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Name & Zone:
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Sheffield Nelson Dagmar - WMA Zone 150 |
PDF Map 478 KB
8.5x11
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County:
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Monroe |
PDF Map 543 KB
11x17
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PDF Map 8.5 MB
11x17 Detailed
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AGFC Interactive Map
Coming Soon!
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Flash Map 3.6 MB
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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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Sheffield Nelson 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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Sheffield Nelson 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 Sheffield Nelson Dagmar on highway 70. |
Hunting
Opportunities:
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The hunting opportunities on Sheffield Nelson 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 Sheffield Nelson Dagmar. |
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. |
Recreation
Other Than
Hunting:
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Sheffield Nelson 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 Sheffield Nelson Dagmar. The 400-acre Apple Lake Waterfowl Rest Area is utilized by large numbers of ducks and wading birds. |
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 Sheffield Nelson 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. |
Restaurants
and Other
Facilities:
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Brinkley, located 6 miles east of Sheffield Nelson Dagmar has 4 motels and a RV site to accommodate visitors. |
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. |
Special
Facts:
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One reason Sheffield Nelson Dagmar is unique is the abundance and diversity of the wildlife and fishery resource. The diverse recreational opportunities available at Sheffield Nelson 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 Sheffield Nelson 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. |