Richard K. Yancey
Richard K. Yancey WMA lies between the Mississippi and Red rivers, beginning north of Lower Old River. The WMA’s terrain is typically flat to depressed; the only significant changes in relief are elevated roads, levees, and a large manmade sand ridge. Numerous small lakes and bayous are formed by the area’s relatively poor drainage pattern. A large portion of the land is subject to annual spring flooding by the Red and Mississippi rivers.
Timber on the property consists of mixed bottomland hardwoods. The primary overstory species are bitter and sweet pecan, overcup and nuttall oak, bald cypress, honey locust, hackberry, sycamore, and green ash. There are almost pure stands of cottonwood and willow along the manmade sand ridge.
Activities and Amenities
Hunting and trapping: Popular game species are deer, turkey, squirrel, rabbit, waterfowl, woodcock, dove, and snipe. There is a small game emphasis area, youth deer and turkey lottery hunts, and a youth deer season. Furbearers available to trappers are raccoon, mink, nutria, beaver, bobcat, fox, otter, and coyote. See regulations for details.
In addition, there is a physically challenged deer season.
Fishing and boating: Annual spring flooding from the Red and Mississippi rivers produces excellent recreational and some limited commercial fishing. Common recreational species include bass, bluegill, crappie, and catfish. Crawfishing and frogging are also very popular on this WMA. Common commercial species include buffalo, carp, drum, gar, bowfin, and catfish. See regulations for details.
Camping: LDWF maintains five primitive camping areas on Richard K. Yancey WMA. There are all-weather access roads as well as a source of potable water at the Shell Road camping area.
LDWF has planted approximately 265,000 hardwood seedlings on about 800 acres of former agricultural lands and annually maintains abandoned oil well sites and rights-of-way as wildlife openings.
Acreage
70,872
Owner/Manager
LDWF, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Louisiana Office of State Lands
Directions
Richard K. Yancey WMA is located about 35 miles south of Ferriday on LA Hwy 15. LA Hwy 15 and 910 and a gravel levee provide all-weather access to the WMA. Gravel roads and numerous woods roads traverse the interior. You can also access the WMA by boat along the Red River and the numerous bayous that flow through the area.