In the last issue of the Simpson Street Free Press, we visited Middleton’s Pheasant Branch Conservancy, a natural area just minutes outside of Madison. When I was assigned to visit Crex Meadows for this issue’s Wisconsin Museum Series, I was excited. I was anxious to visit another one of Wisconsin’s unique natural areas.

At 30,000 acres, Crex is the largest state-owned wildlife area in Wisconsin. I was excited to see the wildlife and was especially hoping to see a black bear on the trip. Although I didn’t see a black bear, I did see a variety of impressive plants and animals. I even got to hold an endangered species of a turtle.

When we reached Crex, we were greeted by wildlife biologist Jim Hoefler who took us on a tour of the preserve. Acres and acres of sedge marsh, brush prairie, and forests stretched as far as we could see. As we drove slowly through the preserve, we watched and waited for signs of animals. On the tour we saw a family of trumpeter swans wandering in the preserve’s waterways and a great blue heron searching for fish. We also spotted a pair of sandhill cranes in a marsh.

 As we stopped and peered through binoculars at these birds, Hoefler spotted something even more rare in a patch of prairie. We turned our binoculars to the direction he pointed us and sure enough, we spotted our national symbol: a bald eagle resting on the ground. Eagles rarely stay on the ground for long periods of time. But if one does, it’s probably getting ready to eat its next meal. 

I learned quite a bit about local wildlife by exploring in the preserve itself, but there were just as many interesting things to learn at the Visitor’s Center.

The Crex Meadows Visitor’s Center was unlike anything I had ever seen before. Hanging from the ceiling of the building were different taxidermied birds. My favorite part was what Hoefler called a “walk through the history of Crex.” Along the top of each wall in this room was a timeline of Crex history. The walls displayed pictures and explanations of how Crex became what it is today.

On the last wall of this room there is a big picture of Norman Stone. Stone, “the father of Crex” pioneered the wetland and prairie restoration projects that are still the main focus of Crex Meadows today.

Leaving the timeline room, I stepped into what appeared to be a mini-indoor wildlife preserve. There was a small Crex diorama inside a glass display box. This display looked so real with its stuffed animals and their life-like habitats that it truly was a miniature Crex. All of the animals inside of the diorama were actually from the Crex wildlife preserve.

Crex Meadows doesn’t just have a great preserve and Visitor Center, they conduct educational programs for kids of all ages throughout the year. Natural resource educator Carley Hawkinson leads these programs.

Crex also hosts an annual wildlife festival. This year the festival will take place October. During this event visitors are given an extensive tour of the preserve, and can participate in a wild rice harvesting demonstration. Visitors can also take part in outdoor skills events such as archery and tomahawk throwing.

Crex Meadows is located just north of Grantsbury in Burnett County. It is open year round. For more information visit crexmeadows.org.