VALENTINE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

Valentine National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) was established in 1935 to protect a portion of the Sandhills and their wildlife. The unique nature of the Refuge was recognized in 1976 when the Sandhills prairie was designated as National Natural Landmark.  Valentine NWR is one of over 500 refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System – a network or lands set aside specifically for wildlife. Managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Refuge System is a living heritage, preserving wildlife and habitat for people today and for generations to come.

Nesting water and marsh birds include American bittern, blackcrowned night heron, upland sandpiper, long-billed curlew, American avocet, Wilson’s phalarope, grebes (eared, Western, Clark’s and pied-billed), American coot, black and Forster’s terns, Canada goose and nearly a dozen species of ducks. There are also burrowing and short-eared owls, Bell’s and warbling vireos, and red-winged and yellow headed blackbirds.
Valentine National Wildlife Refuge lakes are prime fishing areas for bullheads, bluegill, northern pike, large mouth bass, muskellunge, and yellow perch. Please refer to the federal fishing regulations for these lakes. Ice fishing is very popular on these lakes. 

Visit http://www.fws.gov/valentine/ for more information.