Brooklyn Wildlife Area

Brooklyn Wildlife Area (associated with Story Creek Stream Bank Protection project) is located between Villages of Oregon, Brooklyn and Belleville, straddling the Dane/Green County line, about 15 miles south of Madison. Access from Dane County Highway D, 2 miles east from Belleville.

The property consists of sedge meadow marsh, riparian hardwoods, oak ridges, restored prairie, and farmed cropland. 2534 acres are owned, 337 acres are eased, and 234 acres are leased under Brooklyn Wildlife Area project, plus another 435 acres eased under Story Creek Stream Bank Protection project, for a total of 3540 acres available for public hunting, fishing and other recreation.

Friends Groups

The Friends of Brooklyn Wildlife Area supports the property. To find out more, call 608-835-5144. The Dane County Chapter of the Ice Age Trail [Exit DNR] has also done work on this property for many years.

History of Management

Acquisition for Brooklyn WA began in 1945. Since 2004, the department has been making a concerted effort to convert annual public hunting ground leases of private lands to easements in cooperation with the USDA NRCS Farm and Ranch Protection Program. These easements allow public hunting and fishing in perpetuity, while allowing the landowner to continue agricultural use of their land. This program depends on good hunter conduct for its success--please be on your best behavior while using leased and eased private land, and be careful not to damage soybeans or other crops before harvest.

The inception of the Story Creek Stream Bank Protection project provided state funds to match the NRCS Farm and Ranch Protection program, protecting 435 acres adjacent to the creek with easements allowing public hunting and fishing. Story Creek has also received a great deal of habitat improvement work by department fisheries staff using Trout Stamp funding. The work includes re-meandering stretches that had been previously channelized and installing lunker structures to provide bank cover for trout, greatly improving fishing.

Recreation Opportunities

The following recreational opportunities exist at Brooklyn Wildlife Area:

Hunting - stocked (2pm closure) and wild pheasant, deer, turkey, rabbit, squirrel, some waterfowl, quail, gray partridge, and mourning doves. Trapping - raccoon, mink, otter Hiking - Ice Age Trail [Exit DNR] runs through property Biking – on public roads through and adjacent to property Pets (Note) Auto travel – on public roads through and adjacent to property

Berry picking - raspberry, blackberry Cross country skiing - along the Ice Age Trail Fishing - Story Creek, a quality trout stream runs through property Canoeing – Story Creek, but limited to small canoes during high water due to brush and logs. Wildlife Viewing Bird watching - Known for yellow-breasted chat, Bell’s vireo, Cerulean warbler, Henslow’s sparrow

Additional Information

Download [PDF 300KB] a map of this property.

Useful Links:

• Hunting in Wisconsin
• Hunting and Trapping Regulations
• Season Dates
• Dane County Information [Exit DNR]
• Plan your trip to Dane County [Exit DNR]

For more information on Brooklyn Wildlife Area contact the property manager.

Questions for Wildlife Management