Town: Rochester
Acreage: 70
Wildlife Management Zone: 11
Waterfowl Zone: Central
Description
The majority of Hartley Reservoir WMA is made up of shallow flooded impoundments that were formerly part of an active cranberry bog operation. Common wetland vegetation on the property includes red maple, sweet pepperbush, water milfoil, water lily, reedgrass, and buttonbush, with the upland portions dominated by white pine, red oak, black oak, red maple, black cherry and lowbush blueberry. The remnant dike roads on the property are dominated by upland grasses, and they are maintained by regular mowing to serve as walking trails. The Mattapoisett River flows through the WMA, with a small dam located at the south end of the property. There is also a bypass canal that was created to ensure passage of River Herring that spawn upstream in Snipatuit Pond. “Grandma Hartley’s Reservoir” has served as the starting point for the annual Memorial Day Mattapoisett River canoe race since it began in 1934.
Location, access, & parking
The WMA is accessible via a small dirt parking lot located on the north side of Hartley Road, approximately 600 feet west of the intersection with Snipatuit Road. From that point, foot access is available throughout the property via the network of old cranberry bog dike roads. See WMA map.
Note: WMAs are intentionally wild, visitors will find natural landscapes rather than maintained trails.
Habitat Management
MassWildlife manages this WMA to provide a series of shallow impoundments to benefit warmwater fish, migratory birds, amphibians, and other wetland-dependent wildlife species.
Hunting & fishing opportunities
Hunting is not encouraged on this property and is limited to the middle portion of the WMA within the flooded impoundments. Please note the southwestern portion of the WMA (roughly the southern half of the impoundment just north of the dam) is closed to hunting due to the 500 foot discharge setbacks associated with the nearby elementary school and residential neighborhood. Signage has been erected on the WMA to assist hunters in identifying and avoiding this area.
The flooded impoundments on the WMA provide an attractive location for warmwater fishing for species such as largemouth bass, chain pickerel, yellow perch, sunfish, and brown bullhead. The Mattapoisett River provides fishing opportunities for crappie, bullhead, chain pickerel, largemouth bass, sunfish, and yellow perch. All of these species likely also inhabit “Grandma Hartley’s Reservoir” as it is an impoundment of the river. Additionally, the Mattapoisett River is annually stocked in the spring with brook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout and/or tiger trout. For more information on trout stocking, please visit mass.gov/trout.
Wildlife viewing & other features
Wildlife viewing is quite good due to the dike trails, habitat diversity and extent of open wetlands associated with the former cranberry bogs. The area that is now the Hartley Reservoir WMA was originally part of an active cranberry bog operation dating back to the early to mid 1900s. At the time of the Division’s acquisition of the property in 1968, the bogs had been abandoned for some time; however the entire cranberry bog infrastructure remained including flume (water control structures) and former bog units.
Regulations
The southwestern portion of the WMA (roughly the southern half of the impoundment just north of the dam) is closed to hunting due to the 500 foot discharge setbacks associated with the nearby elementary school and residential neighborhood. Signage has been erected on the WMA to assist hunters in identifying and avoiding this area.
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.