The Friends of Hagerman NWR Online Auction is Here!

This is the time of the year that we invite you to support our local Refuge and its programs. Projects resulting in our beautiful Butterfly Garden, our popular Wildlife Explorer electric tram, renovations to the Big Mineral Creek Recreation Area, and the almost finished Education Pavilion are available, thanks in large part to your donations and financial support.  All monies raised from the auction will be reinvested in educational opportunities and programs for both children and adults.

The online auction is a chance for you to contribute while picking up something nice for yourself!

Facebook Auction Details and Instructions:

  • View the items on Facebook anytime, or by appointment at the Friends Building October 10, 11 and 12
  • Bid via Facebook comment anytime from now until October 14th
  • Bids must be made in increments of at least $5
  • Place your bid in the comment section beneath the item's Facebook picture.
  • All but the top two bids will be deleted at the close of bidding each day.

When the bidding ends on October 14th:

To make an appointment or as a question, please Contact Us!

    Have fun while supporting the Friends of Hagerman!

    The New Education Pavilion is Nearly Completed!!

    It took 49 dump truck loads to bring in the 490 yards of dirt needed to level the area and the slab required 46.5 cubic yards of concrete! It looks great, the contractor and his grandson did a great job.  The pavilion is plumbed and wired but won’t have water and electricity right away.  Hopefully students will be able to have classes in our amazing pavilion as soon as the Visitor Center opens!

    Thank you to everyone who supported this magnificent project!

    Refuge Update:

    The refuge is beautiful this time of year! The trails are wonderful and thousands of pelicans are migrating through. 

    Photo by Chris Sanders

    Notice: Due to the Coronavirus, the Visitor Center remains closed.  Refuge lands remain open to the public from sunrise to sunset daily.  Restrooms are located at Goode Day Use Area, the Visitor Center, Big Mineral Day Use Area and Sandy Point Day Use Area. 


    Upcoming Hunt Information, Closures and Applications

    Archery Deer Hunt

    November 5-7, Nov 19-21 and December 3-5

    Areas Closed: Big Mineral, Sandy, and Godwin.

    Feral Hog Hunt

    March 46, 2022, Mar 18–20, 2022

    Areas Closed: Big Mineral, Sandy, Godwin, Goode, Meyers, and SE Harris Creek.

    Spring Turkey

    April 22–24, 2022 Areas Closed: Big Mineral, Sandy, Godwin, Meyers, and SE Harris Creek

    More Information

    Fall Flowers Are Fabulous! by Laurie Sheppard

    October is my favorite month to visit the Butterfly Garden. Many plants and flowers are at the height of their blooming period and butterflies are abundant. It’s a good time to see migrating butterflies like Monarchs and Painted Ladies, and it is also the best time to see southern strays, like Southern Dogface and Mallow Scrub-hairstreaks. Every year is slightly different and while Southern Dogface has been seen every fall since we’ve been keeping the records, many of the others are only occasionally found. That makes it all the more 

    Read More                               Photo by Laurie Sheppard

    Native Plant Sale October 9th at the Eisenhower Birthplace

    The Friends of Hagerman NWR will have a native plant sale as part of the Eisenhower Birthday Celebration at the Eisenhower Birthplace in Denison on Saturday, October 9, from 10 AM until 3 PM. The plants offered for sale were thinned from the Hagerman Butterfly Garden and the properties of our generous volunteers.  Plants for sale include Gregg's Mistflower, Lindheimer Senna, Fall Obedient Plant, Rock Rose, Red Yucca, Yellow Columbine, and many others. Popular plants will sell out early.

    Photo: Monarch on Mistflower by Truett Cates


    Join Us for the Big Sit!


    Like to Work Outside? Join Our Team!


    New 61" Skagg zero-turn mower is the newest addition to the mowing team. 

    For more information about outdoor volunteer positions, please Contact Us

    Second Saturday: Shorebirds with Dr. Wayne Meyer

    Saturday, October 9th, at 10:00 AM Online via ZOOM (Registration Required)

    Every Spring and Autumn Hagerman NWR hosts thousands of shorebirds of 30 or more species.  We’ll talk about the importance of shorebirds and the importance of NWRs to shorebirds.  Then we’ll discuss some (certainly not all) of the different species that visit.  We’ll learn how to tell the players apart, which isn’t always easy.  

    Dr. Wayne Meyer is Associate Professor of the Biology department at Austin College, where he has been teaching for 28 years. He started birding at 13 in Connecticut. In 1993 he finally achieved his life’s dream of being paid to look at birds when he joined the faculty of Austin College. He has birded both coasts of the U.S. extensively and now has spent a quarter century birding in Texas and Oklahoma. The proximity of Austin College to Hagerman NWR has made research on prairie birds easy and convenient and he has been studying song learning and singing in Painted Buntings for over a decade. Meyer is also a sought after speaker for Master Naturalist groups and a frequent speaker at the Friends of Hagerman NWR second Saturday programs.


    Puddles' Craft Corner

    Bat Craft

    By Cindy Steele


    Welcome back to Puddles’ Craft Corner. Are you afraid of bats? Well, did you know that bats are afraid of you? These amazing mammals have long been misunderstood! In fact, bats actually help the environment and people by eating tons of flying insects that destroy crops and spread diseases. Bats also pollinate night flowers, such as cactus, and help spread seeds to create new fruit trees. They’re mysterious, nocturnal hunters who have captured our imaginations for centuries.



    Birding with Jack

    Updated, Weekly Census Results

    By Master Naturalist Jack Chiles, Mike Petrick and

    Dr. Wayne Meyer (Pictured Right)


    Each Tuesday a team of experienced birders, including Master Naturalist Jack Chiles, traverse 35 miles of refuge roads and hiking trails, documenting every bird they encounter. This Bird Census is reported to The Cornell Lab of Ornithology for use in research, and each week we will bring you a link to their actual bird count, and a summary of their adventures.

    Shop Amazon Smile to Support the Friends of Hagerman

    Amazon SmileDid you know that you can support the Friends of Hagerman while shopping on Amazon? If you shop on Amazon using this Amazon Smile link, the Friends will receive 0.5% of eligible purchases. Simply go to smile.amazon.com and sign in with your Amazon account. Under "Your Account" select "Change your Amazon Smile Charity" and enter "Friends of Hagerman" in the charity search box. Once your results appear, select the Friends of Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge Foundation. Every time you make a purchase on Amazon Smile, the Friends will get a donation. Thanks for helping us make Hagerman a great wildlife refuge!

    Kroger: Stop by the customer service desk at Kroger and link your Kroger Card to the Friends of Hagerman: the Friends will get rewards for every dollar you spend, at no cost to you.

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    Thank You

    To Our Contributors:

    Jack Chiles,  Laurie Sheppard, Cindy Steele, Cathy Van Bebber


    Refuge Manager: Kathy Whaley

    Deputy Refuge Manager: Paul Balkenbush

    Editor: Patricia Crain


    Friends of Hagerman NWR Foundation

    6465 Refuge Road, Sherman, TX 75092

    Phone: 903-786-2826

    Contact Us  

    friendsofhagerman.com

    www.facebook.com/FOHNWR
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