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Name & Zone:
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Sheffield Nelson Dagmar - WMA Zone 150
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PDF Map
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County:
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Monroe
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AGFC
Interactive Map
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Location:
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Sheffield Nelson Dagmar is located 6 miles west of Brinkley in the northern part of Monroe County.
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Phone:
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1-877-734-4581
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1
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About the Name:
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The management area received its name from a small farming community that located in the vicinity prior to the 1927 flood. On March 20, 2008, the area was renamed after former commissioner Sheffield Nelson of Little Rock. Nelson served on the commission from 2000 to 2007. He was appointed by former governor Mike Huckabee. The area will now be known as the Sheffield Nelson Dagmar Wildlife Management Area. Nelson grew up in Monroe County where the WMA is located. |
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Ownership:
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Acquisition began in 1952 with the purchase of 5,265 acres from the Dacus Lumber Company. In 1955,
an additional 1,209 acres was purchased from the Townsend Lumber Company. In 1971, 1,262 acres was purchased from the Deview Water Company. In recent years, several small acquisitions brought the total acreage of the management area to 7,976 acres. The Commission owns the entire area.
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Age:
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The area came into being in 1952.
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Purpose:
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It was purchased as a refuge for waterfowl and small game.
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Description:
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Dagmar is a bottomland hardwood overflow area with many lakes, ponds, sloughs and bayous. Bayou
Deview, Robe Bayou, Hickson lake, Gator Pond, Bowfin Overflow, Straight Lake, Apple Lake Waterfowl
Rest Area and numerous other small lakes and sloughs occupy approximately 800 acres.
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Access:
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Dagmar is accessible from I-40 exiting at either Brinkley or Biscoe, depending on direction of travel, and
traveling state highway 70 west 6 miles from Brinkley or east 10 miles from Biscoe. Signs are posted at
the entrance of Dagmar on highway 70.
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Hunting
Opportunities:
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The hunting opportunities on Dagmar are available for the following species; cottontails, swamprabbits,
coyotes, deer, ducks and furbearers. Geese, dove, woodcock and snipe are hunted but with poor success. Raccoon hunting is good to excellent depending on water levels. Squirrel hunting is excellent some years and is probably the most sought after species on the management area. In order of hunter use I would list squirrel, deer, ducks and rabbits, as the most heavily hunted animals on Dagmar.
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Management
Practices:
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Practices are carried out as directed in the Wildlife Management Master Plan. Wildlife openings are
maintained by dicing, controlled burning, planting or mowing. These methods are used to treat particular
openings by rotation and are treated as deemed necessary by the openland inventory.
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Recreation
Other Than
Hunting:
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Dagmar is known for being an excellent fishing area. This activity may constitute the largest use by the
public each year. Crappie, bass, bream and catfish are the most sought after on the bayous, sloughs
and lakes throughout the management area. Birds of many species frequent the area and provide
recreational opportunity for the bird enthusiast. During some winters eagles may be observed in and
around Dagmar. The 400-acre Apple Lake Waterfowl Rest Area is utilized by large numbers of ducks
and wading birds.
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Other Points
of Interest:
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Bayou DeView would be a portion of the management area well worth viewing. The bayou is dominated
by cypress and tupelo trees with many of the large cypress being 450 to 1200 years old, according
studies completed by the University of Arkansas. In 1989 Dagmar was included as a wetland of
international importance by the Ramsar Convention.
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Camping:
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There are 14 primitive campsites on the area maintained by area personnel.
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Restaurants
and Other
Facilities:
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Brinkley, located 6 miles east of Dagmar has 4 motels and a RV site to accommodate visitors.
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Special
Facilities:
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The management area has 5 concrete boat launching ramps. They are located at Gator Pond, Big and
Little Robe Bayous, Apple Lake Waterfowl Rest Area and Hickson Lake.
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Special
Facts:
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One reason Dagmar is unique is the abundance and diversity of the wildlife and fishery resource. The diverse recreational opportunities available at Dagmar are seldom found on management areas of comparable size.
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Safety:
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Some visitors have been lost on Dagmar, but it is not a common occurrence. Due to the topography, a
compass would be advisable. Mosquitoes are abundant during the summer and sprays are a must to
survive. One main road traverses the area and is the only road designated as open. Non-graveled roads
are closed and three or four wheel ATV’s not allowed except by permit.
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