"It would seem from this fact, that man is naturally a wild animal, and that when taken from the…read morewoods, he is never happy in his natural state, 'till he returns to them again." --Benjamin Rush
It has been almost a year since I first visited Big Woods Wildlife Management Area (BWWMA), and I am happy to say that I finally went into the woods! My previous experience and subsequent review made me nervous to return, but this time I was prepared. In 2010, the Department of Forestry and Department of Game and Inland of Game Fisheries purchased the land from The Nature Conservancy (TNC)--they are a wonderful organization if you get the chance to check them out (www.nature.org). Thankfully, they had purchased the land from International Paper back in 2006. BWWMA opened in 2011 and has 2,208-acres in the coastal plain with various aged pine forest.
First thing, make sure you check out their website. If you have a fishing and/or hunting license, you are good to go. However, if you are like me, and just going for a hike, you need to purchase an Access Permit. You are able to order it online ($4 for a day) and print it out. I never saw anyone while I was there, but I carried it on my person just in case.
Second, print out the map on the website. I ended up using Line Pine Road, which is where one of the two kiosks is located. It is a gravel road, but easy to navigate--I was in my minivan with no problem. I parked at the Horse Path, and I would say the trail is approximately 2 miles return trip. The trail was very easy to maneuver, but there are lots of other trails to check out--I look forward to seeing more.
Here's what BWWMA has to offer:
* Hunting (white-tailed deer, bobwhite quail, eastern wild turkey)--hound hunting for deer
* Trapping
* Primitive Camping
* Hiking
* Birding
* Horseback Riding NOT Permitted
* No Restrooms or Port-a-potties
When I go to parks, I feel renewed and alive; but the moment when I walked into BWWMA, something felt off. Maybe it was all in my head--perhaps it was the shotgun shells scattered around the ground, or the animal bones piled near the gate. I'm used to going places that celebrate nature, not focusing on death. In my mind, BWWMA was all about hunting and killing animals. (*Please do not send me hate mail. I have no problem with hunting--I respect hunters. I just don't want to think about killing while I'm there.) I left that place with a bit of a heavy heart, thinking I wouldn't go back again.
Then I found out about the Red-Cockaded Woodpecker. This particular bird is a federally endangered species and can only be found in pine savannah forests of the southeastern United States. In fact, the only location it can be found in Virginia is here, and that was a big reason why TNC acquired the land in order to increase the population; they started with 12 birds and now it's up to 70. What a special treat that would be to spot the Red-Cockaded Woodpecker!
BWWMA is an important part of conservation. "What makes this land so significant is that it is considered to be one of the best locations in eastern Virginia to restore a functional pine savannah system capable of supporting a wide diversity of plant and animal life, including red-cockaded woodpeckers and bob white quail." Hunting is part of the whole cycle, and it is a rich tradition here in Virginia. I have changed my mind about BWWMA since researching the Red-Cockaded Woodpecker and the Department of Forestry and Department of Game and Inland of Game Fisheries and their mission. I will go back, but I will probably stay away during deer season.
