State Land Spotlight: Simmons Mill WMA

Name: eRegulations
Price range: $

A wooded trail at Simmons Mill Wildlife Management Area in Rhode Island leads toward a calm blue pond, surrounded by trees and vegetation, offering scenic access for hunting and fishing. — A forest trail leading to the water at Simmons Mill Wildlife Management Area — a popular Rhode Island destination for hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation. Photo by Kim Justham.

Located in the East Bay, a part of the state not commonly associated with large tracts of huntable public open space, Simmons Mill Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Little Compton is worth the trip over a bridge or two. The property, owned by the RI Division of Wildlife, provides fishing access at five individual ponds/impoundments, as well as opportunities for hunting deer, turkey, pheasant (stocked), migratory birds, small game, and waterfowl.

The original acquisition consisted of the 400-acre Fort Church Property, purchased on March 14, 1995. Funding for the purchase was provided by the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program and Rhode Island Waterfowl Conservation Stamp Program, the State Capitol Budget, and a partnership/grant through the Nature Conservancy and Champlin Foundation. An additional 55-acre parcel located to the south, known as the Orton Property, was acquired in 1997.

Entry sign for Simmons Mill Pond Wildlife Management Area in Rhode Island, surrounded by forest and trails, providing information for visitors about hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation. — Entrance sign at Simmons Mill Wildlife Management Area in Rhode Island, a popular location for hunting, fishing, hiking, and exploring native wildlife habitats. Photo by Kim Justham.

The Simmons Mill WMA is predominantly maritime oak-holly forest interspersed with red maple swamps and impounded ponds. Oak forests host a variety of wildlife and provide an important food source for game species, including turkey and deer. Additional canopy species include beech, red maple, birch, cherry, and white pine. The understory varies, some areas are dense with tree saplings, mountain laurel, sweet pepperbush, highbush blueberry and green briar, while other areas are more open, with scattered lowbush blueberry, huckleberry, and hay-scented fern. The three fields on the property are managed to provide native grassland habitat for game birds; the largest and western-most field is stocked with pheasants during the season. Simmons Mill Pond, at approximately 30-acres, is the largest of the five water bodies and supports warm water fish species including bass, pickerel, and sunfish. The waterfowl habitat is an outstanding feature of the property. The impoundments and associated vegetative communities offer excellent nesting and feeding opportunities for a variety of native species. Parking lots are located off of Coldbrook Road and John Dyer Road, with an additional access point on Amesbury Road. The rolling topography and network of grassy cart track trails makes for an easy walk to the ponds and hunting spots.