Ashland County Park District

Introduction

     This 127 acre property formerly belonged to Tom and Pat Gordon, who developed, and maintained it a s a hunting preserve. Their hunting preserve drew hunters from all over the east coast. The Ashland Chapter of Pheasants Forever purchased the property from the Gordon's using grants from the clean Ohio conservation program and the Ohio Division of wildlife. In 2006  Pheasants Forever, who by charter are unable to hold land, gave the property to The Ashland County Park District, who will maintain it as a public hunting area, and park.

     This is a unique hunting and public park. A committee of hunters representing the park district, sportsman's clubs and conservation clubs in the county will hold the yearly lottery for the hunters and direct the hunting activities at the park

Hunting information

  Anyone who has any questions about the hunting rules and regulations should contact Jack Carmoney (419) 207- 9093

Natural History

Trail Map (pdf)

     The Black fork Bottoms Hunting area contains several habitats, including swamp forest, marsh, grassland and upland forest. The actual bottoms area of the park consists of high quality swamp forest that is part of the flood plain of the Black Fork of Mohican River. A good diversity of trees include Ohio buckeye and shagbark hickory. An uncommon wildflower growing in the swamp forest is the green dragon, a close relative of the Jack- in - the- pulpit.

 The marsh area is
also of high quality, with many native plants, including an aquatic carnivorous plant, the bladderwort, which captures aquatic organisms in it's bladders. The marsh area also serves as an important breeding grounds for waterfowl, such a Canada geese and the endangered trumpeter swan. Muskrat lodges provide nesting platforms for waterfowl.

Photo by Bob Asanoma    

The grassland has been planted on former agricultural land and will eventually have some native Ohio prairie added. Grassland will support a variety of animals , including rabbits, deer and many grassland birds.

     The upland forest is made up of different species of trees. These include various oaks, shagbark hickory, sugar maple, and American beech. many woodland flowers bloom here in the early spring and many animals also utilize the upland forest.

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