The Bridgeport Bar Unit, along the Columbia River, provides habitat for waterfowl, upland birds, raptors, and a variety of songbirds. Annual food plots provide forage for waterfowl, upland birds, mourning doves, and other bird species, and a network of planted shrubs and trees provide cover and nesting habitat. Hunter registration is required on this unit.
The Bridgeport Bar Unit is located east of Brewster on the south side of the Columbia River. The unit can be accessed from Highway 173.
The Bridgeport Bar Unit is located on the south side of Lake Pateros in the Columbia Plateau. This unit is bordered primarily by orchard, pasture and low-density residential developments.
This unit is part of the Wells Wildlife Area.
Game Management Unit: 260
Getting there
Maps and directions to WDFW-managed access points for this unit. Opens Google Maps in a new tab.
Recreation and public access
A Discover Pass is required on WDFW lands -- including water access areas, wildlife areas, and campgrounds -- unless you already have a Vehicle Access Pass issued with the purchase of an eligible hunting or fishing license. Recreate responsibly on public lands: please know the Public Conduct Rules.
Public facility information:
- Several parking areas
- No restroom
Recreation and access advisories
- Fireworks are prohibited.
- Open fires are not permitted at any time during the year.
- Overnight parking and camping are allowed in established parking areas.
- Motorized vehicles are prohibited other than in the parking areas.
- Ticks occur here--observe appropriate precautions.
- Summer months often result in great swarms of mosquitoes. Be prepared.
Hunting
This area is in the Foster Creek Game Management Unit # 260. California quail and a variety of waterfowl provide the primary hunting opportunities on this unit. Other game species, in limited numbers, are pheasant and gray partridge. Mule deer may hunted during archery season. Two species of unregulated wildlife are also available for harvest year-round: Eurasian collared dove and Eastern fox squirrel.
Hunting advisories
- Hunter registration is required on this unit. Registration cards and drop-boxes are located at each parking area. This program collects useful and necessary information on hunting and wildlife populations. The information collected is an important tool to evaluate management and improve hunting on the area.
- Hunting is restricted to shotgun and archery hunting for all species.
- It is unlawful to possess shot (either in shotshells or as loose shot for muzzleloading) other than nontoxic shot for any purpose on this unit (WAC 220-414-040).
Wildlife viewing
This unit includes ponds, wetlands, riparian habitat, and annual grain-food plots, offering opportunities to view a wide variety of songbirds, summer and winter migrants and year-round wildlife. Viewpoints along the shoreline afford opportunities to view a diversity of wintering waterfowl, bald eagles, American white pelicans, common loons, river otters and beavers.
This unit is part of the Audubon's Great Washington State Birding Trail Cascade Loop.
Search for potential birding opportunities on or near a wildlife area unit by using eBird Northwest, a citizen science database portal that provides freely-shared bird lists at 'hotspots' and interactive maps plus other birding information updated daily.
Other recreational opportunities
Interior service roads can be used for walking, mountain biking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing.
Conservation
The primary goal for the Bridgeport Bar Unit is to enhance and manage upland game habitat and provide annual food plots for waterfowl, mourning doves and upland game.
Conservation goals
- Maintain established irrigated shrub and tree rows
- Produce annual grain crops for wildlife forage
- Protect perch sites for wintering bald eagles
Land stewardship
The Douglas County Public Utilities District No. 1 entered into a wildlife mitigation agreement with WDFW in 1974 as part of the Wells Hydroelectric Project Federal Energy Regulatory License. This agreement addressed the loss of wildlife caused by the construction of Wells Dam and led to the creation of the Wells Wildlife Area, which includes the Bridgeport Bar Unit.
Acquisition history
The parcels making up this area were purchased between 1976 and 2003.
| Funder | Fund |
|---|---|
| Power, dike & irrigation districts | Mitigation Funds |
| WA Recreation and Conservation Office | Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program |
Management planning
2006 Wells Wildlife Area Management Plan
Every eight to 10 years, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) revises management plans for each of its 33 wildlife areas to document current conditions, address new agency initiatives, and identify new management priorities and actions. In between those major revisions, WDFW updates plans every two years to outline short-term objectives and accomplishments. In 2014, WDFW began the process of updating existing plans, many of which were written in 2006. The new plans are being developed with significant public participation and input.