Refuges

Kulm Wetland Management District manages 3 small National Wildlife Refuges: Bone Hill Creek, Dakota Lake and Maple River. These Refuges were established by Executive Orders during the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration. These refuges were set aside as "a refuge and breeding grounds for migratory birds and other wildlife."

With the exception of a portion of Maple River NWR, these refuges are not owned in fee title by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. They involve easement agreements with private land owners giving the Service the right to flood lands or restrict "hunting , trapping and willful disturbance of any bird or wild animal of any kind whatsoever within the limits of the refuge or to enter thereon...". A more complete summary of these refuges follows.

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Bone Hill Creek National Wildlife Refuge

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Bone Hill Creek National Wildlife Refuge was established by Executive Order 8112, signed on May 10, 1939 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The Refuge boundaries encompass 640 acres of private land. A system of management easements allows the District staff to maintain a dam on the property and restrict hunting, trapping and other harassment of wildlife.

Bone Hill Refuge is located in LaMoure County, North Dakota. From Jud, North Dakota the northwest corner of the Refuge is 2 miles north and one mile east on county and township roads.

The Refuge is a migration stopover for waterfowl. Snow geese frequently stop in the neighborhood surrounding the Refuge during spring and fall migrations. Much of the Refuge lands are cultivated by the owner; however, some waterfowl nesting and brood rearing takes place on the reservoir and pasture portions of the Refuge.

Bone Hill Creek NWR is closed to all public use. Very limited opportunities for wildlife observation and photography are available from public roads around the Refuge.

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Dakota Lake National Wildlife Refuge

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Dakota Lake National Wildlife Refuge was established by Executive Order 8117, signed on May 10, 1939 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The Refuge boundaries encompass 2,784 acres of private land. A system of flooding easements and management easements allows the Service flood land within the river channel or to restrict hunting, trapping and other harassment of wildlife.

The District manages a low level dam on the James River called Dakota Lake Dam, also known as Ludden Dam or State Line Dam. Dakota Lake Dam was initially constructed by local people and the depression era Works Project Administration to raise the level of the James River, which frequently turned stagnant and toxic to cattle during summer months. The dam raises the level of the James River about one foot which holds water in old river channels, providing breeding, nesting and brood rearing habitat for many marsh dependent birds and other wildlife.

Dakota Lake National Wildlife Refuge is located in southern Dickey County, North Dakota. From Ludden, North Dakota proceed west on North Dakota Highway 11; the Refuge boundary is at the west end of town. North Dakota Highway 11 crosses the James River and the Refuge.

The James River is at the heart of major corridor for migrating birds. The Refuge is a migration stopover for many thousands of waterfowl and shore birds. Snow geese are one of the most obvious users of the Refuge during their spring and fall migrations. Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge in South Dakota is a scant 4 miles south of Dakota Lake National Wildlife Refuge.

Dakota Lake is closed to all public use; however, hunting, wildlife observation and photography can be quite good on public roads or private lands around the Refuge. April and October are good times to observe waterfowl migrations. An abundance of shorebirds migrate during late August and September.

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Maple River National Wildlife Refuge

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Maple River National Wildlife Refuge was established by Executive Order 8162, signed on June 12, 1939 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The Refuge boundaries encompass 1,120 acres of private land. A system of management easements allows the District flood land within the river channel and to restrict hunting, trapping and other harassment of wildlife.

The District manages two dams on Maple River NWR. A low level dam on the Maple River raises the level of Maple River and floods an adjacent 90 acre marsh area. A dam on Maple River marsh holds water in the marsh as flow in Maple River drops following spring run-off. Both the river channel and the marsh provide breeding, nesting and brood rearing habitat for many marsh dependent birds and other wildlife. Maple River is near enough to the James River to be part of the migration corridor for many species of birds.

Maple River National Wildlife Refuge is located in central Dickey County, North Dakota. From Ellendale the Refuge is located 4 ½ miles east on ND Highway 11, then 5 miles north and 1 mile east on county and township roads.

A 414 acre portion of Maple River NWR was purchased by the Service in the early 1960's with funds from the Small Wetland Acquisition Program. Lands purchased with Duck Stamp funds are delineated with Waterfowl Production Area (WPA) signs instead of the familiar blue goose Refuge sign.

Refuge portions of Dakota Lake NWR are closed to all public use. Portions of the Refuge owned by the Service and marked with WPA signs are open to public use. Hunting, wildlife observation and photography are available to the public on the WPA part of the Refuge.

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