Hunting by game · 2026–2027

Feral & Exotic Hunting on National Wildlife Refuges

135 refuges and stations list feral & exotic hunting — feral hogs and other non-native species where refuge rules allow. 87 of them require a refuge-specific permit, and 35 offer youth hunts. Use the map and state list below to find a spot, then check the refuge page for units, rules and directions.

Map feral & exotic refugesFull list
135refuges & stations
23states & territories
87need a refuge permit
35offer youth hunts
Refuges with feral & exotic hunting, by state
Louisiana
16
Minnesota
14
Mississippi
13
Texas
10
Arkansas
9
Illinois
9
Florida
8
Oklahoma
8
Georgia
6
Alabama
6
Michigan
6
South Carolina
5
Iowa
5
New Mexico
4
Nebraska
4

When is feral & exotic season?

Typical U.S. season windows (varies widely by state, zone and refuge)
AugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun
🦌 Big Game
Archery deerFirearm deer
🦆 Waterfowl
Early teal & gooseRegular duck & goose
🦃 Wild Turkey
Spring gobblerFall (some states)
🐦 Upland Birds
Pheasant, quail, grouse
🕊️ Migratory Birds
Dove (Sept. 1 opener)Woodcock & snipeLate dove split
🐇 Small Game
Squirrel & rabbit
🐗 Feral & Exotic
Feral hog (often year-round)

General guidance only. Exact dates are set by each state and refuges may open fewer days. Always check the current 2026–2027 regulations.

Where to hunt feral & exotic: all 135 refuges

RefugeStateOpen unitsHuntable acresPermitYouth
Cahaba River National Wildlife RefugeAL1/24,738Yes🧒
Choctaw National Wildlife RefugeAL2/33,913—
Eufaula National Wildlife RefugeAL9/1210,588Yes
Key Cave National Wildlife RefugeAL1/11,060Yes
Mountain Longleaf National Wildlife RefugeAL2/33,348Yes🧒
Wheeler National Wildlife RefugeAL3/527,628Yes
Buenos Aires National Wildlife RefugeAZ1/2104,975—
Havasu National Wildlife RefugeAZ9/1138,730Yes
Bald Knob National Wildlife RefugeAR4/415,436Yes
Big Lake National Wildlife RefugeAR2/310,446Yes
Cache River National Wildlife RefugeAR10/1075,215Yes
Dale Bumpers White River National Wildlife RefugeAR13/17153,578Yes
Felsenthal National Wildlife RefugeAR2/377,289Yes
Holla Bend National Wildlife RefugeAR2/35,982Yes
Overflow National Wildlife RefugeAR3/413,421Yes
Pond Creek National Wildlife RefugeAR2/328,428Yes🧒
Wapanocca National Wildlife RefugeAR2/25,653Yes
Sacramento River National Wildlife RefugeCA22/396,083—
Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife RefugeFL4/5144,641Yes
Chassahowitzka National Wildlife RefugeFL2/321,837Yes
Everglades Headwaters NWR and Conservation AreaFL4/57,040—
Lake Woodruff National Wildlife RefugeFL3/412,535Yes🧒
Lower Suwannee National Wildlife RefugeFL4/549,638Yes🧒
Merritt Island National Wildlife RefugeFL3/440,016Yes
St. Marks National Wildlife RefugeFL6/749,991Yes
St. Vincent National Wildlife RefugeFL1/210,934Yes
Blackbeard Island National Wildlife RefugeGA1/24,582Yes
Bond Swamp National Wildlife RefugeGA1/28,570Yes
Harris Neck National Wildlife RefugeGA1/22,500Yes
Okefenokee National Wildlife RefugeGA4/63,821Yes🧒
Piedmont National Wildlife RefugeGA1/238,218Yes
Wassaw National Wildlife RefugeGA1/22,146Yes
Chautauqua National Wildlife RefugeIL1/2810—
Crab Orchard National Wildlife RefugeIL5/644,377Yes🧒
Cypress Creek National Wildlife RefugeIL2/316,436—
Emiquon National Wildlife RefugeIL1/2894—
Great River National Wildlife RefugeIL5/511,348—
Hackmatack National Wildlife RefugeIL2/3655—
Kankakee National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation AreaIL1/166—
Middle Mississippi River National Wildlife RefugeIL9/108,249—
Two Rivers National Wildlife RefugeIL8/89,009—
Driftless Area National Wildlife RefugeIA1/2798—
Iowa Wetland Management DistrictIA4/527,523—
Neal Smith National Wildlife RefugeIA1/24,645Yes
Port Louisa National Wildlife RefugeIA4/515,355—
Union Slough National Wildlife RefugeIA3/42,755—
Atchafalaya National Wildlife RefugeLA2/215,768Yes
Bayou Cocodrie National Wildlife RefugeLA6/715,064Yes🧒
Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife RefugeLA1/211,112Yes
Bayou Teche National Wildlife RefugeLA7/89,770Yes🧒
Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife RefugeLA2/319,052Yes
Bogue Chitto National Wildlife RefugeLA3/636,383Yes
Cat Island National Wildlife RefugeLA1/29,725Yes
Catahoula National Wildlife RefugeLA2/324,717Yes
D'Arbonne National Wildlife RefugeLA3/317,639Yes
Delta National Wildlife RefugeLA1/318,142Yes
Grand Cote National Wildlife RefugeLA3/43,384Yes
Lake Ophelia National Wildlife RefugeLA4/512,301Yes
Mandalay National Wildlife RefugeLA2/34,296Yes🧒
Red River National Wildlife RefugeLA1/210,921Yes
Tensas River National Wildlife RefugeLA4/575,113Yes🧒
Upper Ouachita National Wildlife RefugeLA2/343,755Yes🧒
Detroit River International Wildlife RefugeMI5/61,676Yes
Jordan River National Fish HatcheryMI2/374—
Kirtlands Warbler Wildlife Management AreaMI1/16,616—
Michigan Wetland Management DistrictMI1/1659—
Pendills Creek National Fish HatcheryMI1/264—
Shiawassee National Wildlife RefugeMI3/49,875Yes
Agassiz National Wildlife RefugeMN3/458,042—🧒
Big Stone National Wildlife RefugeMN2/39,574—
Big Stone Wetland Management DistrictMN1/14,442—
Detroit Lakes Wetland Management DistrictMN1/250,199—
Fergus Falls Wetland Management DistrictMN1/249,393—
Glacial Ridge National Wildlife RefugeMN2/317,405—
Litchfield Wetland Management DistrictMN1/238,587—
Minnesota Valley National Wildlife RefugeMN12/1712,620Yes🧒
Minnesota Valley Wetland Management DistrictMN2/28,695—
Morris Wetland Management DistrictMN1/256,610—
Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife RefugeMN4/56,677—
Rydell National Wildlife RefugeMN2/31,836—🧒
Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish RefugeMN10/16237,328—
Windom Wetland Management DistrictMN1/217,831—
Coldwater River National Wildlife RefugeMS2/32,306Yes🧒
Dahomey National Wildlife RefugeMS1/210,276Yes
Grand Bay National Wildlife RefugeMS2/310,092Yes
Hillside National Wildlife RefugeMS3/415,444Yes
Holt Collier National Wildlife RefugeMS3/32,981Yes
Mathews Brake National Wildlife RefugeMS2/22,363Yes🧒
Morgan Brake National Wildlife RefugeMS4/47,569Yes
Panther Swamp National Wildlife RefugeMS5/641,448Yes🧒
Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife RefugeMS2/544,706Yes🧒
St. Catherine Creek National Wildlife RefugeMS5/621,271Yes🧒
Tallahatchie National Wildlife RefugeMS1/23,639Yes🧒
Theodore Roosevelt National Wildlife RefugeMS2/34,744—
Yazoo National Wildlife RefugeMS3/412,784Yes🧒
Clarence Cannon National Wildlife RefugeMO3/33,924—
Crescent Lake National Wildlife RefugeNE2/341,906—
Fort Niobrara National Wildlife RefugeNE1/25,065Yes
John W. and Louise Seier National Wildlife RefugeNE1/12,403—
Valentine National Wildlife RefugeNE2/370,865—🧒
Bitter Lake National Wildlife RefugeNM3/414,285—
Bosque del Apache National Wildlife RefugeNM5/647,619—
San Andres National Wildlife RefugeNM1/257,330—
Sevilleta National Wildlife RefugeNM4/4227,772—
Currituck National Wildlife RefugeNC4/53,777Yes
Mackay Island National Wildlife RefugeNC3/48,723Yes
Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife RefugeNC4/5107,257Yes
Ohio River Islands National Wildlife RefugeOH22/302,925Yes
Deep Fork National Wildlife RefugeOK2/38,307Yes
Little River National Wildlife RefugeOK6/714,083Yes
Ozark Plateau National Wildlife RefugeOK1/2799Yes
Salt Plains National Wildlife RefugeOK11/129,555—🧒
Sequoyah National Wildlife RefugeOK13/1616,484Yes🧒
Tishomingo National Wildlife RefugeOK6/89,484—🧒
Washita National Wildlife RefugeOK4/65,878Yes🧒
Wichita Mountains Wildlife RefugeOK10/1153,301Yes
Erie National Wildlife RefugePA2/29,008—
Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife RefugeSC5/845,064Yes🧒
Ernest F. Hollings ACE Basin National Wildlife RefugeSC7/117,903Yes
Santee National Wildlife RefugeSC4/612,005Yes🧒
Savannah National Wildlife RefugeSC9/1129,750Yes🧒
Waccamaw National Wildlife RefugeSC6/933,580Yes🧒
Aransas National Wildlife RefugeTX3/654,646Yes🧒
Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife RefugeTX4/422,547Yes🧒
Buffalo Lake National Wildlife RefugeTX3/56,719Yes
Caddo Lake National Wildlife RefugeTX11/126,940Yes
Hagerman National Wildlife RefugeTX9/119,449Yes
Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife RefugeTX11/1280,315Yes
Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife RefugeTX10/1123,498Yes🧒
Muleshoe National Wildlife RefugeTX3/42,831Yes
Neches River National Wildlife RefugeTX7/89,778—
Trinity River National Wildlife RefugeTX7/128,765Yes🧒
Back Bay National Wildlife RefugeVA8/92,229Yes
Leopold Wetland Management DistrictWI1/313,841—
St. Croix Wetland Management DistrictWI2/28,909—

Other game

Big GameDeer, elk & other big gameWaterfowlDucks & geeseWild TurkeySpring & fall turkeyUpland BirdsPheasant, quail & grouseMigratory BirdsDove, woodcock & snipeSmall GameSquirrel, rabbit & hareFishingFreshwater, tidal & shellfish