U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
St. Vincent
National Wildlife
Refuge
The National Wildlife Refuge
System is an extensive network
of lands and waters protected
and managed especially for
wildlife and its habitat by the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
which protects and manages
over 540 refuges for wildlife and
for people to enjoy from above
the Arctic Circle in Alaska to the
subtropical waters of the Florida
Keys and beyond to the
Thomas E. Lewis
Caribbean and South Pacific.
This blue goose,
designed by J.N.
“Ding” Darling,
has become the
symbol of the
National Wildlife
Refuge System.
St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge
is one of over 540 refuges in a
national system which encompasses
over 95 million acres of wildlife
habitat managed by the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service. St. Vincent
National Wildlife Refuge includes a
12,300 acre undeveloped barrier
island (known as St. Vincent) located
just offshore from the mouth of the
Apalachicola River and an 86 acre
mainland unit in Franklin county,
Florida as well as 45 acre Pig Island
in St. Joe Bay, Gulf County, Florida.
The island is dissected by dune
ridges, which are geological records
of ancient beaches and fluctuating
sea levels over the last 5,000 years.
Many of the sand roads on St.
Vincent follow these ridges,
extending from east to west the
length of the island.
Tom Barnes
The interdune areas vary from
freshwater lakes and sloughs on the
east end to dry upland pine forests
on the western end of the island. The
climate is mild and subtropical,
typical of the Gulf Coast, with an
average annual rainfall of 57 inches.
Four miles wide at the east end and
nine miles long, this triangular island
is larger and wider than most of the
northern Gulf Coast barrier islands.
Thomas E. Lewis
The refuge has managed to preserve,
in as natural a state as possible, its
highly varied plant and animal
communities. For instance: wetlands,
consisting of tidal marsh and
freshwater lakes and streams; dunes
dominated by live oak/mixed
hardwood overstory, scrub oaks, or
live oak/scrub oak mix; relatively
pure stands of cabbage palm; and
four different slash pine
communities, each with its own
unique understory species.
Prior to becoming a National Wildlife
Refuge, St. Vincent was used
primarily as a private hunting and
fishing preserve. Two of its previous
owners introduced a variety of exotic
wildlife to the island. A population of
sambar deer, an elk native to
Southeast Asia, still roams the island
today. Adult sambar deer average
500-600 pounds––much larger than
the native white-tailed deer, which
average 100-130 pounds on the
refuge. These two species have coexisted on St. Vincent by occupying
different ecological niches. Generally,
the white-tailed deer prefer drier
upland habitats, while the sambar
deer spend most of their time in the
marshes and other wetlands.
Frank Zoutek
Initially, the refuge was established
for waterfowl, but its mission has
been broadened to include the
protection of habitat for endangered
species and to provide a variety of
recreational activities.
A Haven for Endangered Wildlife . . .
St. Vincent provides sanctuary for a
number of endangered and
threatened species. Bald eagles nest
in pines near the freshwater lakes
and marshes. Loggerhead, green,
and leatherback sea turtles come
ashore to nest on the pristine
beaches. Wood storks stop here
during their migrations.
Don Pfitzer
In 1990, St. Vincent became one of
several south-eastern coastal islands
where endangered red wolves are
being bred. When they have been
weaned, the wild pups raised here are
taken to reintroduction sites such as
Alligator River National Wildlife
Refuge in North Carolina. These
solitary animals once roamed the
Southeast, but predator control
programs and habitat loss decimated
their populations.
12
77
10
65
20
Tallahassee
388
71
Panama City
Wilma
22
Wewahitchka
98
98
67
Sumatra
65
St. Joseph
Peninsula
Apalachicola
30
PIG ISLAND
98
DOG ISLAND
Apalachicola
Bay
ST. GEORGE ISLAND
Cape San Blas
LITTLE
ST. GEORGE
ISLAND
St. Vincent
National Wildlife Refuge
30
Port St. Joe
14 Mile
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Indian Pass
Hunt
Check in
Pickalene Rd
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Seasonal Closure
Hunt Check In
Trails
Fishing
Refuge Information
County Boat Ramp
5R
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Sand Road
3R
Cabin
St. Vincent Boundary
Salt Marsh/Lakes
Paved Road
d
2R
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1R
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Indian Pass Rd
Florida
St.
Vincent
National Wildlife Refuge
Refuge Office
479 Market Street
Apalachicola, FL 32320
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Miles
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1
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Apalachicola Bay
5 Rd
Sheepshead Bayou/Dry Bar
J Rd
6 Rd
I Rd
7 Rd
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West Pass Hunt
Check in
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Dune Rd
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Seasonal Closures are subject to change.
Contact Refuge Office for current information.
The Seasons of St. Vincent
Ospreys are nesting in dead snags
around the fresh-water lakes. Softshell turtles are laying eggs in sand
roads. Wood ducks can be seen
around nest boxes. White-tailed deer
bucks are dropping antlers. Young
eagles begin to test their wings.
David Vogel
Thomas E. Lewis
Tuck Stone
Spring
(March - May)
Summer
(June - August)
Loggerhead sea turtles are laying
eggs on beaches. Female alligators
are protecting nests in the marshes.
Wood storks are passing through.
Snowy plovers and American oystercatchers are feeding on the beaches.
White-tailed bucks are in velvet.
Fall
(September November)
Waterfowl, shorebirds and songbirds
are migrating. Peregrine falcons may
be seen. White-tailed bucks are
polishing antlers, approaching rut.
Winter
(December February)
Waterfowl populations peak. Bald
eagles and great horned owls begin
nesting. On warm days alligators can
be seen basking in the sun. Whitetailed bucks are in rut.
Thomas E. Lewis
Refuge Regulations
Please take your litter with you. No
receptacles are provided on the
refuge.
Fires
Due to high fire hazard, fires are not
permitted unless allowed with
camping permit only during refuge
hunts.
Collecting
Removing of artifacts, plants, or
animals is prohibited. Shelling is
permitted only on gulf beaches.
Weapons
Firearms, weapons, or fireworks are
prohibited.
Pets
Pets are prohibited on the island.
Disturbance
Disturbance of signed nesting areas
is prohibited.
Vehicles
Motorized vehicles (except bicycles)
and equipment are prohibited.
Monica Harris
Littering
A Look into the Past
Oldest pottery shards found on St.
Vincent indicate Indians inhabited
the island at this time.
1633
Franciscan Friars named the island
while visiting Apalachee tribes.
1750
Creeks and Seminoles, offshoots of
the Creek nation, entered area and
inhabited the island.
1868
George Hatch bought the island at
an auction for $3,000. Hatch’s grave
is the only marked grave on the
island.
1908
New owner, Dr. Pierce, spent about
$60,000 importing Old World game
animals.
1920
Island-grown beef cattle were sold to
Apalachicola markets.
1940
First oyster lease granted. Pierce
Estate sold first pine saw timber. St.
Joe Lumber Company built a
temporary bridge to island for
timber removal.
1948
Loomis brothers bought island for
$140,000 and imported zebras,
elands, black bucks, ring-necked
pheasants, Asian jungle fowl,
bobwhite quail and semi-wild turkey.
1968
St. Vincent purchased by Nature
Conservancy for $2.2 million. U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service repaid
Conservancy with money from
“Duck” Stamp sales. Established as
St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge.
Monica Harris
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Larry Klimek
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All recreation is daylight use only:
Visitors are welcome to photograph,
bird watch, fish, hike, and collect
shells without live animals inside.
The refuge is closed for general use
during hunts, fires, and storms.
Services: There is no potable water,
restrooms, nor public phones on the
island.
Access/Boat Ramp: Access is by
private boat or commercial charter.
Indian Pass public boat ramp is
located at the terminus of Florida
Road C30B. The ramp is about 1/4
mile from the island.
Refuge Office/Visitor Center:
Located in the Harbor Master
Building on Market Street in
Apalachicola. Hours are 8:00 am 4:00 pm Monday through Friday.
Information: Also available at the
outdoor exhibits located at the public
boat ramp at Indian Pass.
Fishing: Permitted on refuge lakes
but may be closed seasonally to
protect nesting bald eagles. Only
electric motors are permitted in
refuge lakes. Check current refuge
regulations before fishing.
Primitive camping: Allowed in
conjunction with refuge hunts only.
Contact the refuge manager for
details.
Management hunts for deer and
feral hogs: Held annually. Contact
the refuge manager for information,
permits, and regulations.
Hiking and wildlife observation:
Permitted along refuge roads. Roads
running north/south are numbered;
roads running east/west are labeled
with letters.
St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge
P.O. Box 447
Apalachicola, FL 32329
850/653 8808
saintvincent@fws.gov
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
1 800/344 WILD
http://www.fws.gov
February 2006
