The Charles M. Russell Wildlife Refuge was named in recognition of renowned western artist
Charlie Russell, who often portrayed the refuge’s landscape in his paintings and whose conservation ethic was years ahead of his time. The refuge encompasses 1.1 million acres of badlands, cottonwood river bottoms, forested coulees, sagebrush steppes and mixed-grass prairies. Elk, mule deer, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, red fox and coyotes, sage and sharp-tailed grouse, and bald eagles make the Refuge home.
The land in the refuge was bought up by the Army Corps of Engineers at the time of construction of the Fort Peck Dam as being land that might be affected by the dam.
Fort Peck Dam is the largest hydraulically filled dam in the United States and creates Fort Peck Lake, the fifth largest man-made lake in the U.S., more than 130 miles (210 km) long, 200 feet (61 m) deep, with a 1,520-mile (2,450 km) shoreline.
The second largest refuge in the continental U.S., the refuge came into being on December 11, 1936 with the signing of executive order 7509 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. 125 miles from east to west, the refuge has become a popular hunting area, attracting hunters from around the world. Through the summer anglers gravitate to the refuge to try their luck in one of the many popular fishing holes in the refuge. As well, boating is a popular activity on the Missouri River and Fort Peck Reservoir.
CHARLES M. RUSSELL
WILDLIFE REFUGE
The Charles M. Russell Wildlife Refuge came into being on December 11, 1936 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed executive order 7509 setting aside the area for "the conservation, protection and development of natural wildlife resources and the improvement of public grazing lands and natural resources." It was originally known as the Ft. Peck Game Range.
The land became the property of the U.S. Government in 1936 when the Army Corps of Engineers condemned and bought up all the river bottom land that might possibly be affected by Ft Peck Dam, then being built. For many years the area was managed jointly by the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Today it is managed totally by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife.
The CMR Refuge encompasses the 249,000 acre Ft. Peck Reservoir and a surrounding portion of the river breaks. It is 125 miles long, from west to east, and covers 1·1 million acres. Within its boundaries are 760,000 acres of federal land, 35,649 acres of state lands and 49,656 acres of private lands. It includes the native prairies, forested coulees, river bottoms and badlands that Charles M. Russell portrayed so vividly in many of his paintings.
Most of the refuge is open to hunting and hunters from all over the U.S. and some foreign countries flock to the area during hunting season. Archery season is exceptionally popular. On summer holiday weekends, droves of fishermen line the river banks, especially in the popular paddle fishing spots. Camping, picnicking and hiking are all popular activities enjoyed by visitors to the area.
The refuge, and the area surrounding it, is abundant with fossils of long extinct dinosaurs and marine fossils such as clams, baculites and scaphites are common.
From MT Gen Web