Wildlife

Quigley Achee Wildlife Area

The Quigley-Achee Wildlife Area (QAWLA), known locally as Quigley Ponds or Tacna Marsh, was acquired to protect the Tacna Marsh, an important wetland along the Gila River. The wildlife area provides watchable wildlife and wildlife education opportunities.

Recreational opportunities

Camping: Overnight public camping is not permitted on the wildlife area.

Hunting: Quigley-Achee Wildlife Area offers decent small game hunting and migratory bird hunting opportunities.

• Open to all hunting in season as permitted under R12-4-304 and R12-4-318, except posted portions closed to hunting
• Game management area 41

Hiking: There are no hiking trails on the wildlife area.

Restrictions

• No open fires
• Motorized vehicle travel permitted on designated roads, trails, or areas  only,  except  as permitted under  R12-4-110(H).  No motorized  travel  is  permitted   within  agriculture and crop production
• This subsection does not apply to Department  authorized vehicles or law enforcement, fire response or other emergency vehicles
• Posted portions closed to all public entry

Wildlife observed in the area

Amphibians and Reptiles: Amphibians and reptiles observed on the property include Sonoran desert toad, western diamondback rattlesnake, sidewinder rattlesnake, gopher snake, zebra-tailed lizard, and desert iguana.

Birds *State Important Bird Area*: Noteworthy documented or probable bird species include: american bittern, red-tailed hawk, morning dove, white-winged dove, greater roadrunner, Gambel’s quail, and snowy egret.

Mammals: Mammals documented on the QAWLA include mule deer, coyote, bobcat, kit fox, and Harris’s antelope squirrel.

Plants and Vegetation: Historically wetland habitat consisting of open water and marshlands within the wildlife area was associated with a series of ponds located in an old oxbow channel of the Gila River. Currently only a small percentage of open water area remains in the marshlands due to a significant drop in the water table and is characterized by emergent vegetation such as cattail and bulrush.

Upland habitat is characterized by large stands of saltcedar and arrowweed. This habitat was once interspersed with relatively dense stands of screwbean mesquite, covering approximately 85 acres. Recent wildfires significantly impacted these areas in 2013 and 2016 which have resulted in an increase of saltcedar inundation. Creosote bush-bursage habitat occupies about 95 acres of the QAWLA,  and is predominantly located on the mesa in the southern portion of the property. Vegetation consists primarily of creosote bush and white bursage. The wash which bisects this habitat type contains western honey mesquite and little-leaf palo verde. Additionally, about 125 acres of farmland currently exist on the property.

Directions: Quigley-Achee Wildlife Area is located in Yuma County, approximately 1.5 miles north of the town of Tacna, AZ and 40 miles east of Yuma, AZ. Follow avenue 40E north to County 6th Street and continue west along the WMIDD salinity canal.