Midwest Region
Conserving the Nature of America

Attention Hunters

Due to wildfire activity approximately 1,300 acres in the southwest corner of the Refuge will be closed to all hunting from November 4th, 2011 through the close of the ruffed-grouse season on January 1st, 2012. Actively burning peat has weakened the root system of many trees and pose potential hazards. We appreciate your cooperation, your safety as well as that of our firefighters is our top priority. The closed area will be marked with signs.  For more information stop at or call the Refuge Headquarters. Office hours are 7:30 am – 4:00 pm on weekdays. Phone:  218-449-4115.

View the closed to hunting map

 

Contacting the Refuge:

Refuge Manager: Margaret Anderson
e-mail: Agassiz@fws.gov or MidwestNews@fws.gov

22996 290th Street NE
Middle River, MN 56737
Phone: 218-449-4115
Fax: 218-449-3241
TTY: 1-800-877-8339 (Federal Relay)

Located 12 miles north of Thief River Falls
and 11 miles east on County Road 7


Information

View Refuge Hunting Brochure (2MB pdf format)

View Refuge Mammals Information (288 kb pdf format)

Downloads

Agassiz NWR CCP

Part I (1.2 MB pdf format)

Part II (4.1 MB pdf format)

Part III (3.1 MB pdf format)

Part IV (830k pdf format)

2005 Moose Mystery Research Summary Report (106k pdf format)

Adopt A Moose logoVisit the Minnesota Moose Mystery web site to learn of the efforts of Agassiz NWR and its partners to solve the mystery.

View Agassiz NWR brochure (632k pdf format)

View refuge wildlife information

View Refuge Profile Page

Refuge Facts

  • Established: 1937

  • Acres: 61,500 (4,000 in wilderness)

  • Refuge name changed from Mud Lake Migratory Waterfowl Refuge in 1961

  • Maintains a resident moose herd

Financial Impact of Refuge

  • Eleven person staff

  • 20,000 visitors annually

  • FY 2008 Budget: $1.8 million

Natural History

  • First drainage district organized to convert the marshes into arable land in 1909

  • Approximately $1 million had been spent on the drainage system by 1933

  • Tax assessments forced the state legislature to absorb the drainage taxes and authorize the land to be purchased as a wildlife refuge

  • The refuge lies in the bed of glacia Lake Agassiz in a transition zone between the coniferous forest and the tallgrass prairie pothole region

  • Supports 294 species of birds and 49 species of mammals

Refuge Objectives

  • Provide resting, nesting and feeding habitat for waterfowl and other migratory birds

  • Provide habitat for resident wildlife

  • Protect endangered and threatened species

  • Provide for biodiversity

  • Provide public opportunities for outdoor recreation and environmental education

  • Conduct research

Highlight

After a 100-year absence, a pair of trumpeter swans nested on the refuge in 2004. A second pair joined them in 2006.

Priorities

  • Implement new hunting opportunities

  • Implement habitat treatments in the open landscape focus area

  • Develop and implement management plans and provide protection for 5,400 acres of easements within the refuge’s seven-county management district

  • Investigate water quality and determine sediment and nutrient loads

  • Repair ditch 11

Public Use Opportunities

  • Wildlife observation

  • Environmental education

  • Auto tour route

  • Hunting (big game)

  • Three hiking trails (two accessible)

  • Wildlife displays in office

  • Photography

  • Two observation blinds

  • Three outdoor information kiosks

Last updated: November 1, 2011