Allegheny Wildlife Management Area
Encyclopedia
The Allegheny Wildlife Management Area is located on 6202 acres (25.1 km²) on two separate tracts of mixed oak
-hickory
woodlands in western Mineral County
along the Allegheny Front
. The large land tract of 5034 acres (2,037.2 ha) is accessible via Pinnacle Road (County Route 4) and Pine Swamp Road (County Route 220/2) four miles (6 km) southwest of Keyser
. The smaller tract of 1168 acres (4.7 km²) is accessed by West Virginia Route 46 and Barnum Road (County Route 46/3) about 6 miles (10 km) north from Elk Garden
. The Barnum Road tract consists of old farm fields along the river and the ridgetop, connected by steep slopes.
opportunities include bear
, deer, grouse
, squirrel
and turkey
. Trapping for fur can include bobcat
, gray
and red foxes
and raccoon
. Fishing
in the North Branch of the Potomac River can produce smallmouth bass
, panfish
and trout
.
Camping is not permitted in the WMA.
fish have recently reported in the lower Potomac River
. Although no snakeheads have been detected in West Virginia, this invasive species from northern China
had been declared a threat to the state's aquatic ecosystem. Federal law prohibits transport of snakeheads across state lines. Anyone who catches this fish when visiting the Allegheny WMA should carefully note the catch location, kill the fish by cutting or bleeding, and contact a WVDNR district biologist. The snakehead should not be released back into the Potomac River or any tributary.
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
-hickory
Hickory
Trees in the genus Carya are commonly known as hickory, derived from the Powhatan language of Virginia. The genus includes 17–19 species of deciduous trees with pinnately compound leaves and big nuts...
woodlands in western Mineral County
Mineral County, West Virginia
Mineral County is a county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 28,212. Its county seat is Keyser.-Ancient history:...
along the Allegheny Front
Allegheny Front
The Allegheny Front is the major southeast- or east-facing escarpment in the Allegheny Mountains in southern Pennsylvania, western Maryland, and eastern West Virginia, USA. The Allegheny Front delineates the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians to its east from the Appalachian Plateau to its west...
. The large land tract of 5034 acres (2,037.2 ha) is accessible via Pinnacle Road (County Route 4) and Pine Swamp Road (County Route 220/2) four miles (6 km) southwest of Keyser
Keyser, West Virginia
Keyser is a city in and the county seat of Mineral County, West Virginia, United States. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 5,303 at the 2000 census.- History :...
. The smaller tract of 1168 acres (4.7 km²) is accessed by West Virginia Route 46 and Barnum Road (County Route 46/3) about 6 miles (10 km) north from Elk Garden
Elk Garden, West Virginia
Elk Garden is a town in Mineral County, West Virginia, United States. It is part of the 'Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area'. The population was 217 at the 2000 census. Elk Garden was incorporated in 1890 by the Mineral County Circuit Court...
. The Barnum Road tract consists of old farm fields along the river and the ridgetop, connected by steep slopes.
Hunting and Fishing
HuntingHunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
opportunities include bear
Bear
Bears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
, deer, grouse
Ruffed Grouse
The Ruffed Grouse is a medium-sized grouse occurring in forests from the Appalachian Mountains across Canada to Alaska. It is non-migratory.The Ruffed Grouse is frequently referred to as a "partridge"...
, squirrel
Squirrel
Squirrels belong to a large family of small or medium-sized rodents called the Sciuridae. The family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels, chipmunks, marmots , flying squirrels, and prairie dogs. Squirrels are indigenous to the Americas, Eurasia, and Africa and have been introduced to Australia...
and turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. Trapping for fur can include bobcat
Bobcat
The bobcat is a North American mammal of the cat family Felidae, appearing during the Irvingtonian stage of around 1.8 million years ago . With twelve recognized subspecies, it ranges from southern Canada to northern Mexico, including most of the continental United States...
, gray
Gray Fox
The gray fox is a mammal of the order Carnivora ranging throughout most of the southern half of North America from southern Canada to the northern part of South America...
and red foxes
Red Fox
The red fox is the largest of the true foxes, as well as being the most geographically spread member of the Carnivora, being distributed across the entire northern hemisphere from the Arctic Circle to North Africa, Central America, and the steppes of Asia...
and raccoon
Raccoon
Procyon is a genus of nocturnal mammals, comprising three species commonly known as raccoons, in the family Procyonidae. The most familiar species, the common raccoon , is often known simply as "the" raccoon, as the two other raccoon species in the genus are native only to the tropics and are...
. Fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
in the North Branch of the Potomac River can produce smallmouth bass
Smallmouth bass
The smallmouth bass is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of the order Perciformes. It is the type species of its genus...
, panfish
Panfish
A panfish, also spelled pan-fish or pan fish, is an edible game fish that usually doesn't outgrow the size of a frying pan. The term is also commonly used by anglers to refer to any small catch that will fit in a pan, but is large enough to be legal. However its definition and usage varies with...
and trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
.
Camping is not permitted in the WMA.
Invasive species
The air-breathing Northern snakeheadNorthern snakehead
The Northern snakehead is a type of snakehead fish native to China, Russia, North Korea and South Korea. In the United States, the fish is considered to be a highly invasive species...
fish have recently reported in the lower Potomac River
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
. Although no snakeheads have been detected in West Virginia, this invasive species from northern China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
had been declared a threat to the state's aquatic ecosystem. Federal law prohibits transport of snakeheads across state lines. Anyone who catches this fish when visiting the Allegheny WMA should carefully note the catch location, kill the fish by cutting or bleeding, and contact a WVDNR district biologist. The snakehead should not be released back into the Potomac River or any tributary.
See also
- Animal conservation
- HuntingHuntingHunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
- List of West Virginia wildlife management areas
- Recreational fishingRecreational fishingRecreational fishing, also called sport fishing, is fishing for pleasure or competition. It can be contrasted with commercial fishing, which is fishing for profit, or subsistence fishing, which is fishing for survival....