Town: Northfield
Acreage: 201
Wildlife Management Zone: 4N
Description
This property is owned by First Light Power Resources and cooperatively managed with DFW. It abuts the west side of the Connecticut River and consists of open fields used for agricultural crops such as hay and corn. Bennett Brook, a small stream along the west side of the property, flows through beaver-created shrub swamps where it eventually empties into the Connecticut River. On the western slopes is a ridge of upland forest containing oak and hickories with lower slopes near the river consisting of floodplain forest trees such as basswood and silver maple.
Location, access, & parking
The parking area is located off of Route 10 west of Northfield Center and consists of an unmaintained dirt parking lot that can hold around 10 vehicles. Parking lots are not maintained in winter. See WMA map.
Note: WMAs are intentionally wild, visitors will find natural landscapes rather than maintained trails.
Habitat management
This property is managed by growing specific agricultural crops that provide food and cover for wildlife throughout the year.
Hunting opportunities
This area is stocked with ring-necked pheasant throughout the pheasant season. Waterfowl can be found in the beaver impoundments. Other opportunities exist for crow, American woodcock, cottontail rabbits, gray squirrel, aquatic furbearers, and raccoon.
Fishing opportunities
The Connecticut River offers warmwater fishing opportunities and seasonal fishing for anadromous fish such as American shad. The steep banks make access to the river challenging and limited to foot traffic. Bennett Brook offers fishing opportunities for native brook trout.
Wildlife viewing & other features
The mixture of open fields, wetlands, and forest make this WMA popular during spring migration for both songbirds and waterfowl.
Regulations
Bennett Meadows WMA is a pheasant-stocked property and a “hunter orange” hat is required for all hunters during the pheasant season, and hunting hours are sunrise to sunset during the pheasant season unless night hunting for raccoons or opossums.
Read Wildlife Management Area regulations.
About Wildlife Management Areas
MassWildlife owns and manages over 220,000 acres of land to conserve fish and wildlife habitats and provide access for outdoor recreation. All WMAs are open to hunting, fishing, trapping, and other outdoor recreation activities. Visit the MassWildlife Lands Viewer for an interactive map of MassWildlife properties.
You can support land protection in Massachusetts. Contributions to the Wildlands Fund help pay for the cost of acquiring wildlife habitat. Learn more about the Wildlands Fund.