Hagerman Wildlife Refuge: Part 2

Prairies of Hagerman Wildlife Refuge

Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1946, is located on the Big Mineral Arm of Lake Texoma consisting of about 12,000 acres incorporating prairie, woodland, marshes, ponds, and cultivated fields. The refuge is centered on a transition zone of Blackland Prairie to Eastern Cross Timbers.  Most notable is the winter home and migratory resting the refuge actively provides for thousands of waterfowl as the location is within the Central Flyway. The water levels are regulated by the construction of low earthen dikes to create a marshy wetland habitat during fall and winter, but drained in spring and summer to encourage growth of wild sedge, smartweeds, and millet. As a flood reservoir of Lake Texoma, there can be very notable variation during heavy rains or long droughts. Chiggers, ticks, venomous snakes, and feral hogs are what visitors should be cautious about. The refuge allows year-round hiking and fishing, seasonal boating, a 4-mile auto tour, and limited hunting which will soon include hogs. Pump jacks for oil and natural gas production are also located on various jetties around the refuge as mineral rights had not been purchased during the establishment of the refuge and remain under private ownership.

Information gathered from the main website, observations, and America's National Wildlife Refuges: A complete guide by Russell D. Butcher.