Sandy Hollow Wildlife Management Area is a hilly longleaf pine-dominated site. It’s managed by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries for upland game birds such as Northern Bobwhite and Mourning Dove.
Birding should begin at the self-clearing permit station near the WMA headquarters on Verberne Road. Specialty birds in this habitat include Wild Turkey, Chuck-will’s-widow, Cooper’s Hawk, White-breasted, Red-breasted, and Brown-headed Nuthatches, House Wren, Gray Catbird, Wood Thrush, Bachman’s and Chipping Sparrows, and Pine Warbler.
There are numerous clear cut openings maintained on the site for Northern Bobwhite and Mourning Dove habitat. These shaggy non-forested areas also harbor passerines such as Loggerhead Shrike, Northern Rough-winged and Tree Swallows, and Sedge Wren, along with nesting Eastern Bluebird (forest/field interface), Yellow-breasted Chat, Common Yellowthroat, Blue Grosbeak, and both Indigo and Painted Buntings. During the fall/winter/spring months these fields fill with numerous sparrows including Field, Song, White-crowned, White-throated, Grasshopper, LeConte’s, Vesper, Swamp, and Savannah.
Several partially maintained trails lead from the main road into the WMA. A good one to begin with is the primitive trail leading from the campground around a small pond, along a clear-cut field and on into the site. This pond is the only perennially-accessible water feature on the site where Wood Duck, Double-crested Cormorant, and wading birds such as Great Blue, Little Blue, and Green Herons, Great and Cattle Egrets might be lurking.
Site amenities include improved/unimproved roadways, undesignated parking, identification signage, primitive camping, trails, and porta-potties located at the site’s headquarters building.
The site is primarily used for upland game bird hunting and bird dog field trials/training areas. Hikers and horseback riders also use it. Generally not handicapped-accessible, the site does offer a a physically-challenged hunting event annually.
