Guides · Maps & data
Waterfowl Hunting on Refuges by State: The Numbers
How many refuges allow waterfowl hunting in each state, how much refuge land is huntable and where the Waterfowl Production Areas are concentrated.
Waterfowl is the single most common reason refuges exist — many were established specifically to protect breeding, migration and wintering habitat for ducks and geese, and much of that land was bought with Federal Duck Stamp dollars. This page summarizes, state by state, how many refuges and wetland management districts list waterfowl hunting in the 2026–2027 USFWS data, how much of their mapped hunt-unit land is huntable, and how many walk-in Waterfowl Production Areas each state has.
Refuges with waterfowl hunting, by state
Where the Waterfowl Production Areas are
WPAs are concentrated in the Prairie Pothole Region. If you want walk-in public marshes and grasslands with fewer special rules than a typical refuge, these states are where to look.
State-by-state table
Reading the numbers
- More refuges doesn't always mean more opportunity. A state with a few large refuges can offer more huntable marsh than one with many small ones. Open each refuge page to see its units and acreage.
- Permits are common for waterfowl. Blind lotteries, reservation systems and signed brochures are widespread on refuges with heavy hunting pressure. See the permit guide.
- Every waterfowl hunter 16 or older needs a Federal Duck Stamp, plus HIP certification and nontoxic shot. Read our guides to the Duck Stamp, HIP and nontoxic shot.
Counts use the USFWS “Hunting and Fishing Opportunities” layer (waterfowl = yes), assigned to each refuge's headquarters state. WPA figures come from fee-title realty tracts. Method details are on the data sources page.
Keep reading
Scouting Public Land with Satellite & Topo Maps
Use satellite imagery, USGS topo and KML/GPX downloads to e-scout refuges and WPAs before you go.
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