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Idaho Fish and Game

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Wildlife Management Area
Big Cottonwood WMA
Before you go

Fish and Game ownership of Big Cottonwood WMA has preserved access to thousands of acres of adjacent public land. In addition to hunting and fishing, the WMA is a popular destination for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and birding. The WMA is closed to motorized traffic.  There are no restroom facilities on the WMA.

Big Cottonwood WMA
Related Location
Location Facts

Primary Purpose: Big game, upland game, and fishing opportunities

Habitat: Sagebrush-steppe canyonland with juniper woodlands

  • 1,454 acres
  • Cassia County
  • Established in 1993
Location Things to Know

Big Cottonwood WMA is the only WMA in the Magic Valley Region that supports Rio Grande turkeys.

The WMA is closed to motorized traffic.

There are no restroom facilities on the WMA.

Access Information

Big Cottonwood WMA is the only WMA in the Magic Valley Region that supports Rio Grande turkeys. The WMA is closed to motorized traffic. There are no restroom facilities on the WMA.

Resources
Overview

A ribbon of green with towering cottonwoods meander through the rugged desert canyon of the Big Cottonwood WMA. Diverse habitats support a number of Idaho’s wildlife species and outdoor recreation opportunities.

The WMA is home to reintroduced California bighorn sheep, mule deer, upland birds, native Yellowstone cutthroat trout, wild turkeys, bobcat, and a multitude of other wildlife species.

For nearly 110 years, the property was privately owned and operated as a cattle ranch and farm. Idaho Fish and Game was interested in the property in 1993 because it provided important habitats for reintroduced California bighorn sheep, transplanted Rio Grande wild turkeys, and one of the few remaining populations of native Yellowstone cutthroat trout. In addition, the acquisition secured public access to thousands of acres of adjacent federal lands.