Pearl River County has a number of secluded places to enjoy. That is, when they aren’t littered with the remains left from a hunting or fishing trip.

There appears to be residents in our fine county that think these secluded areas are great for use as dumping grounds.

Recently I found two such areas, one was under a bridge and the second was at a boat launch created for public access to a local creek.

I found these dump sites while planning a kayak trip down the West Hobolochitto to  capture some pictures to share with friends interested in the endeavor.

As I approached the creek under Long Bridge on Beech Street, the strong stench of decay hit my nostrils.

After a bit of looking around, the source was evident, patches of fur and a black garbage bag typically used in the disposal of unwanted carcasses.

The same day, while checking out the boat launch off of Burnt Bridge Road, another discovery; a large alligator gar, along with several other skeletal remnants of someone’s successful hunting and fishing trips were piled at the edge of the rock drive.

It’s bad enough that we have a problem with litter along our roadways, but to add discarded kills to the list of refuse is worse.

And these dump sites don’t always occur along waterways. When I lived off of Oliver Davis Road, I frequently passed similar scenes along the wooded curve where no houses were built.

The thing is, while we do trash cans and a landfill in Millard to dispose of our paper, plastic and other litter, I am unaware of a place to dispose of the remnants of a successful hunting or fishing trip.

Certainly the previously mentioned trash can would be a good start, but maybe if there was some kind of public disposal site, maybe it would reduce instances of illegal carcass dumping that occurs in areas people would like to enjoy.