JEFFERSON COUNTY, Wis. - The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources announced the acquisition of 1,830 acres of future wildlife in Jefferson County area this week.
According to a news release, the addition is adjacent to Prince's Point Wildlife Area and nearly doubles the size of the state property – located northeast of Whitewater.
The property, which the DNR said is currently managed as a muck farm, will initially 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 access the property. Work could start as soon as late 2023, and is expected to be done as early as 2025.
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Once open to the public, the DNR said the new wildlife area will provide waterfowl hunting, paddling and bird-watching opportunities.
The DNR said the projects will be financed with Pittman-Robertson dollars – federal funds collected through taxes on firearm and ammunition sales that are then distributed to states to use exclusively for wildlife management projects.
The public can keep track of the project's status on the Prince's Point Wildlife Area website.