Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge - Deadman Lake
When I said I thought we would be here more than one night, I didn't think it would wind up being 8 nights but it did and it was absolutely a wonderful, relaxing time.
The refuge encompasses 730,000 acres with rolling hills, hundreds of small lakes a
nd 2 glacial rivers - the Nabesna and Chisana - which combine to form the Tanana River. The combination of lakes, ponds, marshes, streams and rivers provide for a variety of habitat, mostly waterfowl, and has gained international recognition as an Important Bird Area because of its habitat for migrating Sandhill crane and nesting Trumpeter swans. The refuge provides habitat for 143 nesting species and 47 migrating species. other wildlife includes moose, black and grizzly bear, wolf, coyote, beaver, red fox, lynx and caribou.
nd 2 glacial rivers - the Nabesna and Chisana - which combine to form the Tanana River. The combination of lakes, ponds, marshes, streams and rivers provide for a variety of habitat, mostly waterfowl, and has gained international recognition as an Important Bird Area because of its habitat for migrating Sandhill crane and nesting Trumpeter swans. The refuge provides habitat for 143 nesting species and 47 migrating species. other wildlife includes moose, black and grizzly bear, wolf, coyote, beaver, red fox, lynx and caribou.Trump
eter swans are nesting here in growing numbers, attracted by the refuge's many secluded ponds. They demand privacy for raising their young - cygnets - and can chase awa
y other nearby birds. However, they do allow ducks to frequent their same territory. We watched two pair of swans on the lake the entire time we were there. They are huge at 65" from tip of beak to tip of their tail. We noticed that their body was white but their necks and heads were a reddish color. This is because they feed by plunging its head and n
eck underwater, or tipping body bottom-up, like a duck, so that it can reach plants on the bottom. The discoloration comes from the tannin in the water - the same thing that gives tea its brown color.
eter swans are nesting here in growing numbers, attracted by the refuge's many secluded ponds. They demand privacy for raising their young - cygnets - and can chase awa
y other nearby birds. However, they do allow ducks to frequent their same territory. We watched two pair of swans on the lake the entire time we were there. They are huge at 65" from tip of beak to tip of their tail. We noticed that their body was white but their necks and heads were a reddish color. This is because they feed by plunging its head and n
eck underwater, or tipping body bottom-up, like a duck, so that it can reach plants on the bottom. The discoloration comes from the tannin in the water - the same thing that gives tea its brown color.Every day around 4:00 pm, the beavers and muskrats would get busy. We watched a beaver swim past the dock until he was out of sight, then about 20 minutes later back he would come bearing sticks between his teeth headed for his lodge. There were three beaver lodges on the lake that we could see - lar
ge, medium and small. We thought maybe the size was determined on how long they had been living in it with the large one being the original - grandma and grandpa's!! The muskrats were also busy - not working - but playing hide and seek with each other. T
here were several types of ducks always in the lake, several we hadn't seen before and it was always exciting to discover a "new" duck.
ge, medium and small. We thought maybe the size was determined on how long they had been living in it with the large one being the original - grandma and grandpa's!! The muskrats were also busy - not working - but playing hide and seek with each other. T
here were several types of ducks always in the lake, several we hadn't seen before and it was always exciting to discover a "new" duck.We did see a moose a couple of times at the end of the lake, but that is the only large animal we saw the entire time we were there.
There was a boardwalk trail through the area with signposts depicting the 
different wildflowers and trees and 
a viewing platform at the end of it. While out there one day we spotted two eagles flying overhead and eventually landing at the end of the lake where the beaver huts were. They sure are magnificent birds. One was a bald eagle and the other was a golden eagle.
different wildflowers and trees and 
a viewing platform at the end of it. While out there one day we spotted two eagles flying overhead and eventually landing at the end of the lake where the beaver huts were. They sure are magnificent birds. One was a bald eagle and the other was a golden eagle.This lake is known to the
Native Americans as "Pike Lake". We were told that is the only fish in the lake and there aren't very many of th
em. We only saw one party - man and woman - that fished the lake while we were there. They were Native American, and they did not use a rod and reel. He had some kind of a trolling line that they dragged behind them in the canoe. They came three days in a row, then we didn't see them again. There were a couple of other parties that went out on the lake, a kayaker and the host couple in the canoe that was provided to them by the refuge. Ken and I considered borrowing the canoe while they were not working but the weather wasn't suitable - cold, rainy and windy.When we got to the lake the first day after traveling over the gravel roads, Ken decided to wash the truck - and maybe the trailer. With their being no hook-ups in the park and the water supply still frozen, he went down to the lake and carried wate
r back to the site and proceeded to wash the truck. He said he would wait another day to wash the trailer as the water was very cold. It wasn't that cold that it stopped him from washing his feet in it one day!! Br-r-r-r
r back to the site and proceeded to wash the truck. He said he would wait another day to wash the trailer as the water was very cold. It wasn't that cold that it stopped him from washing his feet in it one day!! Br-r-r-rWe had a great time at Deadman Lake and after traveling since May 3, when we left York, PA - it was a much needed time to rest and relax without having to be on the move every day.
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