CONNECTICUT ST^^TE EOAr?D OP PISHERIFS AND GAME 

 BARN ISLAND SHOOTING AREA 



The survey of coastal wetlands made by the Department and 

 the U. S. Pish and Wildlife Service in 19$k shows a continuous 

 marsh area around Barn Island of about 370 acres. Of this 

 acreage about 75 acres is described as shallow fresh marsh, 

 250 acres as salt meadow and I4.5 acres as regularly flooded salt 

 meadow. A considerable part of this marsh acreage is included 

 in the 5^7 acres of Strte-owned marsh and upland known as the 

 Barn Island Shooting Area, 



Departmental purchases in this area began in 19kh-i none 

 have been made in the past ten years. 



Prom 19k$ to 191+7, four dikes, totaling somewhat more than 

 2,000 feet, which impounded a maximum of about 135 acres, were 

 built. In 1955. ^ ditch about 12 feet wide, k feet deep, and 

 600 feet long was dug across the neck of marsh connecting Barn 

 Island with the mr inland. At the same time, two semi -circular 

 pools about [j.00 feet by 120 feet were dug in the marsh area in 

 front of the Brucker property, with the spoil deposited in piles 

 adjacent to the pools. Some other rather minor development work 

 of an experimental nature has been done on both the marshes and 

 the upland. An access, parking, and boat Irunching area, ^ that 

 has since been enlarged, was cstrblishod at the present site in 

 1957. 



From 19lj-7 through 1950, the Department sponsored a variety 

 of investigations on the area by gr'duate students and others. 

 One publication, Vegetation of the VJequetequock-Pawcr.tuck Tidal 



Marshes, Connecticut - Miller and Epler - Ecological Monographs, 

 20: lij.3 - 172, April 1950, resulted from those investigations. 



The Barn Island area, historically, was an exceptionally 

 good waterfowl and shore bird htmting area, Por a nvimber of 

 years it was leased to a group of sportsmen for this purpose. 

 These marshes were mosquito ditched in 1929 - 1932, Following 

 the ditching, the sportsmen's group are reported to have reduced 

 their lease offer and then cancelled the lease due to the absence 

 of birds. 



The impoundments have provided excellent waterfowl production, 

 and feeding and resting area for birds in spring migration. "Biey 

 also make the area attractive to fall migrants, but their use d\ar- 

 ing the open season is sharply reduced by hunting. Management 

 work hero is presently at a minimvun. 



Some added acquisition is necessary to round out the area, 

 insure the rather limited supply of frosh water, and furnish 

 buffer for existing and planned impoundments. Such purchase 

 raip'ht give impetus to fiorther development and more intensive 

 management . 



JSB/B 

 8/20/63 



