Bridges Repaired on North Carolina’s White Oak River Game Land
OutdoorHub 01.06.12
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has replaced two pedestrian bridges, allowing for an easier, safer walk for hunters traveling to the waterfowl impoundment on the White Oak River Game Land in Onslow County.
Two old wooden bridges, which had been in active use, have been replaced with aluminum floating bridges, allowing them to rise and fall with the water in the impoundment. The new bridges were strategically placed to allow hunters — who mainly arrive by boat — to cross the canals surrounding the impoundment and access prime waterfowl hunting areas.
“The new bridges that we installed are a great improvement over the old wood structures. These bridges are able to float up and down along with the water level, and will improve access for hunters using the impoundment,” said Chesley Ward, a technician with the Commission’s Division of Wildlife Management. “Because the bridges are aluminum, we anticipate maintenance in the brackish water to be very low.”
The old wooden bridges routinely became waterlogged, and were in constant need of repair. They also suffered hurricane damage. The new aluminum bridges are sturdier and will hold up better over time.
“The White Oak River Impoundment offers a great opportunity for waterfowl hunters to harvest a wide range of waterfowl species,” Ward said. “The management we do in this impoundment, or all of our impoundments, is not only beneficial to the hunter but probably even more so to the waterfowl. Before, throughout, and well after the seasons they provide critical habitat for migrating and wintering birds, and not just game species.”
