Wildlife

wildlife-head

Wildlife in our area include; White Tail Deer, Otter, Bobcat, Raccoons, Possum, Skunks, Beavers, Turkeys, Owls, Bald Eagles, Hawks, Osprey, Turkey vultures and so much more. Yes, there are the occasional Wolf, black bear & cougar sightings as well. The Baraboo hills including Devil’s Lake State Park and the outlying wetlands and prairies do have a population of timber & Mississauga rattlesnakes, but in over a hundred years only one person has died of a rattlesnake bite in Wisconsin. All told, central Wisconsin is a wonderful place to see the natural and animal world. Below we’ve listed a few places we like to go to enough the wildlife in our area.

Devil’s Lake State Park – Loons, Osprey, Bald Eagles, Heron, Turkey Vultures, Canada Geese, and all variety of duck live on the lake. The best time to see them is in the early mornings before the lake and trails fill with people. In the woods it’s common to see white tail deer, small animals such as raccoons and be sure to listen and watch the forest canopy for owls. There are a variety of snakes in the park. Most are harmless, and a few look similar to rattlesnakes but are NOT. It’s rare to see an actual rattlesnake in the park. Personally we have seen at least one a year, and always on the Uplands Loop Trail during the week. To learn more visit www.devilslakewisconsin.com

Mirror Lake State Park - At Mirror Lake, wildlife lovers want to get in a boat and head out into slough west of the main lake. Here you will see all sorts of waterfowl including sand hill cranes, geese, ducks and heron. Please be respectful of nesting birds. Out in the slough you are apt to have carp bumping your boat depending on the season which can be quite a surprise if you are not expecting it! To learn more visit www.mirrorlakewisconsin.com

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