Description
Leroy Percy Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is a 1,940-acre parcel located in Washington County, approximately 6 miles west of Hollandale on Highway 12. Leroy Percy WMA is located on Leroy Percy State Park and is one of two WMAs in Mississippi located on a State Park.
Camping and lodging are available at the park. There is no personnel assigned to Leroy Percy WMA, but personnel from local WMAs, Conservation Officers from Washington County, and Leroy Percy State Park personnel work together to achieve the WMA's goals.
This area is dominated by bottomland hardwood stands currently consisting of even-aged timber classes. However, timber thinning is being considered in the future. Approximately ten years ago ice storm damage opened up moderate portions of the canopy, which allowed sunlight to reach the ground and encouraged growth of deer browse.
The forest canopy in Leroy Percy WMA has since recovered and shaded out many of the herbaceous plants that occurred on the ground for wildlife. Future timber thinning will open the forest once again to promote vegetation growth. Black Bayou, in addition to several oxbows, runs through Leroy Percy WMA. Although these bodies of water are present, this WMA is not commonly susceptible to extensive flooding. During times of high water, oxbows of the old bayou are refilled and are easily accessible, but debris generally blocks them off when water levels are normal. Fishing opportunities exist on the area, especially on Black Bayou south of the weir, which is just south of Highway 12.
Fishing is also available in the lake that is accessible from the park headquarters building. Deer hunting is allowed with archery or primitive weapons throughout the entire deer season, although the area adjacent to the park headquarters is closed to hunting. Bucks are not eligible for harvest unless they meet the antler criteria specific to Leroy Percy WMA. This restriction has been in place for several years; therefore, some higher quality deer should be available for harvest this season.
All deer that are harvested on Leroy Percy WMA must have biological data collected at the park headquarters. Opportunities to harvest antlerless deer do exist and are encouraged.
Small game opportunities are primarily limited to squirrel hunting because of the habitat type. Squirrel numbers should be plentiful throughout the WMA, especially in older timber stands. Fair mast crop yields over the last couple of years should have maintained a huntable squirrel population, but the mast production has not been high enough to raise the population significantly. Black squirrels occur on the area, and should occur at relatively high numbers.
A 25-acre dove field is managed annually for a youth dove hunt on opening Saturday. After the youth hunt, the field is open to the public on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Hunter success on Leroy Percy WMA is moderate, although hunting opportunities are practically unrestricted. Hunting pressure, in general, is relatively low on the WMA, which tends to slightly increase the hunting quality.
The station with permit cards is located off Hwy 12 on the east side Leroy Percy State Park.