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Welcome

At a public hearing this fall, the Devens Enterprise Commission (www.devensec.com) granted a Unified Permit to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to build a "Visitor Contact Station" at the Oxbow Wildlife Refuge on Hospital Road, Devens, MA. The architectural company hired to develop the design is Oak Point Associates (www.oakpoint.com), and the general construction contract has been awarded to the Nadeau Corporation (www.nadeaucorp.com). Site clearing has begun and if weather conditions remain cooperative, concrete will be poured the week after Thanksgiving. The work crew will move forward on as much as possible until snow falls, and will resume construction in early spring 2012. If you have any questions about this project please contact Susan J. Russo at 978.443.4661 x34 or Susan_J_Russo@fws.gov Please note this area is closed to all public access and refuge visitors are advised to stay out of the construction area.

Take a look at some pictures of the progress.

Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge is located in north-central Massachusetts, approximately 35 miles northwest of Boston, MA. The refuge lies within the towns of Ayer and Shirley in Middlesex County and the towns of Harvard and Lancaster in Worcester County. The refuge consists of approximately 1,667acres of upland, southern New England flood-plain forest, and wetland communities along nearly 8 miles of the Nashua River corridor.

Oxbow NWR was formed by three land transfers from the former U.S. Army, Fort Devens Military Installation, and a purchase of private land in Harvard, MA. Two of the transfers from the Army (May, 1974 and February, 1988) formed the original 711-acre portion of the Refuge located south of Massachusetts Route 2. The third Army transfer occurred in May of 1999, and added the 836-acre portion of the Refuge that is located north of Route 2. Finally, approximately 120 acres were added to the Refuge in April 2001, with the acquisition of the former Watt Farm property along Still River Depot Road in Harvard.

Upcoming Programs - please see Eastern MA NWR Complex home page under "We're a Complex"

Spring Turkey Hunting begins Saturday, April 28th for youth and Monday, April 30th for all others. Turkey hunting is allowed until Saturday, May 26th every day until noon except on Sundays where there is NO hunting allowed. Please click here for additional information.

ATTENTION HUNTERS

The application window for all hunting seasons is typically July 1st - August 31st. Please visit http://www.easternmapermits.com to apply online during this time. All lottery applications (shotgun & muzzleloader deer) need to be submitted by July 31st.

The application fee is $5.00 and the fees for each permit range from $10.00 to $30.00. All active military, persons 62 years of age and older, and those with a permanent disability receive a 50% discount on all permit fees. All applicants must pay the $2 - $3 processing fees per each individual season.
A non-refundable application fee must be included with your application. There are no fees for anyone age 17 years old or younger; youth hunters are also exempt from the lottery process, but still need to select each hunt he or she is applying for. If you are selected, you will be notified and at that time you will need to send in the appropriate amount of money for each permit. If money is not received within fourteen calendar days from the time of being notified, the lottery portion of your application will be withdrawn and we will go to the next applicant that was in the lottery. Checks or money orders must be made out to the Kinsail Corporation. Cash will not be accepted. Credit cards will be automatically charged if you are selected.

Applications that are missing any of the required information, including your application or processing fees, will be discarded, as well as multiple applications from the same hunter.

Applications which are illegible will also be discarded. The lottery is usually held by August 5th and notifications are made by August 12th. To apply online July 1-August 31, visit http://www.easternmapermits.com If you are inquiring about a permit outside of this application window, please contact Susan_J_Russo@fws.gov or call 978-443-4661 x34

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