Hike - Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge
6465 Refuge Rd, Sherman, TX 75092
There is no charge to visit. We will meet up at the entrance at 9:45.
https://www.fws.gov/refuge/hagerman/visit-us/activities
Explore wetlands and discover native plants, insects, critters and birds at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge.
Recommended Supplies
• Notebook, pencil, and/or pen. John Muir Laws’ website on field sketching has
good recommendations for field sketching.
• Bug spray, sunscreen, and/or protective clothing, like long pants, socks, shirts.
Use these to protect yourself from ticks as well as other biting insects/
vegetation and sun damage. Please consider the use of mud/aquatic/rubber
boots, since sunscreen and bug sprays contain chemicals that harm sensitive
aquatic environments.
• Optional but recommended: an aquatic net. Use something like a butterfly net
but sturdier and with finer mesh. A flat swimming pool net works okay- you just
want to be able to scoop up leaves from the bottom of the vernal pool without
breaking the net. Some good options include:
? The Acorn Naturalists “Economy Aquatic Net”
? The Acorn Naturalists “Invertebrate (Fine Mesh) Extendable Aquatic
Net”
? The Acorn Naturalists Vertebrate (Medium Mesh) Extendable Aquatic
Net”
? On Amazon, search for “EGO aquatic nets” for some other options.
? You can also check your local Walmart or outdoor supply company.
• Optional but recommended: a dishpan or other shallow bucket (to hold and
view discoveries); additional smaller containers to hold individual specimens for
up close observation (ice cube trays work well); spoons to examine and separate
specimens
Useful Field Guides & Literature
“Field Guide to Freshwater Invertebrates of North America,” by D. Christopher
Rogers and James H. Thorp. While this guide does not include every critter you’ll find
in a vernal pool, Rogers and Thorp provide a good introduction and easy to use format
for identifying the broad swath of life you will come across.
“What is a Wetland: Wetlands Overview,” a short but helpful article with diagrams and
references to other resources.https://www.epa.gov/wetlands/what-wetland
Date – Time
October 4, 2024
– 9:45 AM
Additional Information
6465 Refuge Rd, Sherman, TX 75092
There is no charge to visit. We will meet up at the entrance at 9:45.
https://www.fws.gov/refuge/hagerman/visit-us/activities
Explore wetlands and discover native plants, insects, critters and birds at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge.
Recommended Supplies
• Notebook, pencil, and/or pen. John Muir Laws’ website on field sketching has
good recommendations for field sketching.
• Bug spray, sunscreen, and/or protective clothing, like long pants, socks, shirts.
Use these to protect yourself from ticks as well as other biting insects/
vegetation and sun damage. Please consider the use of mud/aquatic/rubber
boots, since sunscreen and bug sprays contain chemicals that harm sensitive
aquatic environments.
• Optional but recommended: an aquatic net. Use something like a butterfly net
but sturdier and with finer mesh. A flat swimming pool net works okay- you just
want to be able to scoop up leaves from the bottom of the vernal pool without
breaking the net. Some good options include:
? The Acorn Naturalists “Economy Aquatic Net”
? The Acorn Naturalists “Invertebrate (Fine Mesh) Extendable Aquatic
Net”
? The Acorn Naturalists Vertebrate (Medium Mesh) Extendable Aquatic
Net”
? On Amazon, search for “EGO aquatic nets” for some other options.
? You can also check your local Walmart or outdoor supply company.
• Optional but recommended: a dishpan or other shallow bucket (to hold and
view discoveries); additional smaller containers to hold individual specimens for
up close observation (ice cube trays work well); spoons to examine and separate
specimens
Useful Field Guides & Literature
“Field Guide to Freshwater Invertebrates of North America,” by D. Christopher
Rogers and James H. Thorp. While this guide does not include every critter you’ll find
in a vernal pool, Rogers and Thorp provide a good introduction and easy to use format
for identifying the broad swath of life you will come across.
“What is a Wetland: Wetlands Overview,” a short but helpful article with diagrams and
references to other resources.https://www.epa.gov/wetlands/what-wetland