Hunt unit · Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge

Merkley Lake Hunt Unit Map & Access

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The Merkley Lake unit is one of 14 mapped hunt units on Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Bear Lake County, ID. It covers approximately 81 acres and is listed as “open to hunting” for 2026–2027. Hunting generally follows state seasons and bag limits, along with general refuge rules.

Navigate to unit Refuge overview Official hunt info ↗
81acres
Openstatus 2026–27
Norefuge permit
Bear Lake Countycounty

Merkley Lake map

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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
Downloads (whole refuge):KMLGPX

Rules & permits for this unit

Status: Open to hunting

Hunting follows Idaho seasons, bag limits and licensing, plus general National Wildlife Refuge rules.

Game at Bear Lake NWR

Species listed for the refuge as a whole — a special-regulation unit may be limited to certain species. Confirm in the hunt brochure.

Getting to the Merkley Lake unit

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Destination: center of the Merkley Lake unit

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Decimal
42.17754, -111.27232
DMS
42°10′39.1″N 111°16′20.4″W

Nearest towns

  • Soda Springs, ID37 mi SE of town
  • Logan, UT42 mi NE of town
  • Kemmerer, WY46 mi NW of town

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

The navigation point is a point inside the unit polygon, not necessarily a parking area or legal access point. Use satellite view to find roads, gates and designated parking, and respect closed areas and private inholdings.

Shooting hours at this unit

Today at Merkley Lake

Legal light*–
Sunrise–
Sunset–

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

Full season calculator →

2026–2027 season sun table

DateShooting lightSunriseSunsetDaylight
Tue, Sep 1, 20266:19 AM6:49 AM8:01 PM13h 12m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:33 AM7:03 AM7:37 PM12h 33m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:50 AM7:20 AM7:08 PM11h 48m
Thu, Oct 15, 20267:06 AM7:36 AM6:45 PM11h 09m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:26 AM6:56 AM5:20 PM10h 24m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:44 AM7:14 AM5:05 PM9h 50m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:03 AM7:33 AM4:55 PM9h 21m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:16 AM7:46 AM4:53 PM9h 08m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:23 AM7:53 AM5:02 PM9h 09m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:21 AM7:51 AM5:16 PM9h 25m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:09 AM7:39 AM5:37 PM9h 58m

Computed for 42.178, -111.272 (MDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.

Weather forecast

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

Other units at Bear Lake NWR

UnitStatusAcresPermit
RainbowOpen1,870—
Salt MeadowOpen242—
N Mud LakeSpecial regs5,123—
AlderClosed785—
BloomingtonClosed2,034—
Bunn LakeClosed2,607—
DunfordClosed563—
N DingleClosed872—
Red SloughClosed427—
S DingleClosed404—
S Mud LakeClosed2,708—
St CharlesClosed561—
Thomas ForkClosed1,004—

Back to Bear Lake NWR →