Kansas A to Z: ‘M’ is for Mined Wildlife Area

Once the site of extensive strip mining, the Mined Land Wildlife Area (MLWA) of southeast Kansas today includes roughly 14,500 acres that have largely been reclaimed by nature, providing not only an ideal environment for fish, birds and game animals, but for human visitors as well.

Mining in the areas scattered throughout Crawford, Cherokee and Labette counties that are now designated as MLWA began in the late 1800s. The first tract of land donated and dedicated as a nature preserve was in 1926. More than half of the current MLWA, including more than 8,000 acres, was donated to the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism by the Pittsburg and Midway Coal Co. in 1981.

Today, hundreds of water-filled pits once used for mining are now managed for fishing. The MLWA features about 1,500 acres of public waters and some of the best fishing in the state, with largemouth bass, spotted bass, channel catfish, rainbow trout, walleye, crappie, bluegill, redear sunfish, wipers, bullhead and warmouth among the varieties that can be found.