Weathersfield and West Windsor; Windsor County 860 Acres
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General Description:
Little Ascutney Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is comprised of 656 acres. It is located in the towns of Weathersfield and West Windsor, and includes Little Ascutney Mountain and Pierson’s Peak. It is owned by the State of Vermont and managed by the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department. The Department also owns permanent hunting rights on an additional 209 acres. Abutting the WMA’s northeast corner, the 1,000+ acre West Windsor Town Forest extends northward to Ascutney State Park. These three connecting properties account for one of the largest continuously-forested areas in the region.
Unique Features:
Little Ascutney WMA contains a unique variety of wildlife habitats including vernal pools, beaver flowages, open fields with apple trees, historic sites and hawthorn bushes, patches of alder and aspen, and an unusual forest type, oak-hickory hophornbeam, which produces mast (the nuts of forest trees accumulating on the ground and used for food). Hemlock stands provide necessary deer wintering habitat. Open talus (rock slopes) is found on the southwest slope, along with transitional hardwood talus woodland. The very rare hay sedge (Carex foenea) and Back’s sedge (Carex backii) can be found on Little Ascutney. The west-facing cliffs of Little Ascutney Mountain are an historic site for the federally-endangered peregrine falcon and state listed timber rattlesnake.
Recreation Overview:
Recreational opportunities include hunting, hiking, snowshoeing, and wildlife viewing. An extensive woods road network is excellent for walking, and an unofficial trail leads to an overlook of the Route 106 valley. The primary access to the property is from the Ascutney Basin Road where there is a developed access road and parking area.
- Information on hunting, fishing and trapping in Vermont
- Authorized and Prohibited Activities on Fish & Wildlife Lands
Planning Overview:
The Long Range Management Plan for the Ascutney Management Unit was completed in 2016.