Furor over plans to gate a wildlife management area near Idabel

(Idabel-AP) -- Some McCurtain County residents are raising a ruckus over plans to put gates in a state wildlife management area. <br><br>Gates installed around the 450,000-acre wildlife management area

Monday, November 3rd 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Idabel-AP) -- Some McCurtain County residents are raising a ruckus over plans to put gates in a state wildlife management area.

Gates installed around the 450,000-acre wildlife management area have been torn down over the last two months. Now, Bryan County officials are considering filing charges.

The area was created in 1996 when Weyerhaeuser, a timber company that owns the land, entered an agreement with the state.

The ten-year pact requires that the land be open for public hunting and fishing. But it also allows the state and Weyerhaeuser to close off roads in certain areas to preserve wildlife habitat.

Some residents say they're concerned that Weyerhaeuser may seal off the area completely.