Backyard Adventures
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Beaver Pit 3A 3F 3E 3D 3B 3C AREA 3 64 Trestle Frog Ashby Surprise Island Pit 300 E 550 S AUGUSTA AREA 4 TO HUNTINGBURG Augusta Lake 4B 4C 450 E 450 E TO PIKE STATE FOREST OLD SR 64 4A Pigeon Whitney Ayrshire Road Sugar Ridge Road 150 S 375 S Patoka River Dogleg The Swamp East Twin AREA 1 AREA 2 2A 2B 2C 2D 475 S 50 E 100 E 125 E 175 E Buttermilk Road 61 TO WINSLOW (2 MI.) TO WINSLOW TO PETERSBURG ARTHUR tower West Twin Lotor Lake Piney Lake Arm TO AUGUSTA TO OAKLAND CITY TO AREA 6 TO AREA 5 Approximate Scale in Miles 1 0 AREA 5 300 E 5C 5D 500 E 500 E Mills Rd. 5B 5A 1300S 1300N Scales Rd. 68 PIKE CO. WARRICK CO. AREA 6 Beaver Pit Prairie Pond Fox Pit Barrett Pit Bethel Haul Rd. 1000 S 950 S 900 S 500 E 1000 S 950 S OLD SR 64 550 E 1150 S 1175 S 1100 S 625 E 6D 6B 6E 6F 6A 6G STENDAL Tulip Pit Mallard Pit Bass Pit FIVE POINTS 500 E 1200 S 1 0 Approximate Scale in Miles 61 257 364 SUGAR RIDGE FISH & WILDLIFE AREA This program receives federal aid in fish and/or wildlife restoration. Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1954 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the U.S. Department of the Interior prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin or handicap. If you believe you have been discriminated against in any program, activity or facility, or if you desire further information, please write to: Office of Equal Opportunity, U.S. Department of Interior, Washington, DC 20240. Approximate Scale in Miles 1 0 headquarters boat ramp archery range parking hunter sign-in 1A self-serve drop box property boundary water areas safety zone dog training area marsh shotgun range railroad rifle/pistol range pits are round like a lake. So you can go around a corner and fish an area and not see anyone else." "The Swamp," which is now located between East and West Twins pits at Area 1, "was grown up in all kinds of stuff," said Mann. He said it was a little area, maybe five acres and fairly restrictive. "It wasn't conducive to upland game like rabbits and quail like I thought it should be. And I thought, we can grow fish there." He said it had a single drain pipe under a road on one end. He took dynamite and put it on the end of a pole and put it into the drain pipe. Eventually, he said they had to get a dozer to take the pipe out. From that, they found out it held water. So they then built a concrete spillway on the other end and the swamp was created. Mann said the Cypress trees on one end of the swamp were mostly planted by Smith Niehaus. They then stocked it with a select variety of fish similar to most of the pits. The main species in all the pits are large mouth bass, channel catfish, red ear and bluegill. "Uniqueness of it (Sugar Ridge) is it is the only Indi- ana Fish and Wildlife area right now that was on coal mine strip ground," said Wade "We have received some newer reclamation. The old spoils have what they have to offer. It is good turkey and good deer," said Wade. The newer reclaimed ground is restored to near original contours or much more level and less severe. Wade said they are nice for upland game such as quail and rabbits. "It is good diversity and not found on any other fish and wildlife area." Sugar Ridge maintains two shooting ranges. A shot- gun range at Area number one and a rifle range at Area number three near Arthur. Originally, they both were at Area One. They had a rifle range that stretched out to 200 yards, which was near a former mine tipple. However, when the railroad relocated its tracks to run near the back edge of the range, it created a safety problem. Mann said they made a deal with the railroad, if they would get rid of the abandoned mine tipple and a slur - r y pit at the side, DNR would move the rifle range. Wade said he began looking for an area that would be a suitable area for the rifle range. "We tried to pick a spot that wouldn't be a bother as far as noise and wasn't a danger. We chose the spot in the spoils," said Wade. He said, basically they found a spot with three spoils banks and lev - eled off the one in the middle. "It was engineered by the seat of our pants. We had a couple of guys who came over from Public Access and helped us with it." What they ended up with is one of the better and longest rifle ranges in the area. Wade said, in Indiana, there is a shooting range at Attebur y Fish and Wildlife, which is not a commercial range, and then one at the Kingsbur y Fish and Wildlife. The Sugar Ridge range has 200, 100, 50 and 25-yard ranges. Wade also saw another change. Originally, the area was named Patoka Fish and Wildlife Area. But there was also Patoka Lake and, then in late 1990s, along came the Patoka National Fish and Wildlife Refuge. The common name of all three areas caused confusion. Wade said his office was constantly getting calls about Patoka Lake and the National Wildlife Refuge. So the Indiana Department of Natural Resources decided it was time for a name change. So they had a contest to come up with a new name. Wade said the two alternatives were Sugar Ridge and Sawtooth Hills. Sugar Ridge was suggested by a Pike Central High School student. He said they had a cere - mony for the name change and had the student at it and presented her with a painting. The name came from County Road 125 S., which goes from Highway 61 to Highway 57, past Area One. The road was called Sugar Ridge Road. Wade said local lore has it that the area had a lot of Sugar Maple trees along it. Along with hunting, fishing, hiking and dog training, it is an area good for bird watching and mushroom hunting. It is also a great area to go and get away from the hustle and bustle of ever yday life. "It is a place you can go and get lost," said Mann. "I have been on three other Fish and Wildlife areas. One by Laporte and one just north of Lafayette." "I would never trade the time I spent at Sugar Ridge. It was unique, different," said Wade. www.pickperry.com Experience African The The Bring Hotels—Casinos—Monon $2 469 812-936-3592 18 Backyard Adventures 2021 18 Backyard Adventures 2021