Visit North Carolina’s Largest Lake at
Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge
About Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge
Near Diamond Shoal Shrimp Company is the Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge, located on the Albemarle-Pamlico Peninsula. The Refuge includes 50,000 acres of open water, marsh, forest and croplands. At the core of the refuge is Lake Mattamuskeet, North Carolina’s largest natural lake and a vital stopover for wintering waterfowl. More than 200,000 ducks, geese and swans come to the refuge from November through February.
Agriculture has always been an important part of life in Hyde County. Our rich farmland produces corn, soybeans, wheat and other crops, often within sight of the waters where our fishermen work.
Here, farming and fishing aren't separate worlds. Both depend on the seasons, the weather and healthy natural resources. Many local families have connections to both, and together they help define the working landscape of Hyde County.
From the fields to the Pamlico Sound, harvesting food is part of who we are.
Visit Hyde County
DUCK HUNTING — A HYDE COUNTY TRADITION
When the weather turns cold, another Hyde County tradition takes center stage—duck hunting.
Surrounded by the Pamlico Sound, marshes, farmland and Lake Mattamuskeet, Hyde County has a long connection to migrating waterfowl. For generations, duck season has brought families and friends together in blinds and impoundments, passing down not only hunting traditions, but a deep appreciation for the land, water and wildlife that make this place special.
Here, the year is still measured by the seasons—shrimp season, crab season, planting and harvest, and duck season.
These aren't simply things we do. They're part of the culture of Hyde County and part of the story we hope to pass on to the next generation.
Learn more about Hyde County at NCpedia or carolana.com.
Lighthouse photo by Barry Nash