US Midwest - Best Wildlife Watching
1. North Platte River, Nebraska. Come February, the North Platte looks as if it might be picked up and carried away by the 40,000 or so
migrating sandhill cranes that rise at dawn like a massive white cloud to forage in nearby fields. You'll find the highest concentrations at the
Lillian Annette Rowe Sanctuary (308-468-5282) and the Crane Meadows Nature Center (308-382-1820).
2. Pigeon River Country State Forest, Michigan. Elk, not pigeon, dominate this 98,000-acre swath in north-central Michigan. Catch a glimpse of
the 1,300-strong herd--the largest east of the Mississippi--in the winter by snowshoeing or skiing into one of two buckwheat and rye-scattered feeding
grounds operated by the DNR. Other sightings might include white-tailed deer, badgers, porcupines, snowshoe hares, wild turkey, and possibly even a
bobcat. Call 800-292-4706 for details.
3. Superior National Forest, Minnesota. You're more likely to hear a wolf than to see one, but the experts at the International Wolf Center
(218-365-4695) in Ely use special radio telemetry to track them down. Moose, on the other hand, can't help but make their presence known, usually by
standing in the center of the popular Gunflint Trail.
4. Cedar Glen Eagle Roost, Iowa and Illinois. Little-known fact: Bald eagles love dams, or at least the turbulence they cause, which keeps water
ice-free in winter. On either side of this 1,025-acre preserve straddling the Mississippi, watch as many as 450 majestic birds of prey roost from November
through February. Be sure to set your alarm clock: Prime viewing time is between sunrise and 10 A.M. For more information, call 217-256-4519.
5. Badlands National Park, South Dakota. For glimpses of everything from beavers and badgers to owls and eagles to bison and bighorn, head to Sage Creek
in the springtime. Rolling hills slope to wooded cottonwood and juniper draws, offering ideal shelter for thirsty critters of all kinds. Call the park at
605-433-5361 for details.
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