Places to Go: Atlanta Conservation Area

Atlanta CA

At more than 2,300 acres, Atlanta Conservation Area (CA) in Macon County offers prime hunting, fishing, hiking, biking, camping, and more, but that’s just the beginning, according to Wildlife Biologist Andrea Schuetz.

“We also manage it with a portion of land called the Long Branch Management Lands (ML), which we lease from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,” Schuetz said.

With 2,454 acres of Long Branch ML stretching along Atlanta CA’s western border and an additional section connecting to the area’s southeast corner, the combined area totals more than 4,800 acres and gives visitors additional access to wetland pools as well as the management land’s namesake waterbody, Long Branch Lake. The adjacent Long Branch State Park also adds more than 1,800 acres of outdoor opportunities.

A popular deer and turkey hunting destination during spring and fall seasons, Atlanta CA experiences a slowdown of visitors in February, but the area’s rifle and pistol range remains open, and its wetland pools draw early migrating waterfowl. And while it’s no longer deer hunting season, February makes a good time for hunting shed antlers, she said.

“You might not see monster sheds, but you’ll definitely find some sheds in February at Atlanta.”