A Wildlife Refuge With a Former Weapons Range Past

Open country has a way of slowing the day down. At this large wildlife refuge, the horizon, the fresh air and the sheer amount of space invite an afternoon built around a fishing spot, a wildlife sighting or simply time outdoors without much agenda.

The landscape has an unusual backstory. This was once a military weapons-testing ground, and it has since been repurposed as a place for conservation and recreation. That history gives the refuge a different character from a typical nature preserve: the setting is natural now, but its past remains an important part of understanding the ground beneath your boots.

It is an expansive property, described as beautiful, open and almost endless. A short visit can be satisfying, but the scale also rewards returning in different seasons, when fishing, hunting and wildlife observation give the same broad landscape a different purpose.

Hunting is one established use of the refuge, with a wide choice of areas spread across the property. Access is managed through a draw, rather than being unrestricted, and many people return over multiple seasons to apply for opportunities.

But the refuge is not defined by hunting alone. Fishing brings people back to spend time beside the water, and a visit can be as simple as an outdoor afternoon with a line in the water and a little room to breathe.

Wildlife watching often happens alongside whatever else brought people out. A hunter moving through the property may come across hen turkeys; someone who came to fish may end up spending as much time looking around as looking at the water.

The refuge's varied habitats support an impressive number of butterflies, adding another reason to look closely rather than merely scan the distance. Butterfly observation has a place here alongside the better-known fishing and hunting pursuits.

July 4 brings a recurring NABA butterfly count, a seasonal highlight that gives the refuge a distinctly different rhythm from hunting season. It is a reminder that conservation work can be experienced in small, lively details as well as in broad views of protected land.

That mix is appealing: a landscape large enough for serious outdoor pursuits, yet varied enough that a butterfly count can be a meaningful date on the calendar.

The former testing-ground history is not merely a footnote. It adds a layer of interest to an outing centered on wildlife and open land, particularly for people who enjoy places where the American landscape has been used, altered and then given a new purpose.

Historical interest extends into the surrounding area as well, so the refuge can fit naturally into a day of exploring beyond its boundaries. The occasional surprise of nearby activity can sharpen that sense of place; one outdoor visit even coincided with an air show overhead.

Still, the prevailing mood is one of quiet country. Recreation and wildlife observation sit together here, with plenty of open sky between them.

The military past also carries a practical responsibility. Unexploded ammunition remains on the property, and visitors are required to complete the refuge's safety video before entering or taking part in activities.

Following refuge safety instructions is essential. It is a straightforward but important condition of visiting a landscape whose conservation present exists alongside a very real weapons-testing history.