Wildcat Mountain State Park
Plants and Animals

• Birds
• Mammals
• Plants
• Reptiles

The sheltered and scenic Kickapoo River Valley supports fish, deer, beaver, and many other kinds of animals, birds and plants. Wildcat Mountain is an official Wisconsin Watchable Wildlife site.

Plants

Large pine and hemlock trees, native to northern Wisconsin, grow here because the north-facing cliffs at Mount Pisgah remain cooler than the surrounding valleys. The trees on Mount Pisgah never fell to the axe, nor was Mount Pisgah ever grazed. Preservation of this virgin timber is one reason Mount Pisgah was designated as a state natural area in 1952.

One of the unusual plants on the north-facing cliffs is walking fern [exit DNR]. Its long, narrow, arching leaves radiate from the roots. Leaf tips that touch the ground sprout new plants. This is how the plant "walks" and spreads across a cliff.

Other ferns include interrupted fern [exit DNR] and maidenhair fern [exit DNR].

Birds

Birds you may see include wild turkeys, bald eagles, red-tailed hawks [exit DNR], and turkey vultures [exit DNR].

In spring and late summer through autumn, many birds migrate along the Kickapoo River. Look for Canada geese, tundra swans, sandpipers, and great blue herons.

Reptiles

Reptiles in Wildcat Mountain State Park include:

• Red-bellied snakes, which like moist grassy areas. They are not poisonous and quickly slink away from people if startled.
• Eastern hog-nose snakes
• 5-line skinks

Mammals

Red squirrels such as this one chatter from treetops. If you hike into one's territory, it may scold you with a shrill cry and quivering tail.

For more information, ask:

Wildcat Mountain State Park
E13660 State Highway 33, PO Box 99
Ontario, Wisconsin 54651
(608) 337-4775