Peck Ranch Conservation Area

Driving Directions

5 miles east of Winona on Route H, then 7 miles east on gravel in Shannon County.






Highlights

This area is predominantly forest with nearly 1,500 acres in glades, along with old fields, savanna, cropland and some wetlands. Facilities/features: primitive camping, picnic areas, firearms range, viewing deck, two deer/turkey blinds, one intermittent stream and four Natural Areas (Grassy Pond, Goldenseal, Stegall Mountain and Mule Hollow).

About This Area

Peck Ranch Conservation Area is in northwest Carter County and eastern Shannon Couonty, north of Fremont.

The area consists of 23,048 acres of rugged, forested hills and hollows. Limestone and rhyolite glades provide natural openings among the oak-pin forest that dominates the region. Narrow ridges range from 900 to 1,000 feet in elevation. The area's highest point is Stegall Mountain, 1,348 feet above sea level. Rogers Creek and Mill Creek, which flow into the Current River, meander through the area.

Peck Ranch began as the dream of a wealthy Chicago businessman. After acquiring 19,000 acres along Mill and Rogers creeks, George Peck, and other investors established the Mid-Continent Iron Company. Peck's dream included clearcutting Peck Ranch to supply the 100 cords of fuel per day needed to fire the smelter's blast furnaces. He employed 200 families and installed his own teams to haul cordwood. The company town which sprang up around the smelter became known as Midco.

During World War I, the area continued to boom. The U.S. Government spent $3.5 million to install a wood alcohol distillery at Midco to be used in making ammunition. This period of prosperity was brief. The low-grade iron ore mill at Midco folded after the end of the war and a flu epidemic that ravaged the Ozarks. Peck returned to Chicago. The workers who remained in the area tried to eke out a living on the abused land.

When prohibition ended, the demand for white oak barrels surged. Griffith Stave Co., bought the remaining timber rights on Peck Ranch and revived the area's timber industry. The boom was short-lived, and Peck Ranch was once again for sale.

In 1945, the Missouri Department of Conservation purchased Peck Ranch for wild turkey management. Today, diverse management techniques, including prescribed fire and forest products harvesting methods, are being used to maintain and restore the many natural communities on Peck Ranch.

This conservation area was acquired in part through the Pittman-Robertson wildlife Restoration Act administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

General Information

Ozark

Shannon,Carter

417-256-7161

Owned by MDC

An access gate is located at the headquarters entrance. Refuge area/interior portion is closed to general public during managed deer hunts. ATV's are not permitted anywhere on Peck Ranch.

Activities
Activity
(Activity Explanations)		 Comments
(Population Definition)
Bird Watching  Glade, woodland, and forest interior and edge species. Excellent viewing of spring migrants and summer breeders. 
Camping in Designated Areas  5 designated primitive camping areas, 3 with disabled accessible privies.  
Demonstrations  Midco Pine Flats Restoration Area and glade management demonstration sites are found on the area.  
Hiking  Part of Current River Section of the Ozark Trail meanders through Peck Ranch. A short interpretive trail is located near the headquarters. Also good hiking opportunity on area access trails and roads. For a map of the Ozark Trail, visit http://www.ozarktrail.com/currentriver.htm. 
Hunting-Deer Good population. Three Managed Deer Hunts are held inside the wildlife refuge/fenced portion. The wildlife refuge is located within the interior of the Area and is posted with refuge signs.  
Hunting-Dove Fair population.  
Hunting-Squirrel Good population. Squirrel hunting is permitted outside of the wildlife refuge/ fenced portion. 
Hunting-Turkey Good population. The entire Area is open during the Spring Turkey Season. Fall turkey hunting is prohibited within the Wildlife Refuge/fenced portion.  
Nature Viewing  The Ozark Trail, nature trails, one viewing deck overlooking a beaver pond, several vistas, and three viewing blinds are located on the area. 
Other  Shooting range 
Other  Archery range 

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Conservation Department Facilities
Facility Item Name Count Comments
Camping Area - PrimitiveaccessiblePossum Hollow 1  Located at Peck Ranch headquarters. Disabled privies. 
Camping Area - PrimitiveaccessibleLittle Pine 1  Located next to archery range and walk-through archery course. Disabled privy. 
Camping Area - PrimitiveaccessiblePine Loop 1  Generator Camping Only. Disabled privy. 
Camping Area - Primitive Mill Creek 1  Tent camping only. No privy/restroom facilities. 
Camping Area - Primitive Long Hollow 1  Tent Camping Only. No privy. 
Fire Tower Stegall Mountain Fire Tower 1   
Hunting Blind - Deer/Turkeyaccessible 3  Disabled only 
Parking LotaccessibleHeadquarters 1  Gravel Parking Lot with a concrete pad.  
Parking Lot  4   
Picnic Table  10  Located at Area Headquarters 
Privy/Restroomaccessible 3   
Privy/Restroom  2   
Viewing Deck/Tower Beaver Pond Nature Trail 1   

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Features
Feature Item Name Count Size Comments
Designated Natural Area Mule Hollow Natural Area 1 369.00 acres Contains Dry Dolomite Woodland/Dolomite Glade Complex with many interesting plant and animals. For more information, http://www.mdc.mo.gov/areas/natareas/p43-2.htm. 
Designated Natural Area Grassy Pond Natural Area 1 2.00 acres 2 acre Sinkhole Pond. For more information, visit http://www.mdc.mo.gov/areas/natareas/p42-1.htm. 
Designated Natural Area Goldenseal Natural Area 1 100.00 acres For more information, visit http://www.mdc.mo.gov/areas/natareas/p42-2.htm. 
Designated Natural Area Stegall Mountain Natural Area 1 5387.00 acres This natural area includes all of the former Rogers Creek Natural Area; 3872 acres owned by MDC, 960 acres owned by The Nature Conservancy, 555 acres owned by the National Park Service. For more information, visit http://www.mdc.mo.gov/areas/natareas/p43-1.htm. 
Fishless Pond  119 0.00 acres These small ponds serve as wildlife watering holes and aquatic habitat for animals such as salamanders and frogs 
Spring  31 31.00 # gallons per day  
Stream - Intermittent  1 0.00 miles  
Stream - Permanent Rogers Creek 1 6.75 miles Headwaters Stream 
Stream - Permanent  2 16.00 miles  

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Land Cover Types
Land Type Acres Comments
Forest and Woodland 20867.00  
Crop Land 61.00  
Wetland 5.00  
Savanna 70.00  
Old Field 546.00  
Glade 1499.00  
Total Area Acres:23048.55 

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Designated Trails
Trail Name Trail Type Length
Peck Ranch Nature Trail Hiking (Non-Interpretive) 0.50 
Ozark Trail Hiking (Non-Interpretive) 11.00 

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Shooting Range General Information

-91.111980

37.024820

Privy

UnManned

Varies

TEMPORARILY CLOSED DUE TO FLOOD DAMAGE

Click Shooting Ranges for more information.

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