Freddie Black Choctaw Island Wildlife Management Area and Deer Research Area East Unit Watchable Wildlife Trails

Freddie Black Choctaw Island Wildlife Management Area and Deer Research Area East Unit Watchable Wildlife Trails

Distances
Levee Trail: 3.4 miles
Stroll through young timber and mature hardwood forest with barred owls and eastern wild turkey. Keep an eye on openings and edges for eastern bluebirds, orchard orioles and other songbirds. 

Mississippi River Trail: 2.8 miles
Walk along the Mississippi River and watch riverbank traffic with Choctaw Bar Island in the background. Look for waterfowl, shorebirds, wading birds, gulls, endangered least tern, Mississippi kites, osprey and an occasional bald eagle.

Rocky Hole Trail: 1.5 miles
Watch for waterfowl, shorebirds and wading birds along Rocky Hole Lake. Be on the lookout for wood stork and roseate spoonbill during fall migration. Old-growth bottomland hardwoods along the southern
end of the trail may hold migratory songbirds.

Old River Lake Trail: 1.7 miles
Waterfowl, shorebirds and wading birds are common along Old River Lake, along with Acadian flycatchers, yellow-billed cuckoo, various warblers and alligators.

Bald cypress trees along the Choctaw Island Watchable Wildlife Trails.

Wildlife and Habitat
Freddie Black Choctaw Island Wildlife Management Area and Deer Research Area East Unit covers 7,580 acres.The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission manages this public land within the levees of the Mississippi River, one of the largest watersheds in the world.The river and its wetlands support more than 400 species of wildlife, including 40 percent of  North America’s migratory waterfowl. Choctaw Island includes some of the most ecologically significant and productive habitat in the state. This is a prime area for hunting, fishing and wildlife watching. It’s managed for trophy white-tailed deer and provides habitat for the endangered least tern.

Camping
Four primitive campsites are available on the area.

Fishing
Kate Adams Lake is a popular destination for anglers pursuing bream, bass, crappie and catfish. A boat launch on the area also offers anglers and boaters access to the Mississippi River.

Hunting and Trapping
Hunters pursue deer, turkey, waterfowl and small game on the area. Only permit holders are allowed on the area during deer and turkey permit hunts. Furbearer trapping is permissible on the WMA. Check the Arkansas Hunting Guidebook for details and wear hunter orange when appropriate. Leash pets for their safety.