FRANKFORT, Ky. – Hunters have 1,293 additional acres to enjoy for the 2010-11 hunting season at the new Marion County Wildlife Management Area (WMA) and State Forest, located southeast of Lebanon. The WMA officially opens to the public on Saturday, Aug. 21.
“The Marion County WMA will open initially under statewide hunting regulations applicable to Marion County,” said Scott Buser, a public lands biologist for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. “We will evaluate whether special regulations are needed for the area after the first hunting season.”
The WMA is accessible from a graveled lot on Siloam Road. Additional parking will be created in the future. Boundaries are signed and blazed with yellow paint.
The area will offer excellent squirrel, deer and turkey hunting. Except for fields surrounding the parking area, the entire property is forested and has rugged terrain.
Squirrel season opens Aug. 21 and the archery deer season opens Sept. 4. The new management area does not currently have any fishing ponds or streams, although there are water holes that may provide some frog hunting opportunities.
Kentucky Fish and Wildlife, the Kentucky Division of Forestry and Marion County jointly own the property, which was purchased with money from the Kentucky Heritage Land Conservation Fund and the federal Wildlife Restoration program.
To get to Kentucky’s newest wildlife management area, take U.S. 68 east from Lebanon. Turn right (south) onto Penick-Tatum Loop, right (south) onto Tatum Lane, and then right onto Siloam Road. The parking lot is approximately a ½ mile on the right (west) side of Siloam Road. Visitors will find an information kiosk with a map at the parking lot. Maps are available online at www.fw.ky.gov.