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Name & Zone:
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Muddy Creek - WMA Zone 460
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County:
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Montgomery, Scott, Yell
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Location:
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It is in Montgomery, Scott and Yell counties. 10 miles Northwest of Mt. Ida.
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Phone:
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1-877-525-8606
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1
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About the Name:
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The name derived from a creek located on the area.
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Ownership:
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Primary ownership is by the U.S. Forest Service and Weyerhauser Corp.
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Age:
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The area was established in 1968 as a result of a "Memorandum of understanding" between the US Forest Service, Weyerhauser and AGFC.
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Purpose:
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The area was created to enhance management of all wildlife species in west central Arkansas.
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Description:
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Muddy Creek consists of 150,000 acres of moderate to rugged mountain terrain and narrow valleys. The
predominate timber types are upland hardwoods, shortleaf pine and mixed pine-hardwood. Typical of the
Ouachitas, the ridges run in an east-west fashion. Hardwoods a re generally found on the north and east
aspects of the mountains while pine occupies the south and west aspects. Numerous streams are found on
the area.
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Access:
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The area can be reached from Mt. Ida via US highway 270 west; 10 miles. From Waldron, take US highway 71
south, 6 miles to Needmore then state highway 28 east; 12 miles.
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Hunting
Opportunities:
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Numerous hunting opportunities exist on the area. In order of importance they include: deer, turkey, squirrel,
furbearers, bobwhite, cottontail, raccoon, mourning dove, coyote, woodcock, snipe and ducks. The area is
noted for its quality deer potential, primarily due to its terrain and older deer population. The area is famous for
its outstanding turkey hunting.
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Management
Practices:
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Several practices are utilized on the area to enhance wildlife. These include approximately 150 food plots,
several hundred acres of controlled burning, overstory mast development to increase acorn production,
honeysuckle planting, timber harvesting, waterhold development, midstory thinning and bushhogging.
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Recreation
Other Than
Hunting:
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For those who enjoy hiking and backpacking, the Ouachita Trail crosses the area from state highway 27 near Story west to US highway 270 west of Pencil Bluff.
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Camping:
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Camping is unrestricted on Forest Service land so finding a campsite is no problem. Developed campsites can be found nearby at the Big Brushy Recreation Area west of Pencil Bluff on US highway 270.
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Restaurants
and Other
Facilities:
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Motels and restaurants are available at Mt. Ida and Waldron and groceries can be found at Pencil Bluff, Parks, Story and Mt. Ida.
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Safety:
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There are some safety considerations to be aware of. There is the possibility of being temporarily lost. Keep in mind that the ridges run east-west and you should be able to travel in a consistent direction and eventually hit a main road. Potential bear problems will be avoided if you use common sense in dealing with garbage and
cooking materials.
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