Cambridge area wildlife

The Cambridge wildlife work area

Cranes feeding in habitat maintained by Cambridge area wildlife staff.

Hunters, trappers and wildlife watchers in Mille Lacs, Isanti, Kanabec and Chisago counties benefit from the management, habitat and oversight work of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources' Cambridge area wildlife staff.

Area Wildlife Supervisor Tim Marion along with one full-time and one part-time staff oversee a work area totaling 1.25 million acres of public and private land. This work area includes 34 state Wildlife Management Areas totaling more than 20,000 acres, five waterfowl refuges and Lake Onamia, a designated wildlife lake important to migrating waterfowl.

It features dramatic natural resource diversity, including state and federal designated wild and scenic rivers, wild rice lakes and both forest and prairies. It is a popular hunting destination for Twin Cities residents as much of this land is within a 90-minute drive.

Our work

• Administering deer, turkey and goose hunts for physically challenged hunters on Becklin Homestead WMA, which is designated for physically challenged hunters only.
• Assessing and submitting 10 WMA acquisition projects annually.
• Conducting prescribed fire, water level management, open lands enhancement, food plot development, prairie grass establishment and forest restoration on significant acres annually as time and staff permit.
• Monitoring wildlife populations (deer, turkey, bear, waterfowl, sharp-tailed grouse, pheasant, ruffed grouse, woodcock, etc.) via annual standardized census and survey techniques.
• Monitoring and maintaining at least 100 miles of WMA boundaries per year.
• Enhancing and maintaining 30 miles of designated hunter walking trails on both state forest and WMA lands.