North Dakota Outdoors - Wildlife Refuges

By Doug Leier, North Dakota Game and Fish Department

Arrowwood National Wildlife Refuge north of Jamestown. Photo courtesy of ND Game and Fish Department.

June 24, 2003 - North Dakota is home to more national wildlife refuges than any other state. Most of them were designed as havens for waterfowl because biologists and waterfowl managers understand, that North Dakota, as part of the Prairie Pothole Region, is of utmost importance to many breeding duck and goose populations

Arrowwood National Wildlife Refuge north of Jamestown in central Stutsman County is just one of 63 refuges North Dakota refuges. On the surface it appears this refuge is similar to many others, but a short visit this spring proved that our refuges are as diverse as their location.

Getting there

The simplest route to Arrowwood is to follow U.S. Highway 281 north of Jamestown about 25 miles. Near Edmunds, a sign redirects refuge-seekers to the east a few miles until you descend into the James River Valley.

The refuge itself encompasses 16 miles of the James River bottom. It's made up of four separate pools ranging from 1,600 acres of Arrowwood Lake near refuge headquarters to DePuy Marsh, a smaller pond of just under 400 acres.

Refuge manager Mark Vaniman has called Arrowwood home, literally, for the past 10 years. Mark is an Illinois native, and moved to Arrowwood from Kansas—a move with no regrets. "What makes this place so special is the diversity of resource, from fishing along the refuge to the deer, ducks, song birds and even turkeys," Vaniman said. "It's truly a special place."

The refuge mission

Mark Vaniman, Arrowwood National Wildlife Refuge manager. Photo Courtesy of ND Game and Fish Department.

The refuge was established on Sept 4, 1935 as a breeding ground for migrating birds. While this sounds straightforward, water management needs for flood control and Jamestown Reservoir downstream add difficulty to creating and maintaining suitable habitat, which is the refuge function.

"Work continues to progress on a series of canals which when completed will allow localized control over water levels," Vaniman said. "This system will then provide specific management to each pool. For instance, if our goal is to enhance the growth of sago pondweed for canvasbacks or tundra swans, we'll be able to adjust our water to the most desired levels.

"It's a work in progress and the initial results provide optimism we'll soon be realizing our goals."

Multiple use

As demand for outdoor recreation increases, refuges in North Dakota and across the country are allowing more uses, provided the activity complements the refuge's mission. Hunting is one of those opportunities. Arrowwood is open to archery and firearm deer hunting, with some special regulations. Upland game hunting opens the day after North Dakotas firearms deer season closes.

Arrowwood National Wildlife Refuge north of Jamestown. Photo courtesy of ND Game and Fish Department.

Interest in watchable wildlife activities is also expanding. One way Arrowwood tries to accommodate wildlife watchers is by maintaining an observation blind on a sharp-tailed grouse dancing lek. The blind is available by reservation during spring so viewers can get a close look at the sharptails' spring mating rituals.

The refuge also has a five-mile self-guided auto tour beginning near refuge headquarters. An audio cassette tape narrating the tour is available at headquarters. Visitors must keep in mind that no off-road vehicle traffic is allowed.

A picnic area and interpretive nature trail round out the amenities provided for visitors. While fishing and hiking are also allowed in specific areas, no camping, artifact collecting or snowmobiling is permitted.

The United States has more than 500 national wildlife refuges and each occupies a certain niche and is faced with unique challenges. To learn more, take a visit to Arrowwood NWR north of Jamestown and tell them Doug sent ya.

Leier is a biologist with the Game and Fish Dept in West Fargo. He can be reached via email: dleier@state.nd.us.