USFWS
Togiak National Wildlife Refuge
Alaska Region   

Icon of Blue Goose Compass. Click on the compass to view a map of the refuge (pdf)

 

Refuge Calendar

Click on the month you are interested in, or scroll down to view all months.

January   February   March   April   May   June   July
August    September   October    November    December

January:

  • Brown bear cubs are born, weighing 1½ pounds. Mothers remain in their dens while the cubs are born; the cubs suckle while the mother is dormant.
  • Winter to early spring: Coastal Eskimos traditionally harvest marine mammals including seals and walrus
  • January 20: Cape Newenham National Wildlife Refuge, which would later be expanded to become Togiak National Wildlife Refuge, was established in 1969

February:

  • Great Backyard Bird Count in Dillingham
  • Alaska Migratory Bird Calendar Contest Entries are due.
March:
  • Owl Surveys along the Dillingham road system
  • March 14: National Wildlife Refuge System Birthday
  • Mid-March: Adult bull moose and caribou begin antler growth

April:

  • Owl Surveys along the Dillingham road system
  • Begin documenting the arrival of spring migratory birds in Dillingham and in field camps
  • Cape Peirce field camp opens to monitor marine mammals, seabirds, and waterfowl
  • Aerial waterfowl surveys of the Togiak Refuge coastline
  • Togiak Refuge coast begins opening up (the ice begins to break up and creates open water)
  • Mid April National Wildlife Week
  • Mid April Earth Day
  • Late April: Brown bears begin to emerge from their dens
  • Late April to mid-May: Peak of herring spawning and the Togiak commercial herring fleet. This fleet composes the 7th largest city in Alaska at its peak.
  • April to June: Rainbow trout spawning typically peaks

May:

  • Early May International Migratory Bird Day
  • North American Migration Count in Dillingham and at Cape Peirce
  • Harlequin Duck breeding pair surveys along Togiak Refuge rivers
  • Begin monitoring the productivity of cliff-nesting seabirds at Cape Peirce
  • Numbers of Steller Sea Lions in Bristol Bay peak or are near the peak
  • Gray whale numbers along Togiak Bay and the Cape Peirce area peak as whales migrate north
  • Northern pike spawning typically peaks
  • Mid-May to mid-June: moose calving
  • Mid-May to early June: Nushagak Peninsula caribou calving
  • May to June: Arctic grayling spawning typically peaks
  • Late May to June: king (Chinook) salmon generally begin to enter area rivers. The commercial salmon fishery begins. Commercial fishing activity fluctuates throughout the summer based on run sizes and times for the five species of Pacific salmon (see below).

June:

  • Early June National Fishing and Boating Week
  • Subsistence set-netting for salmon typically begins in June and continues through August, depending on salmon run sizes and timing.
  • Breeding Bird Surveys in Dillingham and the Togiak, Goodnews, and Kanektok rivers
  • Off-Road Point Count Breeding Bird Surveys are conducted throughout Togiak Refuge
  • Begin monitoring the populations of cliff-nesting seabirds at Cape Peirce
  • Document raptor nest activity throughout Togiak Refuge, primarily bald eagles
  • Seal pups are born on haulouts along the Togiak Refuge coastline

July:

  • Finish monitoring the populations of cliff-nesting seabirds at Cape Peirce
  • Document raptor nest productivity throughout Togiak Refuge, primarily bald eagles
  • Walrus numbers in Bristol Bay and the Togiak Refuge peak or are near the peak
  • Dolly Varden and sockeye (red), pink, and chum salmon typically return to area rivers
  • Local residents pick berries as they ripen, including salmonberries, blueberries, and cranberries, throughout the late summer and early fall.

August:

  • Early August: King (chinook) salmon spawning typically peaks
  • Mid-August: Chum salmon spawning typically peaks
  • Seal numbers in Bristol Bay and the Togiak Refuge peak or are near the peak
  • Seal molt begins in Bristol Bay and the Togiak Refuge
  • August to September: Lake trout and sockeye (red) salmon spawning typically peaks
  • Coho (silver) salmon typically return to area rivers
  • Late August: Pink salmon spawning typically peaks
  • Late August to early September: Moose and caribou bulls shed velvet from antlers

September:

  • Finish monitoring the productivity of cliff-nesting seabirds at Cape Peirce
  • Early fall: local residents traditionally hunt waterfowl
  • Mid September National Hunting & Fishing Day
  • September to October: Dolly Varden, Arctic char, and coho (silver) salmon spawning typically peaks
  • Late September National Public Lands Day
  • Late September to early October: Peak of moose and caribou rut

October:

  • World Bird Count in Dillingham
  • Cape Peirce field camp closes
  • Area waters begin to freeze and ice over
  • Early October National Wildlife Refuge Week
  • Late October: Brown bears entering winter dens

November:

  • All month: Adult bull caribou begin casting (dropping) antlers
  • Late November through January: Adult bull moose begin casting antlers
  • Local residents can often be found seining/netting smelt in November and December
  • Winter: subsistence harvest of fur bearing animals including fox, hare, beaver, and marten. Ptarmigan and grouse are also hunted during the winter.

December:

  • Christmas Bird Count in Dillingham
  • Ice fishing for overwintering Dolly Varden, Arctic char, rainbow trout, Arctic grayling, smelt, northern pike, and burbot begins when waters develop a solid ice cover. Local residents ice fish in many areas.
  • Alaska migratoyr Bird Calendar Contest presentations being in area schools.

Last updated: October 14, 2008