Military

Peason Ridge

Peason Ridge is a non-contiguous training area north of the Fort Polk main post consisting of Army lands (33,011 acres) and Forest Service lands (480 acres). Peason Ridge is 33,488 acres in size and is owned by the United States Army. Peason Ridge Wildlife Management Area is located eighteen miles north of Leesville, Louisiana in Sabine, Natchitoches and Vernon Parishes.

The terrain consists of gentle to high, rolling hills interspersed with creeks and green heads. Longleaf pine is dominant on some of the hills while a mixture of loblolly pine, longleaf pine, red oak, blackjack oak and post oak is found on other ridges. Some portions of the area support mixed pine stands of longleaf, loblolly and shortleaf. Groves of sandjack oak are also present. Large areas with little or no timber are common. The understory of these upland types is very sparse and contains wax myrtle, yaupon, sweetgum, dogwood, huckleberry, sumac and seedlings of the overstory.

The creek bottoms and green heads support an overstory of water oak, beech, magnolia, sweetgum, red maple and ash. Understory species include dogwood, buttonbush, French mulberry, wild azalea, hazel alder, hawthorn, red bay, white bay, black gum, viburnums and seedlings of the overstory. Game species available for hunting include deer, squirrels, rabbits, quail, woodcock, doves and turkeys. Trapping is allowed for raccoon, fox, bobcat, skunk, opossum, mink and coyote. All hunters and trappers must obtain an annual permit from the United States Army.

The Red-cockaded Woodpecker is the only endangered species known to occur on Peason Ridge. Camping is not permitted on Peason Ridge, but is allowed on adjacent United States Forest Service lands.