Where many people see one of the most economically depressed regions in America, Alabama Black Belt Adventures sees potential.

The organization is using the region’s outdoors opportunities to open the door to other tourist attractions like arts guilds, restaurants and other historic attractions.

“There is so much in this region that really jumps out at you,” project manager Pam Swanner said. “I’ve really been surprised. I wasn’t really that familiar with the area, but there is a lot out there that people don’t know about.”

There are a number of lodges and tourist attractions in Dallas County alone. The project’s site, www.alabamablackbeltadventures.com, highlights some of these lodges that draw hundreds to the Black Belt every year. Here is an overview of Dallas County’s lodges and hunting grounds listed on the site:

Davis Quail Hunts

Davis Quail Hunts provides unforgettable quail hunting experiences shooting and hunting with first class bird dogs that are superbly trained and handled by Field Trial Hall of Famer and lifetime quail hunter, Colvin Davis. Located about 45 miles southwest of Montgomery, in the heart of Alabama, DQH offers fantastic and diverse wingshooting opportunities on beautifully manicured property, managed exclusively for Bobwhite quail. Davis Quail Hunts also offer spring turkey hunting and European-style pheasant shoots. The newly built private lodge has accommodations for up to six overnight guests.

Oyster Ridge

Oyster Ridge is 1,600 acres of outdoor paradise located in the heart of the Black Belt. When row crops began to fade away, pine trees soon took their place on the family farm. Today, there are 1,300 acres of loblolly and longleaf pine trees. The rest of the acreage is for food plots for deer and grain fields for dove, turkey, and quail. The lodge has a lot to offer from hunting and fishing trips, birdwatching, four wheeler rides, and youth and business retreats at the cabin, the opportunities are endless. The land is littered with thousands and thousands of 65 million year old fossilized oyster shells.

Tatum Creek Hunting

Located in the heart of the famous Black Belt Region in central Alabama, Tatum Creek Hunting Camp offers a great Alabama whitetail deer hunt on more than 6,000 acres of intensively managed and family owned property.  The lodge is  unique in the fact that it manages deer year round with several hundred acres of soybeans and corn to ensure quality bucks each and every season here in Alabama. All Alabama deer hunts with Tatum Creek are under the direction of a qualified wildlife biologist and have been on trophy management for more than 13 years.

Hamilton Hills Lodge

Hamilton Hills Lodge is located 55 miles southwest of Montgomery, 25 miles east of Camden, and 30 miles south of Selma in Dallas and Wilcox counties.Hamilton Hills is a family owned whitetail deer hunting lodge consisting of 4,625 acres. The lodge limits the size of hunting groups to four hunters, which translates to more than 1,100 acres per hunter. All of the hunting stands are enclosed “shooting towers” elevated 11 feet off the ground and are very comfortable during rain, cold, and windy conditions. Hunters will hunt winter cereal grain and clover food plots and greenfields, woodland trails and scrapelines, hardwood bottoms, timber clearcuts and cutovers.

Fuller Farm Preserve

Fuller Farm has 3,000-plus acres located in the heart of Alabama consisting of farmland with hardwood bottoms and hill country with hardwoods and pines. The family still has the farm under operation with cattle and hay. The Ocmulgee Creek runs right through the property so you may find time to do a little fishing for spirited bass or catfish. You can have a relaxing stay at the hunting lodge that sits on the bank of the beautiful Ocmulgee Creek and is nestled among towering trees. The lodge offers five bedrooms, three baths, sleeps 10, open room with fireplace, vaulted ceilings and 90 foot porches and down home cooking at its finest.