National Wildlife Refuge · Louisiana · FWS Region 4

Bayou Teche National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Bayou Teche National Wildlife Refuge lies in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, with about 11,792 acres of land owned in fee by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For the 2026–2027 season the refuge has 8 mapped hunt units: 7 open with special regulations and 1 closed, covering about 9,770 huntable acres.

7 with special regs1 closedPermit requiredYouth hunts
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
8hunt units
9.8Khuntable acres
11.8KFWS-owned acres
5game categories

Bayou Teche 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 Bayou Teche NWR

Hunters can pursue big game, waterfowl, migratory birds, small game, and feral & exotic here, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules. Fishing is available — freshwater fishing and shellfishing & crabbing. A refuge permit is required for at least some activities, in addition to your state license. Special youth hunting opportunities are offered.

Bayou Teche National Wildlife Refuge, established in 2001, is in St. Mary Parish in southeast Louisiana.

Youth hunting

A deer hunt for youth is available.

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 cootsMigratory 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 Louisiana regulations plus refuge-specific rules.

Hunt units (8)

Acreage by status
Special regulations: 9,770 (83%)Closed: 2,023 (17%)9.8Khuntable acres
  • Special regulations9,770 ac 83%
  • Closed2,023 ac 17%
Units by size (acres)
Franklin
3,563 ac
Garden City
2,245 ac
Closed to Hunting
2,023 ac
Centerville
1,583 ac
North Bend West
916 ac
Mitigation
832 ac
North Bend East
550 ac
Bayou Sale
80 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Bayou Sale
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 80 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 All hunting
🧒 A deer hunt for youth is available.
Centerville
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 1,583 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 All hunting
🧒 A deer hunt for youth is available.
Franklin
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 3,563 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 All hunting
🧒 A deer hunt for youth is available.
Garden City
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 2,245 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 All hunting
🧒 A deer hunt for youth is available.
Mitigation
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 832 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 All hunting
🧒 A deer hunt for youth is available.
North Bend East
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 550 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 All hunting
🧒 A deer hunt for youth is available.
North Bend West
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 916 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 All hunting
🧒 A deer hunt for youth is available.
Closed to Hunting
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 2,023 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 All hunting
🧒 A deer hunt for youth is available.

Bayou Teche NWR by the numbers

With about 9,770 huntable acres, Bayou Teche NWR ranks #15 of 20 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Louisiana and #197 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 83% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is Franklin (3,563 acres, special regulations), while the smallest, Bayou Sale, covers 80 acres. Every huntable unit requires a refuge permit.

1 unit totaling 2,023 acres is closed to hunting (Closed to Hunting). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

Besides 11,792 acres of federally owned land, the station administers conservation easements on about 0.1 acres of private land. Easement land protects habitat but is not open to public hunting.

When to hunt Bayou Teche NWR

Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. Louisiana 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, Migratory Birds, Small Game, Feral & Exotic
AugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun
🦌 Big Game
Archery deerFirearm deer
🦆 Waterfowl
Early teal & gooseRegular duck & goose
🕊️ 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

Required

All hunting

Type: Signed Brochure or Similar

How to get it:

  • 🪧 Kiosk at the refuge
  • ✉️ By mail
  • 💻 Online (FWS)
  • 📋 Other (see refuge)
  • 🏛️ Refuge visitor center / office

You'll also need

  • A valid Louisiana hunting license and any required tags or stamps — Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
  • 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 Bayou Teche NWR

  • 🐟 Freshwater fishing
  • 🦀 Shellfishing & crabbing

Bayou Teche National Wildlife Refuge, established in 2001, is in St. Mary Parish in southeast Louisiana. The 9,508-acre refuge is composed of wet bottomland hardwoods laced with bayous and canals.

State fishing licenses and regulations apply. Some waters close seasonally to protect wildlife.

How to get to Bayou Teche NWR

Navigate

Destination: Bayou Teche National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
29.76620, -91.54445
DMS
29°45′58.3″N 91°32′40.0″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Lafayette, LA42 mi SE of town
  • Houma, LA51 mi W of town
  • Baton Rouge, LA52 mi SW of town
  • New Orleans, LA89 mi W of town

Closest airports

  • LFT Lafayette Regional41 mi
  • BTR Baton Rouge Metro58 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 Bayou Teche 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, 20266:12 AM6:42 AM7:30 PM12h 47m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:20 AM6:50 AM7:13 PM12h 23m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:28 AM6:58 AM6:52 PM11h 55m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:36 AM7:06 AM6:36 PM11h 30m
Sun, Nov 1, 20265:49 AM6:19 AM5:20 PM11h 01m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:00 AM6:30 AM5:11 PM10h 41m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:13 AM6:43 AM5:07 PM10h 23m
Tue, Dec 15, 20266:23 AM6:53 AM5:08 PM10h 15m
Fri, Jan 1, 20276:31 AM7:01 AM5:17 PM10h 16m
Fri, Jan 15, 20276:32 AM7:02 AM5:27 PM10h 26m
Mon, Feb 1, 20276:26 AM6:56 AM5:42 PM10h 46m

Computed for 29.766, -91.544 (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 Bayou Teche 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…

Dove Hunting on Wildlife Refuges: Managed Fields, Openers and Rules

How dove hunting works on National Wildlife Refuges — managed fields and draw days, HIP and plugged-gun rules…

HIP Certification Explained: The Harvest Information Program for Migratory Bird Hunters

What HIP is, who needs it, how to get certified in each state you hunt, and why your answers help set duck, goose and…

Bayou Teche NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Bayou Teche NWR?

Yes. Bayou Teche National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 7 units (9,770 acres) during 2026–2027 for big game, waterfowl, 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 Bayou Teche NWR?

Yes — Bayou Teche National Wildlife Refuge requires a refuge permit for some or all hunting. Permit type: Signed Brochure or Similar. Permits can be obtained kiosk, mail, online through fws, other, or visitor center. You also need the appropriate state hunting license and, for waterfowl, a Federal Duck Stamp.

Can you fish at Bayou Teche NWR?

Yes. Fishing is permitted (freshwater fishing and shellfishing & crabbing). State fishing licenses and regulations apply along with refuge rules.

Where is Bayou Teche NWR located?

Bayou Teche National Wildlife Refuge is in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, about 42 miles SE of Lafayette, LA (straight-line). GPS: 29.76620, -91.54445.

What are legal shooting hours at Bayou Teche 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

Shell Keys NWR

LA · 31 mi SW

1 closed
No hunting listed

Atchafalaya NWR

St. Martin Parish, LA · 46 mi N

2 special
🦌🦆🦃🕊️🐇🐗🎣

15.8K huntable acres

Mandalay NWR

Terrebonne Parish, LA · 48 mi E

2 special1 closed
🦌🦆🕊️🐇🐗🎣

4.3K huntable acres

Cat Island NWR

West Feliciana Parish, LA · 68 mi N

1 special1 closed
🦌🦆🕊️🐇🐗🎣

9.7K huntable acres

Lacassine NWR

Cameron Parish, LA · 82 mi W

3 special1 closed
🦌🦆🎣

33.2K huntable acres

Grand Cote NWR

Avoyelles Parish, LA · 99 mi N

1 open2 special1 closed
🦌🦆🕊️🐇🐗🎣

3.4K huntable acres

All refuges in Louisiana →

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