Bodcau Wildlife Management Area
Bodcau Wildlife Management Area is a protected area in Louisiana stretching from the Arkansas border about 30 miles south in a narrow strip roughly 1.5 miles wide. The landscape contains swamps with cypress trees, pine and hardwood forests on higher ground, open grasslands, and seasonal ponds and sloughs throughout.
The area was established by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and continues to be managed jointly with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to preserve both wildlife habitat and hunting traditions. Management practices including controlled burns and water level adjustments have shaped the land over time to sustain game and non-game animals.
The area takes its name from Bodcau Bayou, the major waterway that flows through it from north to south. This waterway has shaped how people relate to the land and continue to use it for recreation and sustenance today.
The area is about 17 miles northeast of Bossier City, reached by traveling north on Highway 157 from I-20. Visitors can camp at dedicated sites, use the free shooting range with targets for rifles and pistols, fish and boat on Ivan Lake or Bodcau Bayou, and drive ATVs on marked trails from September through February.
The free public shooting range is an unexpected feature for a wildlife area, offering visitors a safe place to practice firearms under supervision. This facility draws people interested in honing their marksmanship skills alongside those seeking outdoor recreation.
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