Call of the Wild
For primitive camping and beautiful habitat, the state’s wildlife management areas are hard to beat.
By Larry D. Hodge
More than 50 wildlife management areas dot the state, most within an hour’s drive of a state park — some are even adjacent to a park. WMAs offer many of the same activities as state parks, such as wildlife viewing, hiking and biking, but in a less-developed setting. A number of WMAs have primitive campgrounds, driving tours, wildlife observation blinds or nature trails. A few provide opportunities for horseback riding, canoeing or kayaking. Most are open for general visitation every day of the year except when closed for research, maintenance or public hunting. All that is required for admission is a $10 Limited Public Use Permit or a $40 Annual Public Hunting Permit.
I visited each of the WMAs in the course of writing the Official Guide to Texas Wildlife Management Areas ($29.95, order from the University of Texas Press at (800) 252-3206). Here are some of my favorites, grouped by categories of activity.
Driving Tours. The Kerr WMA near Hunt offers a driving tour with a double treat. Information kiosks explain how the habitat is managed for wildlife, and in the spring, golden-cheeked warblers and black-capped vireos nest on the area. The driving tour of the Gus Engeling WMA near Palestine also is designed to explain the principles of habitat management. In May, visitors have a good chance of spotting Kentucky and Swainson’s warblers. When fall and spring rains cooperate, wildflowers put on a spectacular show along the tour route through the Chaparral WMA near Artesia Wells.
Camping. I love the tranquility and simplicity of primitive camping in remote areas, and Black Gap WMA south of Marathon is my favorite place to do it. Some sites have shade shelters and picnic tables, but I choose campsites for the isolation and the view, and Black Gap has both in abundance. Campsites along the Rio Grande double as fishing camps.
While the desert is my favorite place to camp, sometimes I like to retreat to the forests. WMAs located in East Texas national forests allow camping in both developed campgrounds, where available, and anywhere in the general forest (except during hunting season). Alabama Creek WMA (near Lufkin), Moore Plantation (near Jasper) and Sam Houston National Forest WMA (near Livingston) have many potential campsites surrounded by towering pines. A bonus is the chance to see endangered red-cockaded woodpeckers on all three areas.
Wildlife Viewing. Every WMA offers the chance to see a variety of birds that live in or migrate through the area. Candy Abshier WMA (south of Anahuac) is one of the best birding sites in Texas, since it is located on a major migration path for both neotropicals and hawks. Birding following a spring cold front can be spectacular as exhausted birds returning from Central America “fall out” into trees on the area. Las Palomas (near Harlingen) has more than 20 separate units where you can see tropical species found only in this part of the United States. For other animals, visit Elephant Mountain (near Alpine), home to desert bighorn sheep and mule deer; Old Tunnel (near Fredericksburg), a spring-’til-fall roost for Mexican free-tailed bats; Gene Howe (near Canadian), with both a prairie dog town and lesser prairie chickens; and Chaparral, with a healthy population of both Texas horned lizards and Texas tortoises.
Hiking and Biking. Pick your pleasure. Kerr, Chaparral, Bannister, Moore Plantation, Alabama Creek and Sam Houston National Forest WMAs have hard-surfaced, level roads suitable for easy walking or biking. Bicycle riders will also enjoy riding the roads at Black Gap, Gene Howe and Matador (near Paducah). Matagorda Island WMA (near Port O’Connor) encourages the use of bikes on the island; the TPWD ferry will transport your bike for free.
Canoeing and Kayaking. Matagorda Island WMA can be reached by kayak via the Port O’Connor Paddling Trail (call (512) 389-4642 for information), or you can take your kayak on the TPWD ferry (fee charged; reservation suggested). Tony Houseman WMA contains numerous old logging canals running off the Sabine River into the swamp. Caddo Lake is laced with “boat roads,” all mapped and signed, and canoe and kayak rentals are available locally. One of the premiere paddling experiences in Texas is canoeing the Angelina and Neches rivers and associated sloughs on Angelina-Neches/Dam B WMA near Jasper. Scheduled guided trips are available through Martin Dies, Jr., State Park.
For more information on visiting WMAs, call (800) 792-1112, or visit <www.tpwd.state.tx.us/wma/wmalist.htm>.