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Nearby Parks:
Big Lake National Wildlife Refuge
Warbler Woods State Natural Area
Hornersville Swamp State Wildlife Area
Ben Cash Memorial State Wildlife Area
Saint Francis Sunken Lands State Wildlife Management Area
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| State Park Overview: |
 | The Big Lake Bottom WMA is owned and operated by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). The 4,071-acre management area lies adjacent to the Trinity River and is located about 10 miles southwest of Palestine in Anderson County. It was purchased by TPWD to preserve the rapidly disappearing Post Oak Savannah's bottomland hardwood habitat. Currently 2,870 acres of the area are accessible and open for public use. The management area is not totally contiguous, but fragmented by private tracts of land. It is accessible from county roads at two locations.
The topography, soil types, and vegetation of the area are representative of the Post Oak Savannah river bottoms. Soils are of poorly drained clays, common on flood plains that are unprotected from flooding. Since the terrain is flat and lies within the river's flood plain, the area is often covered by shallow slow moving floodwaters. The area is normally inaccessible several times a year for extended periods due to high water or wet soil conditions. Over 90 percent of the management area is bottomland habitat of mature hardwood timber. A systematic inventory of the management area's plant community has cataloged over 450 plant species.
Principal wildlife species found on Big Lake Bottom WMA include white-tailed deer, feral hog, ducks, mourning dove, fox squirrel, gray squirrel, bobcat, raccoon, skunk, armadillo, coyote, gray fox, and many species of reptiles and migratory birds. |
| Reviews By Park Visitors: |
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| Fishing and Hunting: |
| Fishing:
For general information on fishing requirements and restrictions, see the General Rules of the Texas Fishing Guide. For information on fishing licenses, stamps, and tags, see Fishing Licenses.
Fishing is allowed with access from CR 2906 and CR 2909.
Hunting:
Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) have rules and regulations for hunting not required on private property. Hunters must possess a valid hunting license, the appropriate tags and stamps, as well as the proper public hunting permit. Permits include: the Annual Public Hunting Permit (APH) the computer drawn Special Permits for Supervised Hunts, and the Regular Permit, which allows daily small game hunting on some areas. Hunters 16 years of age and younger are not required to have a hunting permit, but must have a hunting license and be supervised by a licensed, permitted adult, 18 years of age or older. Hunters and non-hunters must wear hunter orange during daylight hours at any time when firearm hunting for any species is authorized on the unit. For more details see the rules page for this WMA, the Outdoor Annual and Public Hunting Lands Information and Maps.
Public hunting is permitted for white-tailed deer, feral hog, waterfowl, woodcock, gallinules, snipe, squirrel, rabbit and hare. The untamed conditions make hunting challenging and sporting. Check the Outdoor Annual or Public Hunting Land Map Booklet for the current hunting rules, regulations, and bag limits for this WMA.
SPECIAL REGULATIONS: General access to the area is only by permit during daylight hours. Use of horses is prohibited. Dogs are prohibited except each permit holder may possess one dog while hunting waterfowl, squirrel or rabbits and hares.
ATV use is restricted to designated trails by authorized deer and waterfowl hunters only. ATV operators must abide by all Texas Department of Public Safety safety regulations and have completed a safety training certification class to use an ATV on public hunting lands.
TRAPPING: No trapping is allowed.
YOUTH HUNTS: Check the Public Hunting Lands Map Booklet (front section) and map page for Special Youth Hunt information and regulations. |
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| | Note to Park related businesses:
List your vacation cabin, weekend getaway, log cabin rental, romantic cottage, vacation home, resort, hotel, motel, bed and breakfast, country inn, campground, RV park, horseback riding stable, canoe livery, river rafting, outfitting, sporting goods store, guide service, RV rental or any other park related activity, park related attraction or park related service on Google or StateParks.com. (more).... |
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| Related Links: |
| PA 00-06 - ... 10 a.m. on Nov. 2. The structure is located on the south side of the Big Lake State Wildlife Management Area in Mississippi County, Ark., approximately 15 miles southwest of Blytheville. Under an ... |
| Directions: |
| Big Lake Bottom WMA is located about two hours southeast of Dallas. Take IH 45S for 85 miles to Fairfield. At Fairfield take US 84W for 35 miles to Loop 256 around Palestine. (Note: The 12 miles before reaching Loop 256 is also US 79) Go north on Loop 256 to FM 320, then take FM 320 west for eight miles to the intersection of FM 645. Turn left onto FM 645. The WMA main entrance is accessible from CR 2901 off FM 645. There are two other access points off CR 645. From CR 645 take CR 2904 to CR 2906 or from FM 645 turn onto CR 2908 then left on CR 2907 to CR 2909. |
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