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Name & Zone:
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Harold Alexander Spring River
WMA Zone 290
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PDF
Map 605 KB
8.5x11
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County:
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Sharp
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PDF
Map 756 KB
11x17
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PDF Map
11.1 MB
11x17 Detailed
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AGFC
Interactive Map
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Flash Map - Side 1 3.57 MB
Flash Map - Side 2 3.29 MB
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Location:
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It is located approximately 6 miles south of Hardy, 4 miles north of Sitka, and 5 miles east of Highland in Sharp County. The nearest major cities close to the area are Jonesboro, 70 miles east, Batesville, 49 miles south and Mountain Home, 64 miles west.
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Phone:
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1-877-297-4331
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1
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About the
Name:
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The area was first named Spring River WMA because of it’s location and the fact the river runs along part of the area boundary. The name was changed to Harold E. Alexander WMA in recognition of the Commission’s retiring employee of that name.
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Ownership:
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Most of the area consists of parts of the old Down’s Estate. The land was first offered for sale to the commission in February 1974. In February 1976 the commission approved the purchase of the land.
13,000 acres were purchased over a five year period. Additional lands
where purchased in following years from Downs and a few other people. The finalized amount of land purchased was 13,444 acres.
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Age:
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Purchased 1976
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Purpose:
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The area was erected because of a growing concern of habitat loss in the area and to the east of the area. The primary goal was to create optimum habitat conditions for white tailed deer and turkey. With secondary goals for habitat development for quail, rabbit, squirrel and furbearers. As it stands now, the goal for the number of deer per acre has been reached. Management practices are now used to ensure it stays at this level with. Some quality management practices implemented. In the past, the area was being used as a restocking refuge for turkey. Turkey hunting is now allowed by permit only.
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Description:
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To best describe the area, it should be broken down into different segments for a better understanding of the area.
Topography - the area lies at the edge of the Ozark highlands. Topography ranges from gently rolling to hilly with narrow ridges and drainages. Elevation on the area range from 320 feet msl in the lower creek drainages to just over 800 feet msl on Buck Ridge in the southern portion of the area.
Vegetation - Upland hardwood forest is the predominant vegetative type on the area. This forest covers approximately 90 percent of the area and consists of various oak-hickory stands interspersed with eastern red cedar glades. The remainder of the area is comprised of openlands in the form of maintained field systems, small forest openings and utility and road right-of-ways.
Water - The area has 3 creeks, Rock, Ott and Pierce Creeks, all of which flow into the Spring River.
1.6 miles of the eastern boundary is comprised of the Spring River. There is a usable boat access within this section that can be used throughout the year.
The area has 78 ponds on it, ranging in size from 1/10 to 1 acre. Fields & Openings - there are 905 acres of old fields on the area. Within these fields are 84 food plots. In future plans more openings will be constructed in forest segments.
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Access:
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There are three accesses to the area. Two of which are on Highway 62/267 at Highland and at Hardy, signs are at these accesses. In each of these, the roads start out as paved and turn into county gravel roads. The third access is off highway 58 at Sitka, turn north on county gravel road at Sitka.
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Hunting
Opportunities:
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The major hunting opportunity is white-tailed deer. Three deer permit hunts are held each year; 1 muzzleloading and 2 modern gun. At each permit hunt an average of 300-450 permits are issued on a computer drawing basis. Archery season is the same as the zone regulations and dates. Turkey hunting by gun is by permit only. Five permit hunts are held each year with one hunt being a youth hunt. Approximately 30 permits are issued for each hunt. Turkey hunting using archery tackle is the same as the zone. Other hunting opportunities exist with squirrel, rabbit and quail. All permit hunts are for permit holders only. All other seasons are closed during permit hunts.
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Management
Practices:
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Plans are for there to be eventually 90 food plots averaging in size from 1/2 to 1 acre, scattered throughout the area where there are at least 2-3 plots per 1 square mile. The area has 22 miles of firelanes which equal 63 acres.
The management system is et up on a four year rotation. Each spring 15-20 plots are planted with three of the following; milo, cowpeas, soybeans, sorghum and corn. With these plantings and construction of nesting/refuge structures the quail population should increase over the next few years along with the rabbit population.
Each fall 10 - 15 acres of firelanes and plots are planted in orchard grass, lespedeza and clover. Also, 60-80 acres of food plots are planted in wheat. Other management tools consist of planting shrubs, such
as, honeysuckle, privet and autumn olive; controlled burning of 300-400 acres each winter to increase growth of native browse, fertilize the soil and control growth of unwanted plants; timber harvest, bush hogging and construction of nesting/refuge structures. The south end of the WMA (approximately 1/3 of the area) is closed to vehicle travel during the summer to reduce wildlife disturbance.
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Recreation
Other Than
Hunting:
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The other existing recreational opportunities that exist are fishing, canoeing along the Spring River, hiking, sight seeing on the natural area and a chance to observe bald eagles during late winter along Spring River. A boat ramp was built in the mid 1990’s on the WMA for access to Spring River.
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Other Points
of Interest:
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The area has 2 natural area: Ott Cave, a small cave adjacent to Ott Creek in Sect. 32, T19N, R4W. Bubbling Spring, located in Sect. 7, T18N, R4W and is the principle water source of Rock Creek.
The flow of the spring has been estimated at 1,500 gpm.
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Camping:
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The Rock Creek Natural Area is composed of 640 acres along the creek and some streams feeding into the creek. This natural area is in cooperation with the Heritage Commission. Along Rock Creek a ¼mile natural trail has been constructed that goes from the road bridge on the county road up to Bubbling Springs. The area has 5 primitive camping areas scattered in the area. Theses areas are maintained by the commission and camping is only allowed in these areas. Each camping area has 10 - 15 sites. Camping area 1 is in the north end , camping area 2 is located adjacent to the area headquarters in the middle of the area, camping are 3 is in the southern portion of the area and camping area 4 is in the southern portion of the area. The camping area on the river is closed from October through April.
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Restaurants
and Other
Facilities:
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Restaurants and grocery stores can be found close to either one of the accesses of highways 62/167 at Highland and Hardy. Motels and modern camping areas can be found at Hardy.
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Special
Facts:
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H. E. Alexander WMA is the largest commission owned area in North Central Arkansas and Wildlife Management District #9.
There are nine all weather roads on the area totaling 27.4 miles, 7 of which are county maintained. One of these roads are closed between May and September. All the other all-weather roads are open year round to the public.
There are 8.8 miles of secondary, commission maintained roads and 7 wood roads that are closed to motorized vehicles (including ATV’s).
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Safety:
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Careful considerations should be given to the location of the 9 holdings. Even though these are within the area and subject to management area rules and regulations, it is private land (some posted) and without permission from owners, should not be entered upon. Most of the boundaries along the inholdings are marked in some way.
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