Following a decade of droughts in the 1930s, Federal and state governments joined with private interest group to saving North America's rapidly disappearing wetlands.

Nevertheless, the Summer Lake wetlands were an important stop for migratory waterfowl and shorebirds traveling along the Pacific Flyway.

[2][3] Over the years, the Summer Lake Wildlife Area has grown as additional parcels of land were acquired by purchase, inter-governmental agreement, and private easements.

[3] Today, the wildlife area extends over 18,941 acres (76.65 km2) of Oregon's high desert range land, meadows, wetlands, marshes, and open playa.

The Summer Lake wetlands and neighboring high desert uplands along the Ana River provide habitat for many wildlife species.

The sale of hunting licenses remains the sole source of funding for operation and maintenance of the Summer Lake Wildlife Area.

Approximately 7 miles (11 km) from its source, the Ana River empties into the north end of Summer Lake.

[5][8][9] The Summer Lake Wildlife Area is extremely important because its wetlands host hundreds of thousands of migratory birds each year.

In 2005, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife joined with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service, Oregon Hunters Association, Ducks Unlimited, and the North American Wetlands Conservation Council to enhance approximately 1,000 acres (4.0 km2) of seasonally flooded wetland habitat in the River Ranch area of the wildlife area.

The area also supports non-aquatic animals such as Nuttall's cottontail, black-tailed jackrabbits, yellow-bellied marmot, chipmunks, Belding's ground squirrels, California ground squirrels, long-tailed weasels, mink, raccoons, striped skunks, mule deer, coyotes, and bobcats.

In the dry high desert country at the north end of the wildlife area, California quail and mourning doves are common.

Additional bird species stop in the Summer Lake Wildlife Area during their spring and fall migrations.

Both species of tui chub are found throughout the Anna River system and provide an important food source for a wide variety of mammals and birds as well as other fish.

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife stocks the river with approximately 2,000 hybrid bass fingerings every two years.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife regularly stocked the river with rainbow trout and hybrid bass.

Rainbow trout range in size from fingerlings to over 20 inches (510 mm), and the hybrid bass can reach 18 pounds (8.2 kg).

These wetlands host hundreds of thousands of birds during the annual spring and fall migrations along the Pacific Flyway.

Because of the large numbers and wide variety of birds that use the Summer Lake wetlands and meadows, the refuge area is popular for birdwatching, wildlife photography, and hunting.

[16][17][18] Hunters can find a variety of waterfowl, upland birds, and big game in the Summer Lake Wildlife Area.

During hunting season, the Summer Lake Wildlife Area opens two hours before sunrise and closes a half-hour after sunset.