Mountain Longleaf NWR, AL, to Open December 20
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Mountain Longleaf NWR in the fall.
– Photo: USFWS
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The generations-old tradition of deer hunting during the holiday season will return to another part of Fort McClellan, AL, when Mountain Longleaf National Wildlife Refuge opens about 3,300 of its 9,016 acres to the public beginning December 20. The refuge will be open only during daylight hours.
The national wildlife refuge, adjacent to the city of Anniston, is an oasis of tranquility and beauty for those seeking to escape the bustle of traffic and city life. Throughout the year, those interested in watching and photographing wildlife will be able to use a ridge road on Choccolocco Mountain, the third highest point in Alabama, to get a view that seems to put them almost at the top of the world. The vista ranges 20 miles in nearly all directions.
At the refuge, people can see the best remaining forests of mountain longleaf pine, including the only known stands of old growth. The forests provide habitat for the endangered gray bat and many neo-tropical migratory birds.
Hunting on the refuge will occur in conjunction with the state Choccolocco Wildlife Management Area (WMA). The only permit required to hunt on the refuge is the WMA permit. Additional information about hunting is available at
http://www.outdooralabama.com/hunting/land/wildlife-areas/.
Mountain Longleaf NWR was established May 29, 2003, on what was formerly U.S. Army owned property at Fort McClellan. Much of the refuge, used as a firing range, had been closed to public access for several years. The U.S. Army remains responsible for all contamination and environmental remediation on refuge lands. The refuge acreage being opened has been investigated by the U.S. Army and determined to be safe for the public.
"We will continue negotiations with the U.S. Army for cleanup of contaminated areas of the refuge to provide additional areas for the public to safely enjoy compatible activities in the future," said Mountain Longleaf Refuge Manager Steve Miller.
Sen. Jeff Sessions played a major role in establishment of the refuge, where The Nature Conservancy identified 11 species of flora and 21 species of fauna that it considers rare.
For more information about Mountain Longleaf NWR, visit http://southeast.fws.gov/mountainlongleaf.
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