Recreation (updated
yearly)
In support of the resource management goals and objectives for the
area and to provide a quality experience for all area users, the following
recreation activities are allowed.
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White-tailed Deer
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Hunting is limited to 2- to 7-day, high quality hunts that run from
October to April. A
hunting
license, Wildlife
Management Area Permit and a
quota hunt permit are required to hunt here, except for Small Game season. Check the Box-R Hunt Brochure for
the type of quota permit required for each season. Permits will be
issued by a random drawing from applications received from July 14 to
July 30. Public hunting at Box-R debuted in fall 2004. The deer, turkey
and hog populations on the area are fairly high. The area has a higher
deer density and a herd age structure that is older than deer herds on
most other lands in Franklin County. As more resources become available,
openings created by the previous landowner may be managed for dove
hunting.
The Apalachicola River, Jackson River and small creeks and
tributaries that flow through the property offer recreational
opportunities for anglers and paddlers. Visitors find excellent fishing
opportunities for largemouth bass, channel catfish, striped bass,
bluegill and bream. Fresh and saltwater species are intermixed in nearby
Lake Wimico, a 4,055-acre natural lake accessible only by boat via the
Intracoastal Waterway (Jackson River) from Apalachicola or White City.
Expect good bluegill and shellcracker fishing in the spring and early
summer in this wide and shallow lake. No boat launches are located on
site.
Reference the map of
Apalachicola River WEA (pdf file) for
current boat ramp locations in the area.
Fishing
license information.
The area's tidal freshwater and estuarine marshes, creeks, bottomland
hardwoods and pine flatwoods, support both rare and common wildlife. The
Apalachicola and Jackson rivers are an important component of the
Apalachicola Bay ecosystem and commercial and recreational fisheries.
You may request a copy or download or
print the Box-R Bird List -
pdf file and/or the adjacent
Apalachicola River
Bird List -
pdf file. Visit the Wildlife page
for more information about the area's wildlife.
Road through flatwoods
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No formal trails have been developed but hikers may use the 20 miles
of existing roads which provide access to rivers, creeks and most of the
representative habitats.
Cyclists may use all existing roads and will encounter diverse
habitats and wildlife. Off-road bicycles are well-suited for the unpaved
roads found at Box-R.
Horses may be used only during non-hunting seasons when vehicular
access is prohibited. There are no designated equestrian trails but
riding on all existing roads is permitted unless otherwise specified.
You can access at several points including the main entrance and on the
Bluff side. You can get a horse through the available opening at the
main entrance. There is plenty on parking space for horse trailers on
Tilton Rd.
Motorized and non-motorized boats may be launched at off-site
facilities, which will provide access to the Apalachicola and Jackson
rivers that border the property. Canoes and kayaks may enter two of the
site’s narrow creeks, Huckleberry Creek and Little Huckleberry Creek
from these two rivers. The best times to paddle are fall and spring when
temperatures are pleasant and bugs are few. Many paddling opportunities
are available on the adjacent Apalachicola River WEA. Reference the map
of
Apalachicola River WEA (pdf file) for
current boat ramp locations in the area.
