Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism - Hillsdale Wildlife Area 2.79

Habitat types include a mix of cropland, woodland, and warm and cool season grasses. Common woodland species include, oak, sycamore, cottonwood, walnut, hackberry, ash, elm, hickory and eastern red cedar. Plum, sumac, and dogwood are common shrubs. During construction of Hillsdale Reservoir more than 70 percent of the standing timber was left within the reservoir basin to provide fish habitat. Walleye, catfish, largemouth bass, crappie, and bluegill are abundant. Approximately 4,500 acres of water and 51 miles of shoreline are open to fishing. Roughly 7,000 acres are open to hunting at Hillsdale within the Wildlife area and State Park. Common wildlife includes: whitetail deer, bobwhite quail, squirrel, rabbit, beaver, muskrat, and a variety of waterfowl. Birdwatchers that venture to Hillsdale will see Bald Eagles, shorebirds, finches, warblers, sparrows, and hawks. One hundred acres of shallow water habitat for shorebirds and waterfowl is provided by man made wetlands in the Big Bull, Little Bull and Wade Branch drainages of the reservoir.