| Bog
Hole Wildlife Area |
| |
| The lush wetland plants and trees at Bog Hole Wildlife Area offer a cool reprieve from the open grasslands in the surrounding area. This and other natural cienegas (marshlands) in the vicinity provide excellent habitat for waterfowl and other nesting, resident and migrating birds, as well as a variety of game and nongame wildlife species. White-tailed deer, great blue heron, bobcat, and Sonoran tiger salamander are some of the animals that might be observed in and around the wildlife area. |
| |
| Recreational
Opportunities -- Day Use Only |
Bog Hole is a popular site for many outdoor
activities, including hunting, bird watching,
hiking, photography, sight-seeing, and picnicking.
About half of the area's visitors come to
hunt, while the rest enjoy other activities.
Camping:
There is no overnight camping allowed at
the wildlife area. However, the property
is surrounded
by national forest land where camping may
be permitted. Check
with the Forest Service.
Patagonia Lake State Park and Parker Canyon
Lake are also located nearby, with facilities
and overnight camping. Information about Patagonia
Lake State Park.
Hunting:
This wildlife area is located in Game Management
Unit 35B,
where the primary big game species include
mule deer, white-tailed deer and
javelina.
Secondary species include antelope and quail.
CAUTION:
Temperatures vary from 15°F in December
and January to 80°F in June and July.
Restrictions:
| a. |
No open fires. |
| b. |
No firewood cutting or
gathering. |
| c. |
Overnight public camping. |
| d. |
Motorized vehicle travel
permitted on designated roads, on designated
trails, or in designated areas only.
|
| e. |
Open to hunting in season. |
|
| |
| Location |
Bog Hole
Wildlife Area is located eight miles southeast
of Patagonia in Santa Cruz County, Arizona.
The wildlife area is in the Sierra Vista Ranger
District, Coronado National Forest. The department
currently manages the wildlife area under
a special use permit and cooperative agreement
with the U.S. Forest Service.
Directions:
Big Hole Wildlife Area is in the Meadow Valley
Flat area. From Patagonia, head east on Forest
Road 58. When you get to the junction with
Forest Road 765, turn left. When the road
forks, veer right (as if going to the Cott
Tank drainage). Turn right on the two-track
road that parallels the exclosure fence. Park
at the wooden ladder marked with Bog Hole
Wildlife Area signs.
- View a map of this location |
| |
| Wildlife |
The
wetland and riparian habitat developed, protected
and enhanced within Big Hole Wildlife Area
provides habitat for a variety of species.
Birds:
The wildlife area provides excellent habitat
for a variety of birds. Waterfowl such as
canvasback and mallard visit the area. Nongame
birds such as the Western screech-owl, red-tailed
hawk, great blue heron, and magnificent hummingbird
can also be found here.
Mammals:
Resident mammals include black-tailed jack
rabbit, bobcat, white-nosed coati, and white-tailed
deer.
Fish:
Non-native fishes include black crappie, largemouth
bass and green sunfish.
Various other wildlife, including fishes and
amphibians, can be found here as well.
| Special
Status Species -
Species
Abstracts | Status
Codes |
| Common
Name |
Scientific
Name |
Status |
| Amphibians
|
| Chiricahua
leopard frog |
Rana
chiricahuensis |
LT,
S, WSC |
| Lowland
leopard frog |
Rana
yavapaiensis |
SC,
S, WSC |
| Sonoran
tiger salamander |
Ambystoma
tigrinum stebbinsi |
LE,
WSC |
| Birds
|
| Baird's
sparrow |
Ammodramus
bairdii |
SC,
WSC |
| Mexican
spotted owl |
Strix
occidentalis lucida |
LT,
S, WSC |
| Sprague's
pipit |
Anthus
spragueii |
WSC |
| Fish |
| Gila
topminnow |
Poeciliopsis
o. occidentalis |
LE,
WSC |
| Longfin
dace |
Agosia
chrysogaster |
SC,
S1 |
| Plants
|
| Mock-pennyroyal |
Hedeoma
dentatum |
S |
| Reptiles
|
| Northern
Mexican gartersnake |
Thamnophis
eques megalops |
SC,
S, WSC |
|
|
|
| |
| Area
Description |
Bog Hole
Wildlife Area lies near the headwaters of
the Santa Cruz River in the gently sloping
Meadow Valley Flat portion of the San Rafael
Valley at an elevation of about 5,000 feet.
The area receives an average of 17.3 inches
of rainfall annually, occurring mostly from
July through September.
The average January temperature is 46°F,
and the average July temperature is 77°F.
Rain
and snowstorms are common in winter, while
monsoon rains are frequent in mid-summer.
Plant Life
At present, grama grasses dominate the ground
cover, but a wide variety of other grasses
and herbaceous forbs are interspersed. The
eastern portion of the wildlife area is characterized
by Emory oak. The banks and edges of the riparian
area and pond are dominated by willows and
cottonwoods.
Submergent and emergent aquatic plants have
flourished in the wetland to provide excellent
waterfowl and nongame bird habitat. Shoreline
vegetation includes cattails and bulrush.
Some of the more important aquatic plants
found in the area are:
- stonewort (Chara sp.)
- waterweed (Anacharis sp.)
- pondweed (Potamogeton sp.)
- filamentous algae. |
| |
| Management
Objectives and Goals |
The primary
management emphasis for the Bog Hole Wildlife
Area is to provide nesting and resting habitat
for waterfowl. In addition, the pond serves
as a site for native fish and amphibian species
management, where fish management is consistent
with the primary emphasis.
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