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Educational and interesting, Seney National Wildlife Refuge is home to many animals. It was created in 1935 as a safe haven for migratory birds and it's grown since. It's located near Germfask, in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
Seney is home to many animals. During my visit, I took a simple driving tour and I got to see 2 eagles, an Osprey, Trumpeter swans with cygnets (baby swans), loons with chicks, 2 sand hill cranes, a painted turtle, trout and minnows, Canadian geese and a couple different kind of ducks. Those are only a small number of the animals that have found homes in beautiful Seney National Wildlife Refuge. There have been moose, wolf, and bear sightings as well. They’re rarely seen, but they’re there.
The greatest thing about Seney is that, unlike a zoo, each animal is in its natural habitat. There are no cages or fences, no cement, or nothing that you wouldn’t normally see in the wild. There are marshlands, forests, and ponds. The animals are provided with scientifically altered diets to keep them healthy. They’re allowed to breed and reproduce freely, as well. Inside the refuge, life goes on as it normally would on the outside.
The refuge is made up of acres of swampy areas, a few different pools, and thick forests that are pretty ordinary in the U.P. You have a choice of what you want to do there. You can take one of the two different self-guided driving tours that lead you around the pools. This is what I did during my visit. You get to see all of the listed waterfowl and there are platforms set up where you can look through binoculars at the larger birds and the beaver dams. You can also opt to do a hiking or biking tour, which leads you back into the woods. You’re more likely to see moose, deer, and the other wilder animals by doing this. Canoeing is available as well, but you start at a different point then the general entrance and you have to bring your own canoe or rent one of theirs.
Hunting and fishing are allowed with permits and under strict regulations. For instance you may not fish using lead weights since they pose harm on the loons that nest in the fishing pools. The fish caught seem to be quite large according to the pictures they have in the visitor's center, and the fishing pier is rather nice as well. There is a bench there so you can sit and relax, and it‘s located in a beautiful spot in the refuge. I walked out onto it because it had telescopes and I wanted to check out the beaver dam nearby. Raspberry bushes and tall grass surrounded the pier. While I didn't see any, cranberries supposedly grow throughout the refuge as well as morel mushrooms (when in season) and blueberries. All are edible and open to picking.
Getting into the refuge free, so unless you're planning on visiting the gift shop you need not worry about money. Take the time to check out the visitor's center, if you go. There you will learn more about the wildlife surrounding you by informational pamphlets, exhibits, slide shows, and friendly (and might I add VERY helpful) staff. They have maps available that show all of the trails, and if you ask they will mark on it the best places to look for certain animals. They will also lend you some nice binoculars so you can get a closer look at all of the animals but they ask that you leave your drivers license with them at the desk so they can be sure you return them.
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