Towns: Lunenburg, Shirley
Acreage: 472
Wildlife Management Zone: 9
Waterfowl Zone: Central
Description
Mulpus Brook WMA is comprised of mixed upland and lowland habitat surrounding a section of Mulpus Brook. A little more than half of the area is upland forest habitat containing primarily white pine, oak, and maple. The remaining acreage is wetland habitat bordering Mulpus Brook. These wetlands vary in composition from open cattail mats and reed marsh to shrub swamp dominated by button bush, alder, and red maple.
Location, access, & parking
The best access to the brook is from town-owned land near the junction of Townsend Road and Route 2A. The northern, upland portion of the area can be accessed from Pamela Drive off of Route 225. The southern parcel can be accessed by parking at the Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge parking area off Walker Road. There is also a small fishing access to the brook off Hagan Drive in Shirley. See WMA Map.
Note: WMA's are intentionally wild, visitors will find natural landscapes rather than maintained trails.
Hunting & fishing opportunities
Aquatic furbearers like muskrat, mink, North American beaver, and river otter are common, as are raccoons and waterfowl. White-tailed deer, gray and red fox, and eastern coyote inhabit the upland sections. Mulpus Brook is about 8 feet wide and 3 to 4 feet deep where it runs through this WMA. Nearly half the section of the brook, within the WMA, can be canoed in the spring. This is a fine cold water stream that is stocked with trout. For more information on trout stocking visit mass.gov/trout.
Wildlife viewing & other features
Various species of wildlife are abundant given the stream habitat, providing great birding opportunities particularly at the marsh and pond off Route 2A.
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.