracts invertebrates. Wildlife watchers can spot sandhill cranes, ducks, geese, swans, black terns, hawks, eagles, owls, and many other birds, both residents and those passing through during spring and fall migrations.
State Game Refuge RestrictionsWhitewater WMA includes a 2,300 acre State Game Refuge. The refuge is closed to deer hunting and waterfowl hunting. It is open, however, to small game and turkey hunting (spring and fall) as well as wildlife watching, hiking, and foraging. It is also open to trapping with a permit issued by the area manager. The refuge area is open for the youth deer season in October and a special hunt during the 3B firearm deer season. Individuals interested in the special hunt should check application deadlines and rules in the Hunting and Trapping Regulations Handbook each year.
These activities are prohibited in a WMA: · Camping · Riding horses · Target shooting · Operating snowmobiles or
all-terrain vehicles · Collecting plants or animals for
commercial purposes · Leaving equipment overnight, including
boats, decoys, deer stands, hunting blinds, and trail cameras
· Consuming alcoholic beverages
MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIESOverall management at Whitewater emphasizes maintaining a diverse mosaic of native plant communities. Typical management may include a variety of activities: • Efforts to control invasive species. • Prescribed fire to regenerate native
plants and maintain prairie, savanna, and oak woodland communities.
• Timber harvests aimed at providing different forest age-classes to benefit white-tailed deer, ruffed grouse and wild turkeys.
• Cooperative farming agreements where food plots are consistent with management goals.
• Maintaining or enhancing user access via improvements to parking lots and hunter trails.
• Water level manipulation in wetlands to maintain and improve habitat for shorebirds, waterfowl, amphibians, insects, and furbearers.
www.mndnr.gov/wmas
WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA RULES
Located just a couple miles north of the Whitewater WMA, 4 miles southeast of Kellogg on US Hwy. 61, McCarthy Lake WMA’s 3,129 acres include mixed upland and lowland hardwoods with oak, maple, ash, birch, cottonwood, and willow. Upland fields consist of native warm and cool season grasses. The former channel of the Zumbro River dissects the unit and creates numerous wetlands. Recreation is dominated by waterfowl hunting, deer hunting, trapping, fishing, and general wildlife watching.
L. Erie
LakeHuron
Lake Michigan
Lake Superior
OhioIndiana
Michigan
Illinois
South Dakota
Minnesota
OntarioManitoba
Wisconsin
Iowa
North Dakota
Last GlacialMaximum
Unglaciated
WHITEWATERAND McCARTHY LAKE WMAs
WHITEWATERAND McCARTHY LAKE WMAs
www.mndnr.gov/wmas
SHARE THE
PASSION#huntmn #fishmn
WMAs
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Located inOlmsted, Winona
and Wabasha Counties
CALL USNew longer hours
License, titling and registration: M-F 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.General information: M-F 8 a.m.-8 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
888-MINNDNR or 651-296-6157
mnwildlife mn_wildlife
Turn in Poachers24-hour hotline, 800-652-9093
500 Lafayette RoadSt. Paul, MN 55155-4040
888-MINNDNR or 651-296-6157www.mndnr.gov
The Minnesota DNR prohibits discrimination in its programs and services based on race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, public assistance status, age, sexual orientation or disability. Persons with disabilities may request reasonable modifications to access or participate in DNR programs and services by contacting the DNR ADA Title II Coordinator at [email protected] or 651-296-6157. Discrimination inquiries should be sent to Minnesota DNR, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55155-4049; or Office of Civil Rights, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1849 C. Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20240.
©2018, State of Minnesota, Department of Natural Resources.
Publication printed using vegetable-based ink and paper containing 30% post-consumer waste.
Minnesota DNR Whitewater WMA Office15035 Hwy 74Altura, MN 55910507-796-3281
Minnesota DNR Region 3 Headquarters1200 Warner RoadSt. Paul, MN 55106651-259-5756
The story of Whitewater WMA began with events that happened thousands of years ago to shape the area’s geology. While most of Minnesota was once covered with glaciers that left behind deposits of rocks, sand and soil known as “drift,” southeast Minnesota was untouched by the most recent glaciation. Referred to as the “Driftless Area,” this part of the state has numerous streams fed by cold, clean groundwater that have carved out valleys in the limestone bedrock. The unit is named for one such stream, the Whitewater River, a designated trout stream that bisects the WMA.
Acquisition of land for the wildlife area began in 1931 when the Rochester Chapter of the Izaak Walton League advocated for preservation of a portion of the Whitewater Valley. Since then the unit has grown to 27,400 acres, a mosaic of plant communities and habitat types, including some that are rare. Mixed hardwoods of oak, hickory, maple, basswood, and walnut cover the steep hillsides. Bluff prairies dot south-facing slopes while trout streams dissect the valley floor. Seventeen wetlands (both naturally occurring and man-made) dapple the valley.
Dan Oehmigen
Bohlincreative | Dreamstime.com
Minnesota Wildlife Management Areas
Please do not park in front of gates, respect “No Motorized Vehicle” signs, and pack out what you packed in.
Whitewater’s location within an easy drive of major population centers make it a popular destination. Recreation in the WMA is dominated by hunting and fishing. Approximately 48 percent of the use is deer hunting. Hunters also pursue ruffed grouse, waterfowl, wild turkey, and squirrel, while trappers seek furbearing mammals. The streams of the Whitewater Valley are popular with trout anglers. Birders, sightseers and hikers enjoy the area’s beauty, particularly when the leaves turn in the fall. The area is also open to cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Springtime brings many shed hunters looking for lost deer antlers.
W I L D L I F E M A N A G E M E N T A R E A S
!i
!i
!i
!i
!i
!i
!i
!i!i
![
!i
!i
!i
!i
!i
!i
!i
!i
!i
!i
!i
!i
!i
!i
!i
!i
!©
!i
!i
!i
!i
!i
!i
!i
!i
!i
!i
!i
!|
!i
!i
!i
!i
!i
!i
!i
!i
!i
!i
!i
!i
!i
!i
!i
!i
!i
!@
!i
!i
!i
!i
!i
!|
!i
!9
!A!A
456726
456729
456741
0161
Melcher Dr
Brosig Dr
Fischer Hill Dr
Governor R
d
Schmidt Rd
Whitew
ater Rd
Crystal Ridge Rd
Sylvan Heights R
d
Century Dr
Border Line Dr Bethany Dr
McCarthy Ravine Rd
Trout Dr
T-3
564th St
598th St
594th St
605th St
618th St
608th St
456714
456731
456731
456730
456726
456737
456726
456739
45672456739
456733
")114
456737
")115
")108
456724
456784
456714
153rd Ave
Weaver Dunes SNA
STATE FOREST RD 2
STATE FOREST RD 3
Dou
ble
M R
d
Fire Tower
Lamberton M
ill Rd
Tierney Dr
34th St NE
Old Glory Rd
Calico Hill Rd
Fairwater Dr
215th Ave
Beaver Creek Dr
570th St
225th Ave
N 225th Ave
505th St 215th Ave
75th St NE175th Ave N
E
72nd St NE
190th Ave NE
183rd Ave NE
163rd Ave NE
Whitewater State Park
Carley State Park
456731
456725
45674
456710
456710
45679 456722
!=
Marnach House
!9
WabashaOlmsted
Fischer Hill Dr
4567112
456728
Logan Creek
North Branch Whitewater River
Middle Branch Whitewater River
South Branch Whitewater River
Tributary 10
Beaver CreekW
hite
wate
r Rive
r
East Indian Creek
ï Young's Cemetery
ïBeaver
Cemetery
ïWhitewater Falls Cemetery
Randall Pool
Holt Spring
!kCrystal SpringsFish Hatchery
Kieffer Valley
Melcher Ridge
Fabel Ravine
Kramer Ravine
Sweet Ravine
Demonstration Farm
Whiskey Hill
")112
")116
Altura
Elba
Beaver
Weaver
PlainviewMM8
456730
Siebenaler Ridge
KronebuschHill
Decker Lots
Billy Goat Haven
Governor Ridge
Stef
fen
Ri
dge
Glendale Hollow
Jacob's Hill
Kre id
e rmacher Road
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources/WildlifeDate: 12-15-2017
Gold
Mine
Valle
y
Summit Dr
Willow Roa
d
Whi
tew
ater
Dr
Cuthrell Valley
Historic Valley
Lupine Valley
Tu r key Valle y
Snake Creek
Oak Ridge
W ol li n e'sHill
Trout Run Creek
ToSt Charles
Richard Dorer Pools
Kanz Pool
Dondlinger Pool
Trout Valley Creek
Mark's Homestead
Wabasha CountyWinona County
Zimmerman
Reilly's
Whitewater WMA State
Game Refuge
Appleby Pool
Dorman Pools
HOOSIER
RIDGE
Appleby Ridge
McCarthyLake WMA
UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE
AND FISH REFUGE
Snake Creek State Forest Unit
Trout Valley State Forest Unit
Whitewater WMAWildlife Management Areas
State Forests
Minnesota State Parks
Scientific and Natural Areas
National Wildlife Refuges
Whitewater WMA State Game Refuge
U.S. Trunk Highway
MN Trunk Highway
County Highway
Municipal Road
Township or Other Road
Road
Trail
Wildlife Management Area Facilities
!i Parking Lot
!| Carry-In Water Access
!© Blind
![ Observation Point
!@ WMA Headquarters
!A Fire Tower
!9 Campground
0 0.5 1 1.5 20.25Miles
0 1 2 3 40.5Kilometers
1 in = 1 miles1:60,000
Lloyd'sParking Lot
Kohner Ridge
Zastro Ridge
Leisen Ridge
!|
!|
-
Weaver Bottoms
W I L D L I F E M A N A G E M E N T A R E A S