Coalton Wildlife Area

About this Location

This 1,729-acre wildlife area is located in Coal and Liberty townships, Jackson County, Ohio. The wildlife area is accessible by way of county and township roads from US-35 and OH-93.

The topography of the wildlife area varies from steep and rocky to rolling hills. Trails established through previous logging activity allow easy access on foot through most of the property. Nearly all of this wildlife area is wooded. Oak, hickory, and yellow poplar are the dominant tree species.

The Chief Logan Council of the Boy Scouts of America once owned an 80-acre parcel within the boundary of the wildlife area. It was known as Ophir Falls Boy Scout Camp. The camp was located in the Southwest Quarter of Section 6 of Coal Township. This parcel was later purchased by the Mead Corporation in 1959.

The Mead Corporation would eventually purchase adjacent properties to form what is now known as Coalton Wildlife Area. The Mead Corporation, later known as MeadWestvaco, managed the property to produce wood fiber for their Chillicothe, Ohio paper mill. In 2007, the Ohio Division of Wildlife acquired the property from Scioto Land Company.

Timber harvesting through recent decades has produced a diversity of age classes which include young forest, brushland, pole, and saw timber. Management activities will continue to focus on maintaining diverse forest age classes to improve deer, squirrel, and wild turkey hunting opportunities.

White-tailed deer, wild turkey, squirrel, and cottontail rabbit are the principal game species. All furbearers known to this region are also common here. A rich variety of songbirds are also present due to the diverse forest types found here.

Features

  • Restrooms on site

Content from Official Website