A large amount of land has been purchased for the state's newest wildlife area.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources recently purchased more than 18-hundred acres of land in Brown County. It's located in the southwestern portion of the county about 4 miles north of Ripley. The property is expected to open to the public in the fall of 2019, and will be known as the Eagle Creek Wildlife Area.
The wildlife area will house a portion of the area's wild turkey, white-tailed deer, bobcat, bald eagle, and bat population.
State officials say the land was bought for about $4 million and was funded by the Land and Water Conservation Fund, the Wildlife Diversity Fund and the Ohio Department of Transportation.
The Eagle Creek Wildlife Area will allow opportunities for hunting, fishing, trapping and wildlife viewing.