National Wildlife Refuge · Minnesota · FWS Region 3

Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge is located in Marshall County, Minnesota, with about 61,837 acres of land owned in fee by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For the 2026–2027 season the refuge has 4 mapped hunt units: 3 open with special regulations and 1 closed, covering about 58,042 huntable acres.

3 with special regs1 closedYouth hunts
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
4hunt units
58Khuntable acres
61.8KFWS-owned acres
7game categories

Agassiz NWR hunt unit map

Hunt units are colored by 2026–2027 status. Toggle layers for FWS-owned land, the approved refuge boundary and private easements. Use satellite imagery to scout marshes, timber edges and access points.

Loading interactive map…
OpenSpecial regulationsClosedFWS-owned landWPA (public)Refuge boundaryEasement (private) Tip: switch to Satellite or USGS Topo in the layer menu · click the map for GPS coordinates
Take it into the field: KML (Google Earth / onX) GPX waypoints GeoJSON

Hunting at Agassiz NWR

Hunters can pursue big game, waterfowl, wild turkey, upland birds, migratory birds, small game, and feral & exotic here, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules. Special youth hunting opportunities are offered.

Deer hunting on Agassiz refuge is a long-standing tradition. In 2009 Agassiz expanded its hunting opportunities to include muzzleloader and archery deer hunting, grouse hunting, and special youth deer and waterfowl hunts.

Youth hunting

A youth waterfowl hunt is held.

All refuges with youth hunts →
Big GameWhite-tailed and mule deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, bear and other large mammalsWaterfowlDucks, geese, brant, swans (where legal) and cootsWild TurkeySpring and fall wild turkeyUpland BirdsPheasant, quail, grouse, prairie chicken and partridgeMigratory BirdsMourning dove, woodcock, snipe, rails, gallinules and sandhill craneSmall GameSquirrel, rabbit, hare, raccoon, opossum and other small mammalsFeral & ExoticFeral hogs and other non-native species where refuge rules allow

Categories are those listed by USFWS for this station; exact species, seasons and bag limits follow Minnesota regulations plus refuge-specific rules.

Hunt units (4)

Acreage by status
Special regulations: 58,042 (94%)Closed: 3,795 (6%)58Khuntable acres
  • Special regulations58,042 ac 94%
  • Closed3,795 ac 6%
Units by size (acres)
North Unit
33,540 ac
East-West Unit
16,773 ac
South Unit
7,730 ac
Closed
3,795 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
East-West Unit
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 16,773 — 🧒 A youth waterfowl hunt is held.
North Unit
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 33,540 — 🧒 A youth waterfowl hunt is held.
South Unit
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 7,730 — 🧒 A youth waterfowl hunt is held.
Closed
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 3,795 — 🧒 A youth waterfowl hunt is held.

Agassiz NWR by the numbers

With about 58,042 huntable acres, Agassiz NWR ranks #2 of 19 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Minnesota and #39 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 94% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is North Unit (33,540 acres, special regulations), while the smallest, South Unit, covers 7,730 acres.

1 unit totaling 3,795 acres is closed to hunting (Closed). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

Besides 61,837 acres of federally owned land, the station administers conservation easements on about 5,449 acres of private land. Easement land protects habitat but is not open to public hunting.

1 Waterfowl Production Area lies within 35 miles; the closest is Walton WPA (527 acres, 7 miles NW).

When to hunt Agassiz NWR

Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. Minnesota sets the exact dates, and refuges often open fewer days than the statewide season — use this to plan scouting, then confirm the 2026–2027 dates in the state regulations and the refuge hunt brochure.

Typical season windows — Big Game, Waterfowl, Wild Turkey, Upland Birds, Migratory Birds, Small Game, Feral & Exotic
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)

Permits & licenses

Refuge permit

Not listed

USFWS does not list a separate refuge permit for this station. Specific units or hunts (e.g. quota deer hunts) may still require one — check the hunt brochure.

You'll also need

  • A valid Minnesota hunting license and any required tags or stamps — Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
  • Federal Duck Stamp (waterfowl hunters 16+) and HIP certification for migratory birds
  • Non-toxic shot for waterfowl (federal requirement)
  • Hunter education certification where your state requires it
  • The current refuge hunt brochure / regulations (often must be signed and carried)

Fishing at Agassiz NWR

USFWS does not list fishing opportunities for Agassiz NWR.

How to get to Agassiz NWR

Navigate

Destination: Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
48.34562, -95.94552
DMS
48°20′44.2″N 95°56′43.9″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Thief River Falls, MN19 mi NE of town
  • Grand Forks, ND58 mi NE of town
  • Bemidji, MN78 mi NW of town
  • Detroit Lakes, MN106 mi N of town

Closest airports

  • GFK Grand Forks Intl63 mi
  • FAR Fargo Hector Intl107 mi

Straight-line distances. Driving routes are longer; many refuge roads are gravel and may close seasonally.

The navigation point is the station reference location published by USFWS — often the headquarters or main entrance. For a specific hunt unit, open its page or click it on the map for coordinates and parking planning.

Sunrise, sunset & shooting hours

Today at Agassiz NWR

Legal light*–
Sunrise–
Sunset–

*½ hour before sunrise — the standard federal shooting-hour start for migratory game birds. Times in Chicago local time.

Full season calculator →

2026–2027 season sun table

DateShooting lightSunriseSunsetDaylight
Tue, Sep 1, 20266:09 AM6:39 AM8:08 PM13h 28m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:29 AM6:59 AM7:39 PM12h 40m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:51 AM7:21 AM7:05 PM11h 44m
Thu, Oct 15, 20267:11 AM7:41 AM6:37 PM10h 56m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:38 AM7:08 AM5:06 PM9h 59m
Sun, Nov 15, 20267:00 AM7:30 AM4:46 PM9h 17m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:23 AM7:53 AM4:32 PM8h 39m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:38 AM8:08 AM4:29 PM8h 22m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:44 AM8:14 AM4:38 PM8h 24m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:40 AM8:10 AM4:54 PM8h 44m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:23 AM7:53 AM5:20 PM9h 27m

Computed for 48.346, -95.946 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.

7-day hunting weather

Loading National Weather Service forecast…

Forecast from the National Weather Service. Wind direction matters — plan your approach downwind of where game beds.

Guides for hunting Agassiz NWR

Deer Hunting on National Wildlife Refuges: Quota Hunts, Archery Units and Stand Rules

How refuge deer hunts work — lotteries and quota permits, archery-only and muzzleloader units, tree-stand rules…

Public-Land Duck Hunting on National Wildlife Refuges: Tactics That Work

How to find ducks, beat the crowds and set up on refuge marshes and WPAs — scouting, timing, small decoy spreads for…

Federal Duck Stamp Explained: Who Needs One, Where to Buy It and Where the Money Goes

Everything waterfowl hunters need to know about the Federal Duck Stamp — who must carry it, signing rules, the…

Nontoxic Shot Guide for Refuge and WPA Hunters

Why lead shot is banned for waterfowl, which nontoxic loads are approved, how steel, bismuth and tungsten compare, and…

Turkey Hunting on Wildlife Refuges: Lotteries, Pressured Birds and Safety

How spring and fall turkey hunts work on National Wildlife Refuges, how to scout and call public-land gobblers, and…

Pheasant and Upland Bird Hunting on Waterfowl Production Areas

Why WPAs are some of the best walk-in pheasant ground in the Midwest, how to hunt them early and late in the season…

Agassiz NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Agassiz NWR?

Yes. Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 3 units (58,042 acres) during 2026–2027 for big game, waterfowl, wild turkey, upland birds, migratory birds, small game, and feral & exotic. Seasons follow state regulations plus refuge-specific rules in 50 CFR Part 32.

Do I need a permit to hunt Agassiz NWR?

FWS data does not list a separate refuge hunting permit for Agassiz NWR. You still need a valid state license, any required state tags or stamps, and (for waterfowl hunters 16+) a Federal Duck Stamp.

Where is Agassiz NWR located?

Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge is in Marshall County, Minnesota, about 19 miles NE of Thief River Falls, MN (straight-line). GPS: 48.34562, -95.94552.

What are legal shooting hours at Agassiz NWR?

Migratory game bird shooting hours are generally one-half hour before sunrise to sunset; big game and other seasons follow state rules. See the sunrise/sunset table on this page and confirm in the refuge hunt brochure.

Nearby refuges & public land

Glacial Ridge NWR

Polk County, MN · 47 mi S

2 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗

17.4K huntable acres

Rydell NWR

Polk County, MN · 48 mi S

2 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

1.8K huntable acres

Kellys Slough NWR

Grand Forks County, ND · 67 mi W

1 closed
No hunting listed

Hamden Slough NWR

Becker County, MN · 94 mi S

3 special
🦌🦆

3.4K huntable acres

Tamarac NWR

Becker County, MN · 95 mi S

6 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

42K huntable acres

Detroit Lakes WMD

Becker County, MN · 104 mi S

1 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

50.2K huntable acres

Waterfowl Production Areas within 35 miles

All refuges in Minnesota →

Data: USFWS National Hunt Units 2026–2027, Hunting & Fishing Opportunities, Realty Boundaries & Tracts. Page updated October 28, 2026.