The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is evaluating a proposed trade/acquisition of land on the southern most portion of Bayou Meto Wildlife Management Area. The proposal involves five separate tracts of land, two belonging to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and three of which are currently owned by a private landowner, Goose Lake Farms, LLC.
The proposal would result in a net gain of 115.5 acres for the Bayou Meto WMA over the next three years. This proposal involves three separate land parcel groups as a single, “all or none” proposal. The AGFC is also being given an exclusive “first option” to acquire this property. If the AGFC decides not to purchase the property, Goose Lake Farms, LLC will proceed with selling the property to a private landowner.
The intent of the proposed trade/sale is to decrease the controversy over property lines between their property and the public ground. A similar proposal was presented in 2011 only to be postponed after intense public outcry at town meetings in Dewitt and White Hall.
The AGFC is seeking public input on the proposal and offers a survey and more details on their website at AGFC.com.
If you have an opinion on the matter, you are encouraged to participate in the survey and let you voice be heard.
Property in Bayou Meto rarely, if ever comes up for sale and this may be a once in a lifetime chance to improve access to public land hunters and eliminate trespassing and blurred property line disputes on the south end of The Scatters.
