Mud Creek Wildlife Management Area
Description
Mud Creek Wildlife Management Area is located in Vermont’s northwestern corner in the town of Alburgh. Its 1,151 acres are mostly marshland, with a small upland component. It’s owned by the State of Vermont and managed by the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department. The property extends from the Canadian border south to the mouth of Mud Creek in Lake Champlain’s Ransom Bay. The heart of the marsh can only be accessed by small boat.
History
The area around Alburgh and Swanton has a long history of occupation by Native Americans, notably the Abenaki Tribe. Both Anglo-Europeans and French Canadians later settled in this part of Vermont. Alburgh was chartered to Ira Allen in 1781; the town was named after him. Early settlers were mostly occupied with clearing forest and farming in the rich Champlain Valley soils; the latter is still the main land use in the Mud Creek drainage.
This WMA is a patchwork of many small land purchases. The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department made its first acquisition in 1953, using Pitman Robertson funds. The Nature Conservancy facilitated some of the most recent land acquisitions.
Habitat
Mud Creek is a sluggish stream that begins in Canada and flows south to Lake Champlain. There is a water control structure that has raised the water level and created more marshland.
Mud Creek WMA is a mix of cattail-dominated emergent marsh, deep bulrush marshes and forested swamp. Forest swamp communities include red maple-black ash, spruce-fir-tamarack and red maple-northern white cedar.At the mouth of the Creek there is a small section of lake sand beach.
A rare plant called Torrey’s rush occurs in the marsh, as well as other interesting plants such as matted spike-rush, yellow water-crowfoot, nodding trillium and cattail sedge.
Vermont’s endangered spiny softshell turtle is sometimes a summer visitor.
Fish and Wildlife
Wildlife
Some mammals that might be encountered are white-tailed deer, gray squirrel, raccoon, beaver, muskrat, mink and otter.
Birds
There are excellent birding opportunities for wetland species such as pied-billed grebe, least bittern, sora, Virginia rail, American coot and common moorhen. The endangered black tern has nested here. Wetland-dwelling songbirds include eastern kingbird, belted kingfisher, marsh wren, swamp sparrow and northern waterthrush.
Upland game species in the WMA are ruffed grouse, turkey and woodcock. Breeding waterfowl include Canada goose, black and wood ducks, mallard, hooded merganser, blue-winged teal and goldeneye, with other species during migration.
Reptiles and Amphibians
Many species of herptiles can be found at Mud Creek WMA. Look for blue-spotted, spotted and red-backed salamanders, newts, and green, pickerel, northern leopard and wood frogs. The rare western chorus frog may also be present. Turtle species include snapping turtles, painted and northern map turtles. State-endangered spiny softshell turtles are sometimes found near the mouth of Mud Creek. Northern water and garter snakes are also present.
Fish
Fishing is allowed on the Controlled Hunting portion of the WMA through September 1st. Yellow perch, bullhead and northern pike are some species that may be caught.
Usage
Mud Creek WMA is open to regulated hunting, trapping, fishing, hiking and wildlife viewing. Hunting and trapping are allowed using a controlled permit process. Hunting in the Controlled Hunting Area is by permit only.
Fishing is allowed on the Controlled Hunting portion of the WMA through September 1st. Yellow perch, bullhead and northern pike are some species that may be caught.
Notes
Video of Mud Creek Wildlife Management Area
Directions
Click map to enlarge
Take RT 78 west from I-89 in Swanton, VT. From the Northway (I-87) take RT 11 in Champlain, NY east to RT 2, then take RT 2 to the stoplight at the intersection of RT 78 and turn left.
The best access is from RT 78 as it crosses the Creek, where there is an old railroad bed that has been made into a biking and hiking path. There are times when access along the path is restricted.
Please read and follow the posted regulations.
Green Woods Road in Alburg cuts through the northern end of the WMA.