Officials encourage winter visits to national wildlife refuges for ice fishing, animal viewing

The Associated Press

OMAHA, Neb. - Winter is a great time to visit the DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge just north of Omaha for ice fishing and animal viewing.

The ice fishing season at the refuge about 30 miles north of Omaha near the Iowa border runs through the end of February. But individual fishermen have to determine whether the ice on DeSoto Lake is safe.

For people who don't like to fish, the refuge offers a great place to watch wildlife. And the visitor centre offers gallery windows to watch eagles, ducks and geese on the pond.

Anyone visiting the DeSoto refuge or the nearby Boyer Chute refuge must have an entrance permit. Those cost $3 for private vehicles.