Enjoy Dead Creek Wildlife Day on Oct. 1

If you enjoy wildlife be sure to make plans to attend the 20th annual Dead Creek Wildlife Day in Addison, Vermont on Saturday, October 1. 

Activities at Dead Creek Wildlife Day are especially for people who enjoy hunting, fishing, birdwatching, or learning about Vermont’s diverse wildlife and ecosystems.  The event will be held at the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department’s Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area (WMA) on Route 17, west of Route 22A. 

Early risers can begin the day with a bird banding demonstration at 7:00 a.m.  Two large tents at Dead Creek WMA headquarters will open at 9:30 a.m. featuring wildlife-related exhibits and activities such as decoy carving, building bluebird boxes and nature crafts. 

The Dead Creek Visitor Center will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. featuring displays about conservation and wildlife management in Vermont.  This year, enjoy a guided walk along with Visitor Center interpretive trail to learn about various features and habitats.

Live critters will include a selection of snakes, turtles, raptors, and more that visitors can see up close and learn about their ecology.  New this year will be a bat house building program, and Wild Kitchen will be on the road with campfire cooking.  There will be a presentation on the Eastern meadowlark and an hour of learning how to take photographs of wildlife.

This will also be the last year to see Warden Dog Crockett in action sniffing out gun powder as he retires from the department in October.  Retriever dogs will be working in the area ponds, and all of the favorite nature walks will be happening.  All events are free, and a free shuttle bus will provide regular access to nearby field events throughout the day.

“We want to welcome visitors to the 20th year of the popular Dead Creek Wildlife Day,” said Amy Alfieri, manager of the Dead Creek WMA.  “The activities are fun, the demonstrations are very exciting, and the setting is beautiful.  Visitors love to see the live animals and working dogs, and the kids love to build their own bluebird box to take home.”

The festival is hosted by the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, Vermont

Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation, Delta Waterfowl, and Otter Creek Audubon Society.

For more information and a schedule of events visit Vermont Fish and Wildlife’s website (www.vtfishandwildlife.com) and check under Watch Wildlife.