Pee Dee National Wildlife RefugeRoute 1, Box 92Wadesboro, NC 28170704/694 4424

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service1 800/344 WILDhttp://www.fws.gov

October 2006

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Pee DeeNational Wildlife Refuge

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Pee Dee is one of over

540 refuges in the

National Wildlife

Refuge System which is

the world’s most

outstanding network of

lands dedicated to

wildlife. Refuges provide

habitat for over 200

endangered and

threatened species as

well as hundreds of other

birds, mammals,

reptiles, amphibians,

fish, insects and plants.

This blue goose,designed by“Ding” Darling,has become asymbol of theRefuge System.

Welcome to yourNational Wildlife RefugePee Dee National Wildlife Refuge islocated in both Anson and RichmondCounties in south-central NorthCarolina just six miles north ofWadesboro. Situated in the TriassicBasin of the lower piedmont, therefuge’s 8,443 acres of rolling hillscovered with pines and hardwoodsgently slope to the broad flood plain ofthe Pee Dee River. This area issurrounded by development with oversix million people from Charlotte toRaleigh. The refuge is an activepartner in efforts to maintain thenatural heritage of this area.

Part of a Network ofLands — Born ofNecessity, Managedwith CarePee Dee is one ofover 540 refuges inthe NationalWildlife RefugeSystem which is theworld’s mostoutstandingnetwork of landsdedicated towildlife. Refuges

provide habitat for over 200endangered and threatened speciesas well as hundreds of other birds,mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish,insects and plants.

The National Refuge System, firststarted in 1903 by President “Teddy”Roosevelt, is managed by the U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service andencompasses over 92 million acresacross the nation.

HistoryThe Pee Dee refuge is close to theonce famous “Lockhart Gaddy’s WildGoose Refuge,” located in Ansonville,North Carolina. Lockhart Gaddy, aone time avid goose hunter, turnedfriend of the geese in the fall of 1934.Using his four live decoys to attract

Canada goose

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the wild geese to his one acre pond,Mr. Gaddy was both surprised anddelighted to see his decoys attractnine wild Canada geese. This was thebeginning of the “Gaddy’s GoosePond”, as it is known today.

By the early 1950’s the flock hadgrown to an estimated 10,000 Canadageese and 1,000 wild ducks spendingthe winter at the worlds mostunusual goose refuge. Visitors from47 states and 11 foreign countriessigned the guest book in 1952. Thetradition continued each year from1934, with the first birds arrivingeach October flying with the fullmoon, and departing in mid-March.The Gaddy Goose Pond was closed tothe public in 1975 after the deaths ofboth Mr. and Mrs. Gaddy. The pondcurrently remains closed to thepublic.

In the 1960’s numbers of both geeseand ducks began to decline in south-central North Carolina. Fortunately,lands adjacent to the Pee Dee Riverand Brown Creek offered excellentpotential for waterfowl habitatdevelopment. With local and Statesupport, the Pee Dee NationalWildlife Refuge was established inOctober, 1963, to provide winteringhabitat for migratory waterfowl.

The original purpose for which therefuge was established was “…foruse as an inviolate sanctuary, or forany other management purpose formigratory birds”. Through new lawsand executive orders, the mission ofthe refuge continues to expand. TheNational Wildlife Refuge SystemImprovement Act of 1997 Act statesthe “big six” public use objectives.Through this executive order therefuge offers the followingopportunities to develop appreciationfor fish and wildlife; hunting, fishing,wildlife observation and photography,environmental education andinterpretation.

Wildlife HabitatsThe variety ofhabitats on therefuge supports adiversity ofwildlife species.The refugecontains 3,000acres ofcontiguousbottomlandhardwood forest

along Brown Creek. This area formsthe core of the largest bottomlandhardwood tract left in the Piedmont ofNorth Carolina. A 2,000 acre tractalong Brown Creek and ThoroughfareCreek bottoms has been deemed aSignificant Natural Heritage Areaand is listed in the North CarolinaNatural Heritage Program.

The refuge also contains about 1,200acres of upland pine forest and anapproximate 4,300 acre mosaic ofcroplands, old fields, moist-soil units,and mixed pine-hardwood forest thatintermingled with creeks, ponds,lakes and the Pee Dee River.Reforestation efforts in the old fieldshave provided habitats essential formany species of wildlife.

Wildlife on the RefugePeak populations of waterfowl in thefall and winter can exceed 10,000birds, with the majority beingmallards, green-wing teal and woodducks. Other ducks often seen arewigeon, pintail, gadwall, ring-neckedand black ducks. Unfortunately, the

large flocks ofSouthern JamesBay Canadageese, havedwindledsignificantly.However, severalhundred of thesemigrants still usethe refuge, aswell as a growingflock of resident

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Canada geese. Both color phases ofsnow geese, scaup, Northernshoveler, redheads, canvasbacks andtundra swans are seen occasionally.

Other than ducks and geese, therefuge is a stopping point ordestination each year for snipe,woodcock, hawks, owls, herons andegrets. Due to the decline of suitablehabitat the refuge is considered avery important area for neo-tropicalmigratory songbirds, especially alongthe Brown Creek bottomlands. Thecolorful blue grosbeak, goldfinch andindigo bunting are often seen alongthe roadsides and field borders. Therefuge bird list contains 188 speciesfound with varying regularity,including 92 breeding/probablebreeding species.

The refuge is home to many mammalspecies including the white-taileddeer, red and gray fox, bobcat,beaver, gray and fox squirrel, and

Easterncottontail rabbit.Many species ofamphibians andreptiles live onthe refuge andinclude spottedsalamander,American toad,pickerel frog,river cooter,Eastern boxturtle, greenanole, and

copperhead. The refuge waters arealso full of fish such as catfish,largemouth bass, and redear sunfish.

The Peregrine falcon is an occasionalvisitor to the refuge. The Southernbald eagle is commonly seen near therefuge building nests along the PeeDee River. Eagles can be seen duringthe winter months on the refuge nearthe flooded waterfowl impoundments.

ResidentWildlife

Endangeredand ThreatenedSpecies

OtherMigratory Birds

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Eastern boxturtle

A variety of management programsenhance wildlife habitat. Localcooperative farmers assist with therefuge croplands on a share basis,leaving part of their crops in the fieldfor wildlife. Only crops that arebeneficial to wildlife, such as corn,soybeans, and winter wheat aregrown.

Wide field borders are left aroundthe edge of the refuge farm fields.Refuge personnel plant these areasin beneficial crops such assunflowers, buckwheat, millet andchufa. These crops are both food andcover for a variety of wildlifeincluding quail, dove, turkey, rabbitsand a wide variety of birds. Nativewarm season grass fields replicateopen areas that occurred historicallythrough natural disturbances. Fewpeople realize there were once openprairies located in the Piedmontsection of North Carolina.

These natural grasses are morebeneficial to wildlife as opposed toexotic grasses that are more oftenplanted. The “biological” farmprogram, with its low chemical use,no-till planting method, wide fieldborders, and other wildlife-friendlypractices, serves as a model farm andstudy site for farmers, educators, andagricultural extension specialists.

Moist soil impoundments aremanaged by lowering and raisingwater levels, disking, mowing, orburning every few years to maintainplants in an early successional stage.These areas are shallowly floodedstarting in mid-October to achievethe proper water level desirable formigrating waterfowl, and are drainedover a period of weeks beginning inlate March to create the propergermination conditions for favorablemoist soil plants, such as smartweedand wild millet. During the drainingperiod, mudflats are produced, whichare used by migrating shorebirds in

Providing fora Diversityof Plants andAnimals

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RICHMOND COUNTYANSON COUNTY

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Thoroughfare Creek

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RICHMOND CO.M ONTGOMERY CO.

RICHMOND CO.MARLBORO CO.

N CAROLINAS CAROLINA

PEE DEE RIVER

Pee DeeNational Wildlife Refuge

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rvationge Headquartersge Boundaryng Area

waysd State Roadsge RoadsTraffic Only

early Spring. Selected impoundmentsare drained, disked, and shallowlyflooded in mid-July to createmudflats again for the early fallmigration of shorebirds.

Prescribedburning isconducted inupland pinestands to mimicthe natural firesthat historicallyburned throughthese areasevery two to fouryears. Thesefires suppress

hardwood trees, such as sweet gum,leaving an open stand of pines thatare preferred by certain plants andanimals.

Artificial nesting boxes with predatorshields are placed in open areas forbluebirds, and near water for woodducks. These boxes help duplicatenatural cavities that are scarcebecause trees are often cut downbefore they reach an age wherenatural cavities develop. Refuge staffand volunteers monitor these boxeson a regular basis.

Wood ducks are trapped and bandedas a means of monitoring thepopulation of these year roundresidents. Waterfowl surveys areconducted every two weeks duringthe winter months to monitorwaterfowl populations on the refuge.

Wildlife CalendarThis calendar is a general guide toseasonal wildlife events and habitatmanagement practices. Weather maycause slight variations. The besttimes to observe wildlife aregenerally early morning and justbefore sunset.

January - The Annual ChristmasBird Count is conducted in the firstfew days of the month. Waterfowl are

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concentrated on refuge ponds, lakesand impoundments, with anabundance of mallards, wood ducksand other puddle ducks. Canadageese may be seen in refuge fieldsand impoundments, and bald eaglesmay be sighted soaring over the PeeDee River and near refuge floodedfields. Prescribed burns may beconducted in upland pine stands tosuppress hardwood encroachmentand stimulate plant growth.

February - Most waterfowl arebeginning to migrate north near theend of the month. White-tailed deerbucks begin shedding antlers. Woodducks are searching for andestablishing nests in tree cavities orartificial nesting boxes.

March - Most migratory waterfowlare gone, and slow release of waterstimulates growth of natural aquaticplant foods. Wood duck and bluebirdnesting activity is monitored.

April - Songbird migration has begunand wild turkeys may be seen in openareas. Shorebirds may be observed inshallow waters and mud flats.Impounded water release continueswhile clogged culverts and watercontrol structures dammed bybeavers become a constant problem.The majority of corn planting iscompleted while wheat is turning agolden brown. Field borders arebeing prepared and planting hasstarted. Spring fishing starts inrefuge ponds and lakes. Adult andyouth turkey hunts are held.

May - International Migratory BirdDay is observed with a migratorybird count. Spring wild flowers are attheir peak. Prescribed burns areconducted in upland pine stands.Young wood ducks are seen in thevegetated perimeters of water bodies.

June - National Boating and FishingWeek are observed with a fishingrodeo for children during one of the

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first weekends ofthe month. Mostwildlife activityhas slowed dueto warmerweather. Deerare giving birthas are manyother wildlifespecies.Songbirds aretending toyoung. Wheat isharvested andsoybeans areplanted. Field

border planting is completed. Woodduck trapping and banding begins.Some areas may be closed for thisbanding activity for a couple ofmonths. Deer gun hunt applicationprocess starts this month.

July - Extremely hot weather slowswildlife and human activity greatly.Wading birds are seen in shallowwater poised over a potential catch.Deer observation is best with fawnsobserved grazing with their mothersin open field edges. Refuge staffbegin mowing trails, roads and rightof ways. The annual butterfly countis held.

August - Shorebird migration hasstarted. Wood duck banding andtrapping ends this month. New watercontrol structures will be installed ifneeded, and road and leveemaintenance projects are initiateddue to dry weather.

September - Teal migration is inprogress. Corn planted in fields iseither harvested or knocked downand left in fields to be flooded inpreparation for winter waterfowlmigration. Wildlife in general aremore easily observed toward the endof the month as temperatures beginto cool. Fall archery hunting for deerbegins this month. Dove hunts areheld this month.

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October - The fall waterfowl migrationbegins. Winter wheat is planted. Therut (mating season) starts and bucksbegin to stake their claim to aterritory. Refuge quota hunts for deerbegin this month. Trees, especiallydogwood, maple, oaks, and elms beginto turn the autumn colors of red,yellow and orange.

November - Ducks and geesecontinue to arrive in large numbers.Deer and other wildlife are oftenobserved in open areas. Many smallmammals are active. Refuge quotahunts for deer end this month.

December - Bald eagles are sighted inthe areas along the Pee Dee Riverand flooded areas. Winteringwaterfowl continue to congregate inflooded areas.

Public Use OpportunitiesThree hiking trails are available fordaily use. The Tall Pines Nature Trail(1/2 mile) and Brown Creek NatureTrail (1/4 mile) are accessible from theWildlife Drive. The Gaddy CoveredBridge Nature Trail includes two 1/4mile segments accessible from OneWay road.

The portion of the Pee Dee River thatruns through the refuge is part of alarger canoe trail down the Yadkin/Pee Dee River system. A popularsection to canoe runs from TilleryDam north of the refuge to the 109bridge just south of the refuge andcan be accessed from the refuge.

Fishing is open from March 15 toOctober 15 on several ponds, BrownCreek and the Pee Dee River.Sullivan Pond and Little Pond areopen for fishing year round. Boatramps are provided at AndrewsPond, Beaver Pond, and ArrowheadLake. All other fishing areas areopen to boats, but boats must beloaded and unloaded by hand. Nogasoline motors are allowed. Fishingis allowed seven days a week from

Birding andgeneralwildlifeobservationare thefastestgrowingactivities onthe refuge.

one hour before sunset until one hourafter sunset. Consult refuge fishingregulations for more details.

Hunting season generally runs fromearly September to late February fora variety of species. A free refugepermit is required for all hunts. Aspecial quota hunt permit is requiredfor all deer gun hunts and turkeyhunts. Consult the refuge huntingregulations for season dates,application procedures and otherhunting information.

Volunteer InformationA growing number of volunteersassist the refuge with a variety ofbiological and maintenance projects,including wildlife surveys, checkingnesting boxes, building trails andconducting education programs.

In 1997, a group of people from allwalks of life and varying distancesfrom the refuge came together andorganized Friends of the Pee DeeNWR. This non-profit group isresponsible for the building ofGaddy’s Covered Bridge. The Friendshave partnered with the refuge tosponsor annual events includingChristmas Bird Count, Night Prowl,and annual membership drive dinner.For volunteer opportunities andinformation on the friends group, callthe refuge office.

Enjoying the RefugeThe public is welcome to visit therefuge any time of the year from onehour before sunrise until one hourafter sunset. Some areas may beclosed by the refuge manager forspecific refuge activities. There areseveral motels and numerousrestaurants within a 15 minute drive.For more information, contact theAnson County Chamber of Commerceat P.O. Box 305, Wadesboro, NC 28170or by phone at 704/694 4181.

Layered clothing is recommendedduring cooler months and using insect

repellant duringthe warmermonths isrecommended.Ticks, chiggers andmosquitoes arecommon from Aprilto September.Binoculars,spotting scopesand field guidesare also highlyrecommended asyou travel throughthe refuge on footor by vehicle.

Prohibited ActivitiesAll government property includingnatural, historic, and archaeologicalfeatures are protected by Federal Law.Searching for and removal of theseobjects is strictly prohibited. Please donot pick flowers or vegetation.

Pets - Pets must be on a leash orunder control of owner at all times.

Littering - Littering is prohibited.Please take your litter with you.

Vehicle Access - The use of motorvehicles is permitted only on designatedroads. ATV’s are prohibited.

Weapons - Weapons are prohibited onthe refuge except as authorizedduring scheduled hunts. Firearmstransported in vehicles must beunloaded and encased or dismantled.

Camping and Open Fires - Campingand open fires are prohibited on therefuge. Camping facilities are locatednear the refuge. Consult the refugeoffice for details.

Alcohol - The use or possession ofalcoholic beverages is prohibited.

The refuge office is located onHighway 52 North, six miles northof Wadesboro. Refuge office hoursare Monday through Friday, 8 amuntil 4:30 pm.

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