The Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge stretches along 20 miles of the Tennessee River and three counties, including Morgan County. The refuge is home for Alabama’s only concentration of wild geese (about 28,000), the state’s largest concentration of ducks (about 30,000) and hundreds of deer. The bald eagle, osprey and wild turkey are among 304 species of birds that have been recorded in the refuge boundaries. Canada geese, snow geese and 22 species of ducks spend winters at Wheeler, and the refuge is host to a variety of squirrels, foxes, coyotes and other wildlife and game fish. The Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge has six public boat ramps, four major hiking trails and a 112-mile graveled road system. The refuge was named for Civil War General Joseph “Fighting Joe” Wheeler, who resided in Morgan County.

Located in the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge in Decatur, the Givens Wildlife Interpretive Center serves as the welcome center for the refuge. The center is one of the South’s largest educational centers for the study of waterfowl and wildlife and features a large glass-enclosed observatory overlooking an 18-acre pond. Each winter, thousands of people visit the center to observe waterfowl in their winter nesting grounds. The center is open to self-guided tours and offers dozens of nature displays showcasing animals native to North Alabama. The Givens Wildlife Interpretive Center is open during the winter Sunday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. , and during the summer Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.