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Big Marsh Wildlife Area - Butler County

GPS Coordinates: 42.6613577, -92.7934456

Management: None listed

Directions: In southern Butler Co. Go north on Hwy. 14 out of Parkersburg about five miles to C-51. Take C-51 west three miles to Jay Ave., then north on Jay one mile to 260th St. Follow 260th east into the marsh area. At the east end of 260th, where it turns left, there are dike walks straight ahead (east) and to the right (south). There is also parking for the north-south dike walk off of C-51, just east of the HQ building, 1.5 miles either way from Jay Ave. or from Hwy. 14. SHORT-EARED OWL FIELDS: Drive one mile north on Jay from 260th and where 260th turns right, instead take the B-maintenance road, which starts zig-zagging west and north. When it straightens out and becomes 245th, the DNR parking lot is about one mile west. There are fields the whole length of the B-maintenance road; all those to the south are public, up to roughly across from the parking area; about the first half mile on the north side, going west, is private--generally, look for DNR signs.

Important Bird Area: IBA Entry for Big Marsh Wildlife Area