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Activities and Events
| June Activities 2009 look for new activity calendars May 2009 | Winter Film Festival |
| July-August Activities 2008 look for new activity calendars May 2009 | Volunteer Orientation |
| Wildlife Wednesdays | Yellow Rail Tours |
| Junior Duck Stamp Art Display | Children's Fishing Day |
| Scout Activity Day | |
| Refuge special events are made possible through the sponsorship of the Seney Natural History Association, a non-profit group dedicated to promoting a better understanding and appreciation of the natural history and environment of the Upper Peninsula, specifically, Seney National Wildlife Refuge | |
Yellow Rail Tours- Thursdays May 21& 28, 2009
Pre-registration is required & space is limited - call 906.586.9851 ext 16
Tours will start at 9pm at the visitor center and go until late in the night.
Back by popular demand, two yellow rail tours will be offered this year. Is it likely you will see a yellow rail? Unfortunately that is hard to predict. Last year was a decent year for locating rails on the refuge. The tour will give you a great opportunity to experience sedge marsh habitat at night. Leconte's sparrows and Sedge wren's are other exciting species we are likely to hear or see.
The tour locations and conditions will be be unknown until just before the tours so participants must be willing and able to deal with diverse conditions. Hiking in wet, unstable terrain may be a possibility and plenty of biting insects are nearly guaranteed.
Volunteer Orientation - look for 2010 volunteer orientation next May
2009 orientation - Learn about wildlife and meet new people. Be part of something fun!
9:30am until 2:30 pm at the visitor center. Lunch is provided. current volunteers are encouraged to attend as well as anyone interested in volunteering at the Refuge.
Email or call 906-586-9851 X16 if you want to learn more or register for orientation.
Wildlife Wednesdays - Wednesday Evenings 7pm-9:30pm, June, July, August 2009
Join us for a casual, guided auto tour. Tours take you onto part of the Marshland Wildlife Drive and also into the backcountry. This is a great chance to view wildlife, enjoy the scenery, and ask questions. Some seating is available in refuge vehicles, once those seats are full participants drive their own vehicles (caravan style) and use a radio to communicate with the guides.
Children's Fishing Day- Catch the Excitement!
Saturday June 13, 2009On Saturday, June 13, the Seney National Wildlife Refuge will hold its 20th annual Children's Fishing Day.
On the day of the event young anglers ( youth up to and incuding age 16) should register at the Visitor Center before fishing.Fish entries will be accepted between 9:00am and 2:00pm at the Visitor Center.
Fishing stations will be set up along the Refuge’s Fishing Loop. A limited number of fishing poles and bait are available for participants to use at these stations. Fishing is allowed from the shore along designated fishing pools and the show pools. Activities and games for the whole family will start at 12:00pm including arts and crafts,games, and much more. Certificates will be awarded to the first, second, and third place winners for largest perch and pike in four age categories. Prizes, provided by local businesses, will be awarded by random drawing.
A complimentary fish dinner for all participants and their families will be held at 3:00pm, followed by the awards ceremony.
We would like to thank The Seney Natural History Association for financial support along with the following businesses for their generous donations.Germfask: Big Cedar Campground, Germfask Trading Post and Northland Outfitters. Seney: Seney Party Store. Curtis: JR’s
Sport Shop, The Trading Post, and the Fish and Hunt Shop. Manistique: Hoholik’s Do It Best Hardware, Top O’ Lake Sport and Gift,
Jack’s Super Value. Munising: Glen’s Market, Holiday 155, Madigan’s True Value Hardware, Bob’s IGA. Newberry: Snyder’s Drug
Store and Foster’s True Value Hardware. Garden Corners: Garden Sport Shop. Marquette: Super One Ishpeming: Wilderness Sports
Shop. Thanks also to the VFW and United Methodist Church of Germfask for lending many chairs and tables.
Below are photos and comments about the 2008 event.
Nine-year-old Dylan Sears, of Germfask, caught the largest northern pike measuring at 30 3/4 ? inches. Twelve-year-old Henry Sawaski, of Newberry, caught the largest yellow perch measuring at 10 1/4 inches. By the end of the day, eighteen pike and four perch were brought to the measuring station, as well as several bullheads and sunfish.
Throughout the day participants took a break from fishing to play games in the Visitor Center, while volunteers measured and recorded fish. After a long day of fishing, participants indulged in a free fish dinner served by volunteers and members of the Seney Natural History Association. 70 pounds of whitefish was served, along with corn, beans and brownies. Hundreds of prizes, including fishing poles, tackle boxes and lures were awarded to participants. No one walked away empty-handed.
Saturday September 26th, 2009 (2009 event will be similar to 2008 event although some session topics will change. 2009 details will not be available until summer 2009)
2008 Event Details
10:00am - 4:30pm, $5.00 per scoutThis fun filled day is best suited for scouts in elementary school grades K-4. Join us for exciting and fun opportunities to explore Seney National Wildlife Refuge and complete requirements for Badges, Try-Its, Arrow Points and Achievements! All participating scouts will receive a Seney Scout Day badge. Pre-registration is required and spaces fill quickly.
Registration
Registration forms will begin being accepted Monday, August 25, 2008. As in years past, registration will be on a first come, first serve basis. Scouts will be accepted until either the event fills up or Monday, September 15, 2008. If you are selected for the event you will be notified by email, mail or phone. Your final schedule will be sent to you after registration closes (September 17-19, 2008).There are seventeen sessions this year with each session holding between eight and twenty five scouts. Sessions are 45 minutes long with the exception of "Something is Fishy", which is 1½ hours. Each session will be offered numerous times during the day.
There will be a $5.00 cost per scout to minimize no shows and finance Seney Scout Day patches, which will be given to all participants. Due to the nature of this event there is no guarantee that large groups will be able to stay together for all sessions.
A few reminders and suggestions
• Lunch is not provided so be sure to bring snacks and lunch. An hour break will be given to eat.
• Dress for the occasion. Dress in layers and bring rain gear.
• Arrive 30 minutes before your first session to allow adequate time to park and register.
• If you are selected for the Something is Fishy session, you may bring your own fishing gear.
For more information: please call Jody DeMeyere at (906) 586-9851 ext. 15.
This day is sponsored by the Seney Natural History Association .
USFWS Biologist Gregg Baldwin teaches Scouts about bird banding.
2009 exhibit July 1 - July 22
Artwork will be on display at the Visitor Center. Come view each state's best of show from the Junior Duck Stamp competitionEvery year, over 25,000 students from kindergarten to high school are involved in the Junior Duck Stamp Program. Each state presents awards in four different age categories and declares one Best of Show, which receives the top honor of being the selected representative for the state in the national Junior Duck Stamp competition. Presented here are the original art works of the first place winners for each state and the honors they have received including top ten rankings and honorable mentions.
Click HERE for more information on the federal junior duck stamp program.
Winter Film Festival 2010
Tuesday Evenings 7:00pm
mid February - mid March (actual dates will be announced in 2010)Get out of your living room and join us and other community members at the Refuge Visitor Center for a series of free films. Better yet....come to the Refuge early to go for a ski or snowshoe outing and then warm up with a cup of hot chocolate and a good movie. The Seney Natural History association will provide the hot chocolate and cookies, please bring your own mug. Films will start promptly at 7pm.
2009 film titles included
Empty Oceans Empty Nets
Journey of the Tiglax
America’s Lost Landscape – The Tallgrass Prairie
Life List
Monumental: David Brower’s Fight for Wild America
Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge – Home of the Great Kodiak Bear
Walking with Ghosts
Ride of the Mergansers
Email or call 906-586-9851 X16 if you want to learn more or register for orientation.
