About WildlifeChase
Why WildlifeChase exists, who it's for, and how we turn official USFWS data into practical public-land hunting maps and guides.
WildlifeChase is an independent guide to hunting and fishing on America's National Wildlife Refuges and Waterfowl Production Areas. It exists to answer the questions public-land hunters ask before every trip: Can I hunt there? Which units are open? Do I need a permit? How do I get there, and when is legal light?
Why we built it
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service publishes excellent open data — national hunt-unit boundaries with their status for each season, hunting and fishing opportunities for every refuge, and realty records showing exactly which land the government owns. But that information is spread across GIS layers, PDFs and hundreds of separate refuge websites. WildlifeChase brings it together in one place, in plain language, with maps you can take into the field.
What you'll find here
- 606 refuge and district guides with 2026–2027 hunt-unit maps on USGS topo and satellite imagery, unit-by-unit status and permits, game and fishing opportunities, directions, sun tables and live NWS forecasts.
- County guides to 3,251 Waterfowl Production Areas — federally owned, walk-in tracts that are easy to overlook — with acreage, GPS points and downloadable KML/GPX.
- State hubs, species hubs and analysis such as the insights page, largest huntable refuges and refuges near major cities.
- In-depth guides on licenses and permits, tactics for waterfowl, deer, turkey, upland birds and doves, safety, etiquette and e-scouting.
- Free tools: the interactive map and the shooting hours calculator.
How we work
- Official data first. Every refuge fact comes from government sources, credited on the data sources page. We refresh the data when USFWS publishes a new season.
- Checked guides. Rule-based statements in our guides are checked against federal and state sources; see the editorial policy.
- Honest about limits. Maps are a planning tool. Signs on the ground, the refuge hunt brochure and state regulations always take precedence.
- Kept current. Changes and data refreshes are logged on the news & updates page.
Independence
WildlifeChase is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Department of the Interior or any state agency. The site may be supported by advertising; advertisers have no say in our content.
Get in touch
Found an error or want a refuge covered in more depth? Contact us — reader corrections make the maps better for everyone.
Last updated October 28, 2026.