Places to Go: Pony Express Lake CA

Pony Express Lake Conservation Area

Where doves fly

August’s heat can keep many folks indoors, but for many of those hearty souls visiting Pony Express Lake Conservation Area (CA), the focus is on their return visits in September.

“People are spending a lot of time out here gearing up for dove season,” said Wildlife Biologist Brian Gilbert. “They’re really checking out a lot of fields because that’s kind of what we’re known more for in this part of the state — the dove hunting opportunities.”

Located on nearly 3,300 acres in DeKalb County, Pony Express Lake CA includes roughly 100 acres of dove-friendly sunflowers and wheat and a geography that complements the dove population.

“We’re on a nice high ridge that gets a lot of dove use,” Gilbert said.

Anglers can find fishing opportunities on the area’s eponymous lake, as well as three other fishing lakes.

Don’t be surprised to see large brush piles, as staff are working to restore grasslands that were overtaken by trees, Gilbert said.

“We’re doing a huge push in grassland renovation right now, so hopefully a lot of those grassland obligate birds are going to be cruising the area,” he said. “But everything we’re taking out, we’re either planting native communities back into or using fire to stimulate those native communities.”