Santee National Wildlife Refuge 2125 Fort Watson RoadSummerton, SC 29148803/478 2217http://fws.gov/santee

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 1 800/344 WILD http://www.fws.gov

August 2010

SanteeNational Wildlife Refuge

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Santee National Wildlife Refuge,

established in 1941, is located in

Clarendon County, South Carolina.

The approximately 13,000 acre refuge

lies within the Atlantic Coastal Plain

and consists of mixed hardwoods,

mixed pine,

bottomland

hardwoods,

flooded

cypress,

marsh,

croplands,

old fields, ponds, impoundments and

open water. This tremendous diversity of

habitat supports many kinds of wildlife.

The four management units of the refuge

protect 39 miles of shoreline along the

northern side of Santee Cooper’s Lake

Marion. The office/visitor center offers

many interesting displays for public

viewing and is located off U.S. Highway

301/15(exit 102 off of I-95), seven miles

south of Summerton and four miles

north of Santee.

This blue goose, designed by J.N. “Ding” Darling, has become a symbol of the National Wildlife Refuge System.

Facts about Santee NWRnProvideshabitatforthreatened

andendangeredspeciessuchasthewoodstork.

n IsthesouthernmostextensionofthemigratoryCanadagoosepopulation.

n Hasbeentoutedasoneofthebestinlandbirdingareasinthesoutheast.

n Paintedbuntingsareasummerresidentandfrequentlynestontherefuge.

WildlifeAmyriadofwildlifespeciesinhabitthevariedlandscapeofSanteeNWR.Duringwintermonths,thebaldeagle,sandhillcrane,andoveradozenspeciesofwaterfowlcanbeobservedfeedingandloafinginrefugepondsandfields.FromNovemberthroughFebruary,woodducks,pintails,teal,shovelers,andring-neckedducksareamajorattractionforrefugevisitors.Throughouttheyear,red-tailedandred-shoulderedhawkscanbeseen,ascanavarietyofsongbirdsandwildturkey.

BirdsarenottheonlyresidentsofSantee.Forestedareasprovideahomeforwhite-taileddeerandotherwoodlandcreaturessuchasraccoons,

Photos: at left, Canada geese by Marc Epstein/USFWS; below: American alligator by USFWS

squirrels,andbobcats.Thepondsandmarshesprovideahomeforalligators,spottedturtles,andmanyotherreptilesandamphibians.

Habitat ManagementTosupportalargevarietyofwildlifespecies,intensivehabitatmanagementisamust.ThehabitatmanagementprogramsatSanteerangefromtheverybasictocomplex.

Oneofthebasicprogramsisthenestboxprogram,wherenestingboxesareplacedinareasthatarelackingavailabletreecavities.Over250nestboxesforwoodducks,bluebirds,andprothonotarywarblersaremonitoredbystaffandvolunteerstodeterminesuccess,broodsize,andnestingperiods.

Themanagedfreshwatermarshprogramismorecomplex.Waterlevelsareadjustedtoprovidemaximumbenefitsforwildlife.Intheimpoundmentsandmarshes,differentwaterlevelsareusedtohelpencouragedesirablevegetationtogrowwhilecontrollingunwanted“pestplants”.Theimpoundmentmanagementandwaterdeliverysystemswererecentlyupgradedtoprovideoptimumwaterlevelmanagementtothewetlands/marshareasmostheavilyusedbymigratorywaterfowl.

Installing a water control structure by Marc Epstein/USFWS

Seasonallyfloodedwoodlandscontainingmastproducinghardwoodsarefood-richandverybeneficialtowaterfowl.ThesefloodedwoodlandsarecalledGreentreeReservoirsandareindicatedasGTRsontherefugetearsheet.

Managementofcroplandsisalsocritical.Corn,wheat,andmilletareplantedtosupplementavailablenaturalfoodsandbenefitmanyspeciesofwildlife.

Enjoy Your VisitTheSanteeVisitorCenteriscurrentlyopenTuesdaythroughSaturday,8am–4pmandcontainsanumberofdisplaysdescribingrefugewildlifeandhabitats.TheCenterprovidesanexcellentopportunityforvisitorstobecomeacquaintedwiththerefugebeforeventuringoutandishighlyrecommended,especiallyforthefirsttimevisitor.

TherefugeisopendailyfromdawnuntilduskwithvehicularaccessontheCuddoUnitlimitedtothefollowingtimes:

October1–February28:7am–5pm

March1–September30:6am–8pm

AnautomaticgateontheCuddoUnitcontrolshoursofvehicularaccesstominimizedisturbancetowildlife.

Wood duck box by USFWS

Visitor OpportunitiesSanteeNationalWildlifeRefugeincludesfourunits,eachofferingavarietyofoutdoorrecreationactivitiesfortherefugevisitor.

TheBluffUnit,locatedneartheVisitorCenterishometotheSanteeIndianMoundthatdatesbackmorethan1000years.ThisIndianmound,oftenthoughtofasaburialmound,ismorelikelysubstructureforatemplethatoncestood.Thetemplewouldhavebeenasimplestructureformedwithsticksandmud.Theareawassurroundedbynumeroussmallermounds,noneofwhichremaintoday.TheBritisherectedFt.WatsonatopthemoundduringtheRevolutionaryWaronlytohaveittakenbyGeneralFrancisMarion’stroopsin1781.

Awalkalongtheone-mileWrightsBluffNatureTrailaffordsvisitorsthechancetoobservesongbirds,woodducks,andsmallmammals.Anobservationplatformontheeastsideofthistrailisagreatplacetoseewadingbirds,Canadageese,andotherwaterfowlspeciesinCanteyBay.

Indian mound by USFWS

TheDinglePondUnitincludesalargeCarolinaBay,anaturallyoccurringdepressionalwetland,andprovideshabitatforwetlandspeciesincludingalligators,woodducks,mallards,greatblueherons,andotherwildlife.Thebayharborsagreatdiversityofsongbirdsaswellasnumerousreptileandamphibianspecies.Visitorsmayutilizeaone-miletrailtogetacloserlookatwildlifeonthisunit.AnobservationtowerislocatedontheedgeofDinglePondandgivesvisitorsawonderfulvantagepointofthisuniquearea.

ThePineIslandandCuddoUnitsprovidethegreatestdiversityofhabitatsamongthefourunits.PineIslandprovidesprotectionandhabitatforAmericanalligators,

numerousspeciesofwadingbirds,nestingbaldeagles,andseveralgrasslandbirdspecies.VisitoraccessonPineIslandislimitedtofootandbicycletrafficonlyonafour-milelooptrail.AprimitiveboatlaunchislocatedatthePineIslandparkingarea,allowingforcanoes,kayaks,andsmallboatstohaveaccesstothewatersofLakeMarion.

AnautotourrouteontheCuddoUnitprovidesnumerouswildlifeobservationopportunities.Bird

lifeontheCuddoUnitisabundantasarealligatorsandmanyothernativespecies.NumeroushikingandbicyclingtrailsbeginoffoftheWildlifeDriveandprovidevisitorsopportunitiestoexplorethevariedhabitattypesfoundontherefuge.Therearealsotwocanoe/kayaktrails;onethroughinteriorcanalsandtheotheraroundthelakeshoreandislands.

Boardwalk by Marc Epstein/USFWS

LEGEND

Refuge Boundary

Roads

Vehicle Entry Point

Vehicle Parking Area

Visitor Center

Boat Ramp

Wildlife Drive

SanteeNational Wildlife Refuge

L A K E M A R I O N

Jack’sCreek

Pine Island

Scott’sLake

BLUFFUNIT

DINGLEPONDUNIT

PINEISLAND

UNIT

CUDDOUNITSavannah

BranchPolly-Cantey

Bay BlackBottom

Round Island

PlantationIslands

Taw Caw Creek

Wyboo Creek

100 AcreIsland

Potatoe Creek

CanteyBay

95

419

257301

15

260

400

64

260

Historic site ofFt. Watson and Santee Indian Mound

Old River Rd.

715

52

37876

95

Orangeburg

Summerton

9578 26

26

176

301

521

15

601

21

Santee Dam

Santee River

Lake

St. Matthews

Sumter

Manning

Moncks Corner

Branchville

559

38

38

373

127

SANTEENational Wildlife Refuge

N

LEGEND

Refuge Boundary

Roads

Vehicle Entry Point

Vehicle Parking Area

Visitor Center

Boat Ramp

Wildlife Drive

SanteeNational Wildlife Refuge

L A K E M A R I O N

Jack’sCreek

Pine Island

Scott’sLake

BLUFFUNIT

DINGLEPONDUNIT

PINEISLAND

UNIT

CUDDOUNITSavannah

BranchPolly-Cantey

Bay BlackBottom

Round Island

PlantationIslands

Taw Caw Creek

Wyboo Creek

100 AcreIsland

Potatoe Creek

CanteyBay

95

419

257301

15

260

400

64

260

Historic site ofFt. Watson and Santee Indian Mound

Old River Rd.

715

52

37876

95

Orangeburg

Summerton

9578 26

26

176

301

521

15

601

21

Santee Dam

Santee River

Lake

St. Matthews

Sumter

Manning

Moncks Corner

Branchville

559

38

38

373

127

SANTEENational Wildlife Refuge

N

BoatingLakeMarionisopenyear-roundtoboating,exceptCanteyBay,SavannahBranch,andBlackBottomwhichareclosedfromNovember1toMarch1.

FishingPublicfishingispermittedonallfourrefugeunitsandincludestheopenwatersofLakeMarion,inlandditches,ponds,andimpoundments.CanteyBay(BluffUnit),BlackBottom(CuddoUnit),Savannah

Branch(PineIsland),andrefugepondsandimpoundmentsareclosedtoallaccessincludingfishingfromNovember1–March1formigratorybirdsanctuary.Theseareasproducelargemouthbass,catfish,andbream.AllFederalandStateregulationsareineffect.Afreerefugefishingpermitisrequiredandmustbeinyourpossessionwhilefishingontherefuge.Thefishingpermitcanbefoundonthefrontofthefishingbrochure.Someareasareonlyabletobeaccessedbyfootorbicycle,pleaseseemapforthosedesignations.

Fishing by Marc Epstein/USFWS; white-tailed deer by Woody Tilley; right: great egret by Marc Epstein/USFWS

HuntingPermittedduringrefugedesignatedseasons.Deer,smallgame,anddoveseasonsarescheduledannually.Afreerefugehuntingpermitisrequiredforhuntingandcanbefoundonthefrontofthehuntbrochure.Consultthehuntbrochureforadditionaldetails.

We RecommendVisitorsareencouragedtostopbytheVisitorCenterforcurrent

informationonaccessandseasonallyclosedareas.Visitoraccessonallrefugeunitsmaybeseasonallylimitedtoprovidetotalsanctuaryforwinteringducksandgeese.

Layeredclothingduringcoolmonthsandtheuseofinsectrepellantduringwarmmonthsarerecommended.

Binoculars,spottingscopes,andfieldguidesarealsohighlyrecommended.

Prohibited ActivitiesThecollectionortakingofanyitemsincludingdeadand/orliveplants.Federallawprohibitsthesearchingfororremovalofobjectsofantiquityorothervalue.Theuseofmetaldetectingdevicesisnotallowed.

Camping–isnotallowedbutcommercialcampingfacilitiesarenearbyandtheSanteeStateParkhascampsitesandcabinsforrent.

OpenFires-Prohibitedduetopotentialfirehazards.

Barred owl by Woody Tilley

Petsarenotallowedonanyhikingtrails.PetsonleashesareallowedindesignatedareasaroundtheVisitorCenter.

Entryintoclosedareasisprohibited.

ATV’s,dirtbikes,andotheroffroadvehiclesareprohibited.

Swimmingorwadingisnotpermittedinany

refugewatersincludingtheScott’sLakefishingarea.

Enteringorremainingontherefugewhenundertheinfluenceofalcohol,ortheuseorpossessionofillegaldrugsisprohibited.

Wildlife CalendarThiscalendarismeanttoprovidevisitorswithageneralguidetoseasonalwildlifeevents.Weathermaycauseslightvariations.Thebesttimetoobservewildlifeisdawnanddusk.Wildlifephotographyisencouragedthroughouttheyear.

JanuaryWaterfowlconcentrationspeakwithCanadageeseabundantonwheatfieldsandducksandcootsinthe

impoundmentsandbays.Winteringgrasslandbirdspecies(sparrows,juncos,andflycatchers)areabundant.Stripedbassareschooling.

Yellow-bellied slider by Marc Epstein/USFWS

Yellow jasmine by Marc Epstein/USFWS

FebruaryWaterfowlcanbeobservedforagingtobuildenergyreservesbeforebeginningtheirlongmigrationsnorth.Crappiebegintomoveintothecreeks.Woodducks,purplemartins,andbluebirdsarebeginningtolookfornestingcavities.

MarchRaptorsareplentiful.Alligatorsmaybeseensunningoncanalandpondedges.Largemouthbassbegintomoveintotheshallows.

AprilButterfliesanddragonfliesareeverywhere.Bothpainted

andindigobuntingsaswellasorioles,tanagers,vireos,andbluegrosbeakshavereturnedandwarblersaremigrating.Fishingisproductiveformostspecies.

MaySpringmigrationcontinues.Nestingactivitiesareevident.Fishingisexcellentforallspecies.

JuneFishbegintoseekoutcoolerwaters.Manybreedingbirdsarerearingyoung.

JulyShorebirdsbegintoreturnfromtheirnestinggroundsandcanbeseenonpondandlakeedges.Youngoftheyearareoutpracticingtheirskillsandlearningtosurvive.Bass,crappie,andcatfishhavemovedtodeepwater.

AugustRedbugs,bitingflies,andmosquitoesarevoracious.Fishingismorechallengingduringtheheatofthe

Osprey in flight by Woody Tilley

summer,butpanfishcanstillbecaughtinrefugewaters.

SeptemberSummerwarblersbegintomigratesouth.White-taileddeerruttingactivitycommencesasbucksbegintorubthevelvetofftheirantlers.

OctoberRaptors,cormorants,white-throatedandsongsparrows,andwaterfowlarearrivinginnumbers.Ruby-crownedkingletsandyellow-rumpedwarblersareprevalent.Catfishingisexcellent.

NovemberBaldeaglesarefrequentlysightedaroundconcentrationsofwaterfowl.Stripedbassareschooling.

DecemberLargeconcentrationsofwaterfowl.SandhillcranesmaybeobservedontheBluffUnit.Excellentfishingforlargemouthbass,stripedbass,andcatfish.

The National Wildlife Refuge SystemSanteeNationalWildlifeRefugeisoneof550refugesintheNationalWildlifeRefugeSystem.Themissionofthesystemistopreserveanationalnetworkoflandsandwatersfortheconservationandmanagementoffish,wildlife,andplantresourcesoftheUnitedStatesforthebenefitofpresentandfuturegenerations.TheRefugeSystemencompassesover150millionacresadministeredbytheU.S.FishandWildlifeService,anagencyoftheDepartmentoftheInterior.

InadditiontotheRefugeSystem,theFishandWildlifeServiceisresponsiblefortheendangeredspeciesprogram,NationalFishHatcheries,certainmarinemammals,andmigratorybirdsaswellasotherwildlifeprograms.

Above: tree swallow in box by Woody Tilley; below: painted bunting by Ken Jenkins