Russell Sage Wildlife Management Area is a large protected landscape in northeastern Louisiana spanning 38,213 acres across Caldwell, Morehouse, Ouachita, and Richland Parishes. Located near Monroe and Rayville, it holds a notable place in Louisiana conservation as the first wildlife management area owned by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, beginning with 15,000 acres purchased in 1960. It expanded over decades through acquisitions and consolidation, including the Kennedy Tract and the incorporation of Ouachita WMA in 2015. Its current footprint also includes land owned by other public agencies, making it one of the region’s larger managed public landscapes for habitat protection and outdoor use.