Deep Fork National Wildlife Refuge

Deep Fork National Wildlife Refuge
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)
Kayaking in the Deep Fork Wildlife Refuge at sunrise
Map of the United States
Location	Okmulgee County, Oklahoma, United States
Nearest city	Okmulgee, Oklahoma
Coordinates	35°35′00″N 95°58′00″W / 35.58333°N 95.96667°W / 35.58333; -95.96667Coordinates: 35°35′00″N 95°58′00″W / 35.58333°N 95.96667°W / 35.58333; -95.96667
Area	9,000 acres (36 km2)
Established	1993
Governing body	U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/oklahoma/Deep%20Fork/

A map of the Deep Fork National Wildlife Refuge.

The Deep Fork National Wildlife Refuge is part of the United States system of National Wildlife Refuges. It is located in Eastern Oklahoma, near the city of Okmulgee. The preserve runs along both banks of the Deep Fork River for about 20 miles.

Description

The refuge was established in June 1993 and dedicated in February 1995.^[1] The land within its legal boundaries is 18,359 acres of which 9,600 acres were in public ownership in 2012. Additional land will be purchased from willing sellers as funds are available.^[2]

The refugee is a narrow ribbon of wetlands, oxbow lakes, swamps, and upland forests along the meandering Deep Fork River. More than 80 percent of the refuge floods annually, thus providing excellent habitat for waterfowl and a wide variety of other animals, including white-tailed deer, bald eagles, and wild turkey. 254 species of birds and 51 species of mammals have been recorded in the refuge.^[3] Beavers are so numerous as to be considered pests as are feral hogs.^[2]

Most of the vegetation in the refuge is bottomland forests of oak, pecan, elm, hickory, ash, sugarberry, walnut, riverbirch, and willow. The area has been logged in the past and most of the forest is still relatively young, although a few patches of mature forests can be found.^[3]

Recreation

An aerial view of the Deep Fork River in the National Wildlife Refuge.

Most of the refuge is open to the public year round. Several parking areas scattered around the refuge give access to visitors for bird watching, hunting, fishing, hiking, and boating. Near the headquarters the Cussetah Bottoms Boardwalk leads through forests, swamps, and beaver ponds for about one-half mile. In the southernmost part of the refuge a trail through forests follows an old railroad grade, thus elevating it above the frequently-flooded land. Deer, rabbits, squirrel, turkey, and ducks can also be hunted. The Deep Fork River is noted for large Flathead catfish and also has other species. Kayaking is popular in the refuge. Off-road vehicles are prohibited.^[2]

The Deep Fork National Wildlife Refuge is bordered on the north by the Okmulgee Wildlife Management area of 10,900 acres. Six miles of the Deep Fork River run through the WMA which is mostly upland and hilly rather than flat and swampy as the refuge is. Adjoining the refuge on the south is the Eufaula Wildlife Management area which preserves another seven miles of the Deep Fork River to its mouth at Eufaula Lake. Land in Eufaula WMA is similar in character to the refuge. The three areas together preserve in a near natural state more than 25,000 acres and 30 miles of the Deep Fork River.^[4]

References

External links

• Deep Fork NWR
• Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture - Deep Fork National Wildlife Refuge

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.