Nearest city Jackson, MS Address Forest, MS 39092, USA Phone +1 601-469-3811 | Governing body U.S. Forest Service Area 722.5 km² Established June 15, 1936 | |
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Location Mississippi, United States Website Bienville National Forest Management United States Forest Service | ||
Bienville national forest public land gobblers
Bienville National Forest is a United States National Forest in central Mississippi. It is named for Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville. In descending order of land area it lies in parts of Scott, Smith, Jasper, and Newton counties. It has an area of 178,541 acres (72,253 ha). The forest is headquartered in Jackson, as are all six National Forests in Mississippi, but there are local ranger district offices located in Forest.
The Forest lies within the Southeastern mixed forests ecoregion and supports mixed forests of pine and oak.
The upper courses of the Leaf and Strong Rivers flow through the forest. Visitors can enjoy boating and fishing for bass, bream, and crappie on Marathon Lake and Shongelo Lake, and campgrounds and trails are open for hiking and camping.
There are three Wildlife Management Areas within Beinville National Forest: Bienville WMA; Tallahalla WMA; and Caney Creek WMA. Each of these WMAs offer excellent hunting opportunities for white-tailed deer, wild turkey, and various small game. Recent years have seen an influx of invasive wild pigs, which can be legally taken with legal weapons for any open season.