Erie

Erie NWR https://www.fws.gov/refuge/erie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erie_National_Wildlife_Refuge The Erie National Wildlife Refuge is located in Crawford County, Pennsylvania. Named after the Erie tribe, it was established to provide waterfowl and other migratory birds with nesting, feeding, brooding, and resting habitat. Approximate 237 species of birds are attracted to the refuge. The refuge consists of two separate land divisions. The 5,206-acre (2,107 ha) Sugar Lake Division is closest to Guys Mills, Pennsylvania and is 8.5 miles (13.7 km) east of Meadville. The Seneca Division, consisting of 3,571 acres (1,445 ha), is 10 miles (16 km) north of the Sugar Lake Division and borders French Creek near Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania.

Erie National Wildlife Refuge 11296 Wood Duck Lane Guys Mills, PA 16327 814/789 3585 E-mail: fw5rw_ernwr@fws.gov http://www.fws.gov/northeast/erie Federal Relay Service for the deaf and hard-of-hearing 1 800/877 8339 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 1 800/344 WILD http://www.fws.gov May 2011 Wood ducks Bill Marchel/Cornell Lab of Ornithology U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Erie National Wildlife Refuge Painted trillium Karlin Marsh/Meadville Tribune Erie National Wildlife Refuge, one of more than 550 national wildlife refuges in the United States, is a haven for migratory birds. The refuge is not on the shores of Lake Erie, but lies in Crawford County, 35 miles south of the city of Erie and Lake Erie. The refuge is a namesake of the Erie Indians, a Native American tribe that resided in the area. Erie National Wildlife Refuge is truly a natural gem of Pennsylvania, teeming with wildlife and wonderful habitat. Wildlife and Habitat Management Karlin Marsh/Meadville Tribune Violets Welcome to Your National Wildlife Refuge Erie National Wildlife Refuge consists of two separate land divisions. The Sugar Lake Division lies 10 miles east of Meadville on the outskirts of the Guys Mills village. It contains 5,206 acres lying in a narrow valley which includes Woodcock Creek draining to the north and Lake Creek draining to the south. Beaver ponds, pools, and marshland along the creeks are bounded by forested slopes interspersed with croplands, grasslands, marshes and wet meadows. The Seneca Division is about 10 miles north of Sugar Lake Division or four miles southeast of Cambridge Springs. It consists of 3,594 acres situated in a forested valley where Muddy Creek and Dead Creek provide much of the pristine wetland habitat. Erie refuge was established in 1959. The land was purchased with funds provided from the sale of the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamps, more commonly known as Duck Stamps. A management objective is to provide waterfowl and other migratory birds with nesting, feeding, brooding, and resting habitat. Additional objectives include providing habitat to support a diversity of other wildlife species and enhancing opportunities for wildlife-oriented public recreation and environmental education. Over 2,500 acres of wetlands, including beaver floodings, marshes, swamps, manmade impoundments (shallow ponds), creeks and wet meadows, provide desirable waterfowl habitat. Adaptive Wildlife and Habitat Management is the process of manipulating habitat, monitoring the consequences, and then determining whether specific habitat and wildlife goals were achieved. Refuge staff use a variety of tools to accomplish this management, including: n Manipulation of water levels in impoundments to encourage the growth of wetland plants as food, cover, and shelter for waterfowl and other wildlife. n Prescribed burning to recycle vegetation and nutrients to promote new growth of plants. n Mowing grasslands to keep those areas in a grassy state. n Periodically cutting large trees to maintain dry areas as shrubland for certain wildlife species. n Removing plants that are invasive and can change the natural processes of an ecosystem. n Restoring degraded habitat by planting new native trees, shrubs, or grasses, or allowing native plants (plants that thrived in this area before Europeans arrived) to regenerate. n n Dave Darney/USFWS Wildlife on the Refuge Birds Monitoring and surveying wildlife populations. Maintaining processes of naturally occurring habitats (streams, shrub swamps, marshes). Waterfowl migrations occur from March to early April and again from September to November. Bird enthusiasts may readily see Canada geese, wood ducks, mallards, bluewinged teal, and hooded mergansers. These birds are common nesters on the refuge. Some less numerous migrants are pintails, green-winged teal, American widgeon, scaup, bufflehead, golden-eye, ring-necked ducks, and black ducks. Red fox The diverse habitat types found on Erie National Wildlife Refuge attracts more than 230 species of birds, with over 100 species nesting on the refuge. A detailed refuge bird list may be obtained from the refuge office. Bald eagles nest on the refuge, and osprey visit in search of food. Redtailed hawks and American kestrels are common raptors that nest here. During the summer, shorebirds such as sandpipers and yellowlegs appear in small flocks, feeding on the mudflats. The most noticeable marsh birds are great blue herons, which nest in rookeries on the refuge. Some 47 species of mammals are present on the refuge. The most commonly seen are white-tailed deer, beaver, muskrat and woodchucks. Fish Common warm water fish occurring in refuge waters include black crappie, yellow perch, largemouth bass, bluegills, sunfish and bullheads. Common cold water species include brown trout, rainbow trout, and white suckers, found in Woodcock Creek. Amphibians/ Reptiles The refuge is home to 37 species of amphibians and reptiles. C

Fr Erie en ch C re e k Ro ad Muddy Creek HollyTrail wa mp National Wildlife Refuge k To Cambridge Springs 1.5 Miles Cre e Seneca Division S D T-819 ea d M d Roa p am Hank s Sw Seneca Division 19 6 ee Cr Exit 154 408 k 77 198 Gilberts Corners 86 Refuge Headquarters/ Visitor Center ? 27 27 Exit 141 Wooded Drive 173 427 285 Crawford Co. Venango Co. 322 Road Mercer Co. 79 North d 198 Roa New To Meadville 8.5 Miles Sugar Lake Division Guys Mills Meadville Franklin ? Boland Road Allen Road McFadden 27 Rd. To Sugar Lake Division - 10 Miles 408 198 Tsuga Nature Trail Shaf fe r R oad Legend Refuge Headquarters 27 Mt. Hope Refuge Boundary 173 Wildlife Observation Area Refuge Trail Deer Run Trail and Observation Deck Accessible Accessible Fishing Pier ? Restrooms Observation Blind Sugar Lake 173 9 ke 79 Guys Mills To U.S. Route 322 4 Miles 07 Cambridge Springs 198 Deer Run Overlook -20 La Sugar Lake Division To Meadville 8.5 Miles k Oil Cr e e ee k LR Beaver RunTrail Cr ee k Trolley Line Trail ? T-783 Cr To Seneca Division 10 Miles dy Ro ad d Wo odc ock u 408 ? Information Kiosk Stream and body of water Road Marsh 0 0 1 Kilometer .5 1 Mile 











Refuge Manager Erie National Wildlife Refuge 11296 Wood Duck Lane Guys Mills, PA 16327 814/789 3585 Federal Relay Service for the deaf and hard-of-hearing 1 800/877 8339 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 1 800/344 WILD http://www.fws.gov http://www.twitter.com/USFWSNortheast http://www.flickr.com/photos/usfwsnortheast http://www.facebook.com/usfws http://www.youtube.com/usfws http://www.fws.gov/northeast/newsroom TM E NT O F T H E TE RIOR U.S. DE R IN PA August 2011 M AR C H 3, 18 49 Blue Jay Dave Menke U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Erie National Wildlife Refuge Birds Introduction Erie National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1959, is located in Crawford County in northwestern Pennsylvania. The refuge consists of two separate land units. The Sugar Lake Division, containing 5,206 acres, is 10 miles east of Meadville on the outskirts of the village of Guys Mills. The Seneca Division, containing 3,594 acres, is 10 miles north of the Sugar Lake Division, near Cambridge Springs This list follows the Fifty-first Supplement to the American Ornithologists’ Union Checklist of North American Birds. Forests, swamps, beaver ponds, manmade impoundments, grasslands and croplands make up the diverse habitats that have attracted more than 230 species of birds. An additional 18 species have been observed only one or two times and are listed separately as accidentals. • Birds known to nest on or near the refuge Waterfowl migrations occur in March to early April and again from September to November. There are more wood ducks nesting on the refuge than any other duck; a good place to watch them during the spring migration is from our observation blind. In the spring, goslings and their parents also can be seen as they travel back and forth from Pool C to the Entrance Road Pond. Spring and summer are the times to look for nesting songbirds. Look for Henslow’s sparrow, a rare bird in most areas of the United States. This sparrow is secretive and usually sings its “slick” song from a low perch in an open field. Shorebirds, such as sandpipers and yellowlegs, can be seen in small groups feeding on mudflats during summer and fall. On a winter walk, black-capped chickadees, nuthatches, downy woodpeckers and dark-eyed juncos are easy to spot. Most birds are migratory and their seasonal occurrence and relative abundance are coded as follows: Season Sp spring S summer F fall W winter March – May June – August September – November December – February Relative Abundance Relative abundance indicates how frequently you might see a bird in its favored habitat. a c u o r abundant common uncommon occasional rare very numerous and readily seen likely to be seen or heard in suitable habitat present, but not certain to be seen seen only a few times during a season may be present but not every year Sp Geese – Swans – Ducks ___ Snow Goose ________________________ ___ • Canada Goose ______________________ ___ Tundra Swan _______________________ ___ • Wood Duck _________________________ ___ Gadwall____________________________ ___ American Wigeon ___________________ ___ • American Black Duck ________________ ___ • Mallard ____________________________ ___ • Blue-winged Teal ___________________ ___ Northern Shoveler __________________ ___ Northern Pintail ____________________ ___ Green-winged Teal __________________ ___ Canvasback ________________________ ___ Redhead ___________________________ ___ Ring-necked Duck __________________ ___ Greater Scaup ______________________ ___ Lesser Scaup _______________________ ___ Long-tailed Duck ___________________ ___ Bufflehead _________________________ ___ Common Goldeneye _________________ ___ • Hooded Merganser __________________ r c c c c c o c c u u c o o c r o r c o c S c c r o c u r c F W r c c c c c o c c u o c o o c r o r c o c r c o o r r u c r r u u r r o r r o o r Sp ___ ___ ___ Common Merganser _________________ o Red-breasted Merganser _____________ o Ruddy Duck ________________________ o Grouse – Allies ___ Northern Bobwhite _________________ ___ • Ring-necked Pheasant _______________ ___ • Ruffed Grouse ______________________ ___ • Wild Turkey ________________________ r u c c S F W r o o o r r r u c c r u c c u o u o Rails – Cranes Loons – Grebes ___ Common Loon _____________________ o ___ • Pied-billed Grebe ___________________ c ___ Horned Grebe ______________________ o Cormorants ___ r u c c ___ Northern Goshawk __________________ ___ • Red-shouldered Hawk _______________ ___ • Broad-winged Hawk _________________ ___ • Red-tailed Hawk ____________________ ___ Rough-legged Hawk _________________ ___ Golden Eagle _______________________ ___ • American Kestrel ___________________ ___ Merlin _____________________________ ___ Peregrine Falcon ____________________ Double-crested Cormorant ___________ o r ___ • Virginia Rail _______________________ ___ • Sora ______________________________ ___ • Common Gallinule __________________ ___ • Ame

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Erie National Wildlife Refuge 11296 Wood Duck Lane Guys Mills, PA 16327-9499 814/789 3585 www.fws.gov/northeast/erie/ Erie Federal Relay Service for the deaf and hard-of-hearing 1 800/877 8339 National Wildlife Refuge U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service http://www.fws.gov For Refuge Information 1 800/344 WILD R TM E NT O F T H E IN RIOR U.S. DE TE PA July 2010 M AR 4 C H 3, 1 8 9 Fishing Introduction Public Fishing Areas (see maps) Refuge areas are open for fishing one half-hour before sunrise to one halfhour after sunset. There is road access to most waters, foot travel to others. Refuge waters for fishing include Hanks Road (1-acre pond and stream access), Pool 9 (some bank fishing and non-powered-boat fishing), Meyers Pond (15 acres), Pool K (10 acres with access for disabled anglers), Reitz Pond (5 acres), and Muddy and Dead Creeks. All fishing seasons are in accordance with Pennsylvania state regulations. Available species include rainbow, brook and brown trout, largemouth bass, yellow perch, bluegill, sunfish, carp, crappie and bullhead. 1. 1 Woodcock Creek at north end— from northern refuge boundary, upstream or south past Hickory Corners Rd. 627 about one-tenth of a mile. 2. 2 Woodcock Overlook Pond—west side of Hanks Road. 3. 3 Woodcock Creek south— downstream from Hanks Road for 150 feet. 4. 4 Pool 4 outlet—downstream from Shaffer Road for 150 feet. 5. 5 Pool 9 dike area—bank fishing on the dike and below the dike along Lake Creek for about 400 feet. Boats without motors and ice fishing upstream from the dike north to Area Closed signs (3000'). 6. 6 Meyers Ponds 7. 7 Pool K—bank fishing along dike and 300 feet of southwestern shore. 8. 8 Reitz Pond dike. 9 Bank fishing all creeks and beaver ponds in the Seneca Unit, with the exception of the closed area (north of Muddy Creek and west of Swamp Road) from Jan. 15 - Aug. 15. c Fishing access is available for disabled individuals at Pool K (on the Sugar Lake Division), and on Muddy Creek via Muddy Creek Holly Trail (on the Seneca Division). All fishing must be in compliance with PA Fish & Boat Commission regulations and the following special conditions. Special Conditions 1. Area 9 is open to bank fishing only. Wading is not permitted. 2. Fishing is permitted from 1⁄2 hour before sunrise till 1⁄2 hour after sunset. 3. Boats (without motors) are only permitted in Area 5 and only from the second Saturday in June through September 15. Boats must remain in an area from the dike to Area Closed signs (3000' upstream). 4. All watercraft must be removed from the refuge within 1⁄2 hour after sunset. 5. Ice fishing is permitted in Areas 5 and 7 only. 6. The taking of frogs is prohibited. 7. The use or possession of live baitfish is prohibited on the Seneca Unit. 8. The taking or possessing of shellfish is prohibited. Miller Station Road Seneca Division Erie National Wildlife Refuge Fr enc h C re Cambridge Springs ek 79 Seneca Division 19 6 77 86 198 408 Guys Mills Sugar Lake Division Meadville 27 27 Ro ad Mud d Holl y Cree y Tr k ail 173 amp Johnstown Ro ad 427 Crawford Co. Sw Venango Co. 322 9 79 Mercer Co. Te e D Grey Town Hills Road Franklin ea eF d pl ev ill ek dd re Mu C ad Ro lats 408 y Henry Road pR o t tree eS at tl T Sw ra eT am n Li ey North eek o ll Tr ad Cr il LEGEND Refuge Boundary Roa d Stream and body of water Teepleville Area where fishing is permitted 408 Road Area Closed Jan. 15 — Aug. 15 Muddy Creek Holly Trail Access to Muddy Creek is available for disabled individuals along trail Trolley Line Trail Parking Areas (Approximate) 1 Kilometer 0 0 .5 1 Mile 6/2010 k Cree dc o ck Sugar Lake Division Woo 1 Erie National Wildlife Refuge Hickory Corners Rd. Road 2 M 0 .5 Hank s ys Gu 1 Kilometer 0 ad Ro ills 3 1 Mile LEGEND Refuge Boundary ke La 198 Refuge Headquarters k ee Cr Area where fishing is permitted Gilberts Corners 198 Stream and body of water Guys Mills Road 4 Accessible fishing pier S ha ff e r R o ad Accessible rest room Parking Road Road Beuchat Road Area Closed Jan. 15 — Aug. 15 Cambridge Springs McFadden New 198 27 . Rd Oil Creek North Allen Road North 79 Seneca Division 19 6 5 27 Fo wl e rR 173 86 oa d 7 408 Meadville Bo ga rdu sR oa d ga rL ke 27 Sugar Lake Division 27 173 a 8 198 Guys Mills Su oad Boland R 6 77 Mt. Hope R oad Sugar Lake 427 Crawford Co. Venango Co. 173 322 d Lake Creek Ro a 79 6/2010 Mercer Co. Franklin 

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Erie National Wildlife Refuge Big Game Hunting Welcome to Erie National Wildlife Refuge. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service established the refuge in 1959 primarily for migratory birds. Public hunting is a priority public use and can provide a quality recreational experience when pursued responsibly. We allow hunting of deer, bear, and turkey in accordance with Pennsylvania State laws and the following refuge specific regulations. Hunting Areas Continued Fall turkey season is open in the following areas: A, B, C, D, E, F and G. Big game hunting is permitted on the refuge only from September 1 through the end of February and for spring gobbler season. Scouting Scouting is allowed from August 25 through the end of February and for the seven days prior to the start of spring gobbler season. Species not listed on this and the Upland Small Game/Migratory Bird Hunting Fact Sheet may not be hunted. Permits Hunting permits are no longer required. However, hunters are still required to know and follow all refuge specific regulations. Hunting Areas Deer archery and muzzleloader seasons are open in the following areas: A, B, C, D, E, F and G. Deer regular and special firearms season is open in the following areas: A, B, C, D, E, F and G. Prohibited Activities  Using illuminating devices, including automobile headlights, for the purpose of spotlighting game species.  Camping, overnight parking, open fires and littering.  Use or possession of alcoholic beverages while hunting.  The use and possession of toxic shot is prohibited for shotgun hunting for all species except deer and turkey. Bear archery and muzzleloader seasons are open in the following areas: A, B, C, D, E, F and G. Bear regular and special firearms seasons are open in the following areas: A, B, C, D, E, F and G. Personal Property Hunters must remove all personal property including, but not limited to: blinds, platforms, scaffolds, tree stands, decoys and cameras from the refuge within one hour after hunting hours. Erie National Wildlife Refuge 11296 Wood Duck Lane Guys Mills, PA 16327 814/789 3585 www.fws.gov/refuge/erie www.fws.gov/refuges/hunting Federal Relay Service for the deaf and hard-of-hearing 1 800/877 8339 Hunting Hours for each week are defined in the Pennsylvania Hunting and Trapping Digest. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 1 800/344 WILD http://www.fws.gov Vehicles Vehicle travel is allowed on designated roads and parking areas only. Vehicles must not block access of gates. ATVs and snowmobiles are not allowed. August 2020 Injuries and Accidents Report all injuries and accidents to Refuge Headquarters at the address or number listed below. Spring gobbler turkey season is open in the following areas: A, B, C, E, and F. Areas D and G are closed to spring gobbler hunting. Areas Open to Hunting BIG GAME Deer (Archery and Muzzleloader Seasons) Deer (Regular and Special Firearms Season) Turkey (Spring Gobblers) Turkey (Fall) Bear AREA A AREA B AREA C AREA D AREA E AREA F AREA G yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes no yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes no yes yes U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Erie National Wildlife Refuge Upland Small Game/Migratory Bird Hunting Welcome to Erie National Wildlife Refuge. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service established the refuge in 1959 primarily for migratory birds. Public hunting is a priority public use and can provide a quality recreational experience when pursued responsibly. We allow hunting of upland small game and migratory birds in accordance with Pennsylvania State laws and the following refuge specific regulations. Upland small game and migratory bird hunting is permitted between September 1 through the end of February. woodcock, Canada goose, ducks, coot and crow in Areas A and E. Area B, C, D, F, and G are closed to migratory bird hunting. Scouting Scouting is allowed from August 25 through the end of February. Hunting Hours Hunting Hours for each week are defined in the Pennsylvania State Hunting and Trapping Digest. listed below. Prohibited Activities  Using illuminating devices, including automobile headlights, for the purpose of spotlighting game species.  Camping, overnight parking, open fires and littering.  Use or possession of alcoholic beverages while hunting.  The use and possession of toxic shot is prohibited for shotgun hunting for all species except deer and turkey.  Field possession of migratory game birds is prohibited in areas of the refuge closed to migratory game bird hunting. Species not listed on this and the Big Game Hunting Fact Sheet may not be hunted. Personal Property Hunters must remove all personal property including, but not limited to: blinds, platforms, scaffolds, tree stands, decoys and cameras from the refuge within one hour after hunting hours. Permits Hunting permits are no longer required. However, hunters are stil