Flooding makes hunting inconvenient in parts of the state

Flooding makes hunting inconvenient in parts of the state

POSTED 09/18/08 - Flooding continues to cause problems in some areas of the mighty St. Johns River, and this time it affects hunters who plan to hunt in the Three Forks Water Management Area, a walk-in only section of the Upper St. Johns River Marsh Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Brevard County.

The problem is that the only parking area for this walk-in section is flooded and closed to public access, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). This parking area, known as Thomas O. Lawton Recreation Area, is located at the end of Malabar Road on the north side of the Three Forks area.

This closure will affect hunters who may have planned to park and walk into the area during the upcoming archery hunting season, which begins Saturday and runs through Oct. 19. Right now the only way to access this area is by way of the river.

"We don’t want to deny anyone the opportunity to hunt on the walk-in area, but it will mean getting there by boat, leaving the boat outside the walk-in area boundary, and then walking or wading in – whatever the condition dictates," said Jen Williams, hunting coordinator for the FWC’s Northeast Region.

Roads on two more wildlife management areas (WMA) have fallen victim to the flood waters of the St. Johns River, and road closures could last through the end of the archery hunting season on both areas.

Archery hunting season begins Saturday, Sept. 20, on Buck Lake WMA in Brevard and Volusia counties and on Salt Lake WMA in Brevard County. Hunters planning to use the areas may have to alter their hunting plans because of some road closures.

On Buck Lake WMA, Bear Bluff Road is flooded in several areas and is closed approximately 2.8 miles west of Powerline Road. This closure prevents access to several other flooded roads: Snake Creek Grade, Boar Road, Switchgrass Road and South Lake Run. These closures are expected to be in effect through the end of archery season on Buck Lake, which is Oct. 5.

On Salt Lake WMA, flood waters are flowing across Road 1 at Six-Mile Creek at a level of about 3 feet, and the road is closed at that point. That closure prevents access to Roads 3, 4 and 5, which also are largely submerged. These closures are expected to extend through the end of archery season on Salt Lake which is Oct. 10.

Biologists will evaluate the roads daily, and if water levels recede to allow access, the roads will be reopened.

During road closures, the wildlife management areas are open for foot traffic.

For information on hunting, call the FWC at 352-732-1225; for current site conditions go to www.sjrwmd.com/announcements.html#lands, or call Doug Voltolina, SJRWMD at 321-676-6614. For a hunt brochure and map of the Upper St. Johns River Marsh WMA, go to www.MyFWC.com/hunting/wma/2008-09/Northeast/UpperStJohns.pdf.