St. Francis Sunken Lands Wildlife Management Area

The Sunken Lands, created from the New Madrid Earthquakes of 1811-12, became nationally famous as a hunting and fishing area about 100 years ago. Strung over about 30 miles along the St. Francis River Floodway, waterfowl hunting accounts for the majority of the area's recreational use. Squirrel, quail and rabbit also are abundant, and deer and turkeys are present in fair numbers. Fur bearers and non-game mammals, as well as migratory birds, inhabit the hardwood timber forests throughout the region. St. Francis Lake (actually a wide part of the river) provides good catfish, bass, bream and crappie fishing. Some isolated stands of old growth bald cypress still exist on the area, and there are excellent opportunities for bird watching and wildlife viewing. Area hosts a variety of shorebirds, eagles and several duck species, and area is flooded October through February to provide wintering habitat for migrant birds and ducks.