Pheasants Forever has recently acquired and donated 247 acres to serve as an upland hunting and waterfowl destination for the fall of 2020. The soon to be Pickerel Lake Waterfowl Production Area will support pheasants, waterfowl and other small game species. The parcel will be open to the public for hunting and other recreation.
Pickerel Lake WPA includes 27 restored basins totaling 35 acres of temporary, seasonal, and semi-permanent wetlands that run adjacent to Pickerel Lake. A diverse mixture of native grasses and forbs were planted across 200 acres of cropland providing essential nesting and brood rearing cover for grassland wildlife. Additionally, Pickerel Lake WPA permanently protects nearly 1,000 feet of shoreline from development.
“The Pickerel purchase is so exciting,” said South Central Pheasants Forever volunteer Paul Nafzger. “This is why we exist, to complete outstanding wildlife habitat projects for public enjoyment!” The waterfowl production area was sold by Travis and Kristen Wasmoen and lies on the southwest edge of Albert Lea, Minn. This acquisition will help further conservation efforts of pheasants and other Minnesotan native waterfowl while adding critical acreage to the diverse ecosystems found in southern Minnesota.
This project was supported by volunteers of the South-Central Chapter of Pheasants Forever in Freeborn County who donated $50K towards the overall purchase. Other key partners involved with the purchase of Pickerel Lake WPA include the Outdoor Heritage Fund, Travis & Kristen Wasmoen, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Shell Rock River Watershed District.
About Pheasants Forever
Pheasants Forever, including its quail conservation division,
Quail Forever, is the nation's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to upland habitat conservation. Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever have more than 132,000 members and 760 local chapters across the United States and Canada. Since creation in 1982, Pheasants Forever has spent over $900 million on 550,000 habitat projects benefiting 19 million acres nationwide.
Media Contact
Jared Wiklund
(651) 209-4953
jwiklund@pheasantsforever.org