Cleco recently hosted the Wheelin’ Sportsmen of Acadiana at its Maknocknut Lake Plantation where half a dozen hunters with disabilities were treated to a duck hunt with a six-time Louisiana Duck and Goose Calling Champion. 

Once marginal farmland, Cleco’s Maknockanut is a 3,600-acre bottom land reforestation project managed by the company. Cleco planted approximately 500,000 hardwood seedlings, built permanent and seasonal water impoundments, created wetlands management areas and installed erosion control structures in an ongoing effort to restore the property for air and water quality improvement and wildlife habitat enhancement.

Maknockanut has hosted the Wheelin’ Sportsmen’s duck and dove hunts in central Louisiana for the past six years. “With the help of Wheelin’ Sportsmen, Maknockanut gives Cleco the ability to offer a hunting trip to some who may have thought they could no longer enjoy the outdoors,” said Jerry Nolen, Cleco’s transmission facility and maintenance administrator.

“Over the years, we’ve added hunting blinds to accommodate wheelchairs and a boat suitable for transportation.”  The Wheelin’ Sportsmen of Acadiana is a outreach program of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF).

The organization recently was notified they will receive an award at the NWTF National Conference held in Nashville, TN for their Gueydan Fun Day, a day of fishing, skeet and hay rides.

For more information call Donna Thibodeaux at (337) 254-8194 or email at wheelindonna@yahoo.com.