Service Regional Director Bill Hartwig, said, "Hunters will be able to hunt large game, small game and waterfowl as well as enjoy fishing on these newly opened refuges. We are committed to public use on our refuges and have been since they were established. The Presidents announcement further helps put our vision into practice."
Hunting and fishing opportunities are now available on 34 refuges and eight wetland management districts in the Region. Refuges previously open to hunting and fishing include: Illinois -- Chautauqua NWR, Crab Orchard NWR, Cypress Creek NWR, Mark Twain NWR (Annada, Brussels, and Wapello Districts), Union Slough NWR; Indiana -- Muscatatuck NWR; Iowa -- DeSoto NWR, Driftless Area NWR, Union Slough NWR, Union Slough WMD, Walnut Creek NWR; Michigan -- Harbor NWR, Kirtlands Warbler NWR, Seney NWR, Shiawassee NWR; Minnesota -- Agassiz NWR, Big Stone NWR, Fergus Falls WMD, Detroit Lakes WMD, Litchfield WMD, Minnesota Valley NWR, Morris WMD, Rice Lake NWR, Rydell NWR, Sherburne NWR, Tamarac NWR, Upper Mississippi NW&FR (LaCrosse, McGregor, Savanna, and Winona Districts), Windom WMD; Missouri -- Mingo NWR, Squaw Creek NWR, Swan Lake NWR; Ohio -- Cedar Point NWR, Ottawa NWR; and Wisconsin -- Fox River NWR, Horicon NWR, Leopold WMD, Necedah NWR, St. Croix WMD, Treampealeau NWR.
Hartwig noted that, while many refuges offer hunting and fishing opportunities to help manage populations so they do not exceed what the land can sustain, hunting and fishing are also traditionally acceptable uses of natural resources. Many locations, such as these three refuges, have harvestable surpluses of wildlife and can open opportunities to hunters to pursue their sport.
Game hunting on Patoka River NWR includes white-tailed deer, wild turkey, waterfowl and various resident small game. At Big Muddy NWR hunting includes deer, waterfowl and various small game. Emiquon NWR hunters can pursue migratory and upland game birds, deer and various small game.
"We ought to be increasing the number of opportunities for hunting and fishing on our refuges when it is appropriate, and I am especially pleased to be able to make this announcement in time for the beginning of the 1996 hunting season," President Clinton said, during his September 4 announcement. "This administration has now opened 20 new hunting programs and 16 new fishing programs in the past three years."
Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt, said, "This Nations national wildlife refuges are the most outstanding network of lands and waters dedicated to the conservation, protection, and enhancement of fish, wildlife and their habitat in the world. They benefit all Americans, and provide us with the opportunity to pursue an enormous number of outdoor recreational activities. I am pleased to include more hunting and fishing access on that list."
The National Wildlife Refuge System, established in 1903 by President Theodore Roosevelt, now includes 508 refuges and 3,000 waterfowl production areas in all 50 states and encompassing 92.3 million acres. The refuge system is administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as part of its mission to conserve, protect, and enhance fish and wildlife and their habitat for the continuing benefit of the American people.
In addition to the three Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region refuges, new hunting and fishing programs will be available to the public on the following refuges:
Hunting and Fishing: Arkansas -- Bald Knob NWR, Cossatot NWR; and Louisiana--Big Branch Marsh NWR
Fishing only: Louisiana -- Grand Cote NWR, Mandalay NWR; Mississippi -- Tallahatchie NWR; and Nebraska -- Boyer Chute NWR.
For more information on hunting and fishing opportunities on Regional national wildlife refuges, call Tom Worthington at (612) 725-3691.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 93-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System which encompasses more than 530 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 66 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices and 78 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies. For further information about the programs and activities of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region, please visit our home page at: http://midwest.fws.gov
