Wildlife Refuges of the Midwest – South Dakota
In our first installment of this series on wildlife refuges in the Midwest, I gave my 2 cents worth on why I felt like they were so important and also why I think they are kind of being taken for granted. Perhaps especially in the Midwest, where at least folks from other regions may not envision areas of wilderness and beauty as being present, I would venture to guess that close to a majority of folks would not be able to tell you whether or not a wildlife refuge exists in their state. If they did know, I am quite confident they could not name it or state what kind of wildlife was there or have an idea what the habitat was like.
So, here is another effort to do my small part to get the word out that there are some really cool places to go in the Midwest, and there is something to offer for everyone. If you want to go sit under a tree and listen to the songs of the resident birds you can do that. If you want to incorporate some hunting and fishing experiences, there are refuges that allow for your passion. If you are just happy to know these wild places exist in your state, that is okay too. But let’s make sure they stay that way.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
It seemed natural to look at the refuges in South Dakota after our piece on North Dakota. South Dakota is a very diverse state when you consider the Badlands, Black Hills, and prairies. Consequently, there are a varied set of wildlife refuges that populate the state. While there are not as many refuges as are to be found in North Dakota, they are very much worth a visit, and serve some critical purposes.
Located on the northern edge of the Nebraska Sandhills and in southwestern South Dakota, is Lacreek National Wildlife Refuge. In 1935 it was established as a refuge for migratory birds and as a breeding ground. It is 16,410 acres in size.
The terrain is mostly prairie, but also has marshes, meadows, and impounded water sources for wildlife. In 2001, an effort was begun to reestablish native prairies grasses and other plant species after the typical pattern of having been converted to croplands by settlers. A wide variety of managemnt techniques are in place to accomplish this. It is a fact that there are species of birds and
Lacreek National Wildlife Refuge is located in the northern extremes of the Nebraska Sandhills and home to a wide array of bird, plant, and animal species.
other wildlife that simply cannot thrive, or perhaps even avoid extinction, without native prairie biomes. Though the efforts are difficult and sometimes expensive, it is a worthwhile task.
There have been 282 bird species recorded in Lacreek. One notable species is the Trumpeter Swan. They were introduced to the area in the 1960’s, and at any given time there are between 100 and 300 present in the refuge’s borders. Additionally, there are many prairie species of other types of animals including both mule and whitetail deer. In the realm of aquatic life, the refuge has a network of springs that support a couple of rare species – the pearl dace and northern redbelly dace. Also, some of the waters are stocked with typical game fish like walleye, northern pike, catfish, and several others.
There are a variety of hunting and fishing opportunities on the refuge. Especially with regard to hunting, there are special regulations with which the sportsman must be familiar.
Hiking, wildlife photography, and even taking a designated auto tour of the area are additional activities that are popular. For detailed information on planning a visit, go to the Lacreek National Wildlife Refuge Website.
In Northeast South Dakota you will find one of the jewels of the National Wildlife Refuge system in Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge. It encompasses
Monarch at Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge courtesy USFWS
21,498 acres of critical habitat for a variety of bird and mammal species, as well as insects, plant and other living species. It is home to rare butterfly populations, treasures of migratory birds, and also a refuge for the folks who choose to make their way here.
The stewards of this awesome area have made every effort to balance the needs of preservation of the wild species that inhabit the area with the human visitors that make their way here. In doing so, they have struck a fine balance between hunters, photographers, bird watchers, anglers, and others. When any of human activities have come in conflict with the needs of wildlife preservation, as should be the case, the stewardship of wildlife populations get the nod. Despite this balance being admirably struck, as so often is unfortunately true, outside influences sometime shave negatively impacted life in the refuge. One example of this is the presence of asian carp.
Landscape at Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
These invaders from the southern Mississippi River system escaped holding pens and have gradually spread throughout the tributaries of the river system. It brings to mind the fact that despite promises that non-native species can be contained when allowed to be brought to the United States, they never are. It also brings to mind the necessity, despite the short-sighted views of some, of there being a coordinated management of natural resources by the Federal government. One state’s terrible choice to allow fish farming should not be permitted to have a devastating effect on states a continent away. I digress.
Sand Lake makes every effort to assist and promote visitors’ experiences on the refuge, all the way to having a backpack lending program. Their visitor center is a good place to start your visit. While there you can view the beauty of the refuge from an observational tower. For more information, visit their USFWS Website.
- Waubay National Wildlife Refuge
The last of the refuges we will cover in South Dakota is the 4,650 acre Waubay National Wildlife Refuge. Located in the prairie pothole region of northeast South Dakota, this refuge is primarily designed for preservation of migratory waterfowl.
The refuge, established in the 1930’s, is centered around Waubay Lake.
Waubay Area Prairie Pothole Lakes, courtesy USFWS
Waubay Lake fluctuates mightily in water levels, and consequently the types of ducks and other water birds present change with these levels.
According to the USFWS, when the levels are low, the lake supports diving ducks near the sago pondweed beds. When the water levels are higher, the timber area is flooded making great habitat for wood ducks. As a rule, blue-winged teal are the most numerous of the bird species in the refuge. There are a multitude of mammal species present, whitetail deer being the most often seen of the larger variety.
The refuge is a subset of the larger Waubay Wetland Management Unit, and a variety of management techniques are utilized. As is the case in many wild places in America, natural wildfires have been supplanted with prescribed burns. There a number of plant species that thrive after an area burns, and these prescribed burns are a part of the restorative effort of the refuge and management area.
There are hunting, fishing, and a variety of other recreation opportunities available on the refuge and in the management boundaries. The best thing to do to get a comprehensive rundown of these activities is the visit the refuge page for visitor information.
Visit back soon for next installment of Wildlife Refuges of the Midwest!
Related articles
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- Summer Jobs for Youth in America’s Great Outdoors (family-outdoors.blogspot.com)
- South Dakota Hunting Seasons Proposed (midwestdeerhunting.blogspot.com)
- Effects of Climate Change on Wildlife and Habitat Concern Most Visitors to National Wildlife Refuges (family-outdoors.blogspot.com)
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