Just 30 miles northwest of Vicksburg waits a 17,200-acre outdoor paradise offering year-round opportunities for recreation, study and appreciation of Mississippi’s land and water.

Tara Wildlife, with its mix of lakes, hardwood forests and agricultural prop­erty, is a haven for hunters, a nest for birders, a getaway for business leaders and a classroom for kids.

When world-recognized conserva­tionist Maggie Bryant founded Tara Wildlife, her idea was to create a site “committed to the management, devel­opment and sustainable use of a broad spectrum of natural resources.”

That mission is being met.

The facility, which was deeded to the nonprofit Purvis Grange Foundation in 2001, has three separate properties, the 6,500-acre Tara Hunt Club, the 2,800-acre Halpino property and Willow Point, a plot of land in Louisiana accessible only by ferry.

Tara Wildlife is best known for its hunting, with an abundance of whitetail deer on the property. Packages for deer hunting experiences at Tara Wildlife is limited to bow hunting only, are available from October through the middle of January. Turkey hunting takes place in the spring.

In February, whitetail season gives way to white-collar season, as corporate executives begin flocking to Tara. The facility is a popular location for meetings of trade associations, individual com­panies and families.

“The reason conferences and meetings are productive here is at the end of the day, you’re not scattering into the night,” says Mark Bowen, marketing director for Tara Wildlife. “It’s really good for team building.”

In the summer, Tara Wildlife is turned over to area youth for camp. Tara’s camps are designed for ages nine through 16.

Campers participate in canoeing, wildlife studies, proficiency training with bows, rifles and shotguns, and learn other outdoor skills during the week-long sessions. Professionals in a number of wildlife fields provide first-rate outdoor instruction.

Tara Wildlife is also popular for folks whose outdoor activities are more passive. Birders visit the site all year, and in August, Tara Wildlife is the home of the Mississippi River Nature Festival, a two-day event that features tours of the river and surrounding property.

While the property is a natural para­dise, it also benefits from its proximity to the city, Bowen says, adding that the staff is proud of “being a part of the Vicksburg community.”