Towns: Ashfield, Conway
Acreage: 392
Wildlife Management Zone: 4N
Description
This property features upland forest hillsides composed of transitional hardwoods (maple, oak, hickory) and mixed softwoods (white pine, hemlock) interspersed with old fields and apple orchards. Beaver impoundments occur along Poland Brook which flows through the middle of the property.
Location, access, & parking
The property can be accessed from Main Poland Road, North Poland Road, and Harrison Road. A gravel/grass parking area that can accommodate five cars exists on Main Poland Road. See WMA map.
Note: WMAs are intentionally wild, visitors will find natural landscapes rather than maintained trails.
Habitat management
Habitat management activities continually occur on this WMA to maintain the open areas, young forest, and shrublands. Old field areas are mowed on a three year interval to provide food and cover for both game and non-game species. Apple trees are maintained to provide food for wildlife.
Learn more about MassWildlife's habitat management activities.
Hunting opportunities
This area is stocked with ring-necked pheasant throughout the pheasant season. Other hunting opportunities exist for white-tailed deer, black bear, American woodcock, cottontail rabbits, gray squirrel, aquatic furbearers, and raccoon.
Fishing opportunities
Poland Brook provides fishing opportunities for native brook trout and stocked trout species. Go to mass.gov/trout for more information. Poland Brook also has a healthy population of longnose sucker, a rare fish that prefers clean, cold, fast-moving streams and small rivers.
Wildlife viewing & other features
Open fields and meadows provide great opportunities for bird watching and wildlife viewing.
Regulations
During pheasant season, a blaze orange hat must be worn by all hunters except while night-hunting raccoons or opossums or while hunting waterfowl from within a blind or boat. No person shall hunt before sunrise or after sunset during the open season on pheasant, except for the hunting of raccoons or opossums between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m.
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.