All events are sponsored by the Friends of Hagerman and occur at the Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center: 6465 Refuge Road, Sherman, TX 75092, unless stated otherwise.
Volunteers needed: Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center Greeters
Meet and greet people from all over the world while giving out information about the refuge and wildlife.
Hand out maps and make sales in the Nature Nook. Come and join our team! For more information, please
email friendsofhagerman@gmail.com.
Butterfly Garden
Like digging in your garden? Want to learn about native plants? Come join out Master Naturalists and Gardeners in maintaining the Butterfly Garden. For more information on volunteering, please email
friendsofhagerman@gmail.com for details.
Outdoor Crew
Do you enjoy working outside, mowing, sprucing up hiking trails, trimming and removing brush and general cleanup? Join the Outdoor Crew at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge. The Outdoor Crew meets on the First Tuesday and Fourth Saturday of every month. Please email friendsofhagerman@gmail.com for details and to join our team. Scouts welcome!
Activities and events
Workday at Hagerman: April 27 at 8am. It is time for Spring cleaning at Hagerman. Come join the crowd in sprucing up the area around the Visitor Center. Bring hats, gloves, insect repellent and garden hand tools. Water will be provided.
The Little Sit: May 4 2024, 6:00 am Pad-H on the West side of Hagerman NWR
If you want to learn how to identify the birds of North Texas, the "Little Sit" is the perfect way to start. Meet the Bird Census Team while learning how to identify the birds of North Texas, and enjoy the beautiful sunrise over Lake Texoma! Modeled after Cornell's national "Big Sit" event, a group of dedicated birders invite you to join them at sunrise to conduct a bird count as multiple species fly to the water and the surrounding land to feed. Leaders will bring spotting scopes and will provide tips for identification of the many species you will see. This event lasts a couple of hours, but all are welcome to come and go as they please.
Participants are advised to bring a chair, binoculars and water. We meet on the first Saturday of each month, 30 minutes before sunrise to watch the birds come into the
water and begin to feed. We usually stay out for 2-3 hours, but you are welcome for all or part of the Little
Sit.
For more information, a map to Pad-H and to register to receive event updates (location changes, etc.) please register: http://www.friendsofhagerman.com/LittleSit or email: friendsofhagerman@gmail.com.
GPS Coordinates to Pad-H: 33.734961, -96.780582
Free and open to the public, funded by donations.
May 11 from 8am – 4pm. Choctaw Cultural Day!
Join us as we celebrate the heritage of the third-largest Indian Nation in the United States. Free and open to the public, powered by volunteers and funded by donations.
Events:
8:00am – Bird Walk with Jack Chiles
10 am – Second Saturday – Establishing Tallgrass Prairie lecture
12 noon – Oktak: Choctaw for Prairie lecture
1pm and 2:30pm – Tram Tours (registration required – www.friendsofhagerman.com/choctaw
1:30pm to 3:30pm – Butterfly Garden Stroll – docents will be available
10 – 2 Food Truck!
Noon to 4pm the Choctaw Nation will have displays and a Native Indian craft table for kids and the following:
Altatl Demo
Weapons table
Cultural table
Stickball Demo
Choctaw dance
Early Bird Guided Walk: May 11th at 8am. Come walk on the wild side with Jack Chiles!
Master Naturalist Jack Chiles will lead this Early Bird Walk, weather permitting. Meet at the Visitor Center and return in time for the Second Saturday program. Register for weather updates / cancellations. https://www.friendsofhagerman.com/event-5512331/Registration
Both the walk and the talk are free and open to the public.
Second Saturday: Saturday May 11 at 10am
Second Saturday: Establishing Tallgrass Prairies for
Agriculture, Wildlife and Enjoyment with Ellen Melson. This talk will cover our 20+ years of experience establishing tallgrass prairie on our farm and utilizing it for livestock grazing and hay. I’ll also discuss how to establish a pocket prairie on small properties for your own enjoyment and to attract and provide food and
cover for pollinators and wildlife.
Ellen Melson and her husband Nathan Melson have been managing and utilizing re-established tallgrass
prairie and other native forages for livestock and hay production for 20 years. Ellen has a PhD in plant breeding from Texas A&M University and Nathan has a MS in Agricultural Sciences with an emphasis in forage management from Texas A&M-Commerce. Together they have many years of practical experience (and mistakes) in working with native grasses and forages. They focus on maintaining and enjoying species
diversity in grasses, forages, wild flowers, and wildlife while raising livestock.+
Following the Second Saturday presentation at the Choctaw Cultural Event Saturday, May 11 at noon, Dr. Ian Thompson will speak on “OKTAK”: Choctaw for prairie. He will discuss tallgrass prairie’s deep connection with Choctaw culture, language and history.
Butterfly Garden Stroll: May 11, 1:30 – 3:30
Docents will available to help identify butterflies and
native plants.
Refuge Rocks for Kids: Saturday May 18 at 10am
Bugs, Bugs, BUGS! Calling all bugs and insect lovers! Buzz in to learn about our creepy crawly bug friends in this Refuge Rocks program. Explore the magical realm of insects that are nature's superheroes. From ladybugs to praying mantises, learn about these tiny creatures' incredible powers and how they help our gardens thrive.
Children will discover bugs' vital role in maintaining balance in our ecosystems. Get ready to unleash your inner bug enthusiast as we uncover the secrets of these fascinating critters and their essential contributions to our world.
In this program, we’ll learn about the superheroes of the insect world through a short lesson, craft, and fun activities! Come join us on May 18 for a free class for youth ages 5-10. Registration required. Visit the Friends of Hagerman website to register: https://friendsofhagerman.com/event-5687553
Tram Tours every Saturday and Sunday at 2:00PM
Enjoy a 60 – 90-minute tour along Wildlife Drive at the Refuge. Enjoy learning about the history of the displaced town of Hagerman while watching for wildlife. Lots of stops for birdwatching and photography.
Reservations required www.friendsofhagerman.com/Tram-Tours. Standbys are accepted if space permits.
Free and open to the public, funded by donations.
