Crab Orchard NWR, Marion, Illinois: Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge is a study in contrasts. It is adjacent to the Nation’s main Federal maximum security prison; near Southern Illinois University; and houses industries manufacturing explosives, missile parts, display cases, and sporting goods. The refuge even used to run its own railroad. Yet here are also hundreds of thousands of Canada geese and ducks, 4,000 white-tailed deer, and wild turkeys so abundant that surplus birds are live-trapped to repopulate depleted areas elsewhere. There are two active bald eagle nests and bluebirds regularly fledge upwards of 340 young. Interesting plants found here include the cucumber tree, silky asters, trout lilies, and purple trillium. Visitor opportunities include swimming, boating, and waterskiing; auto-touring; hiking; and fishing. Largemouth bass in some of the ponds are more than 21 inches long. And Crab Orchard is one of the few refuges to offer camping—there are three campgrounds on-site.
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