San Bernard NWR
Brazoria County, TX · 18 mi NE
✓4 open✕1 closed
🦆🎣
7K huntable acres
Big Boggy 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
Hunting at Big Boggy NWR
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Big Game - Waterfowl
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Wild Turkey -
Upland Birds -
Migratory Birds -
Small Game -
Feral & Exotic -
Fishing
Hunting opportunities include waterfowl, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules.
Big Boggy National Wildlife Refuge offers two waterfowl hunting areas, each providing a different type of hunt. One is along a flight path ducks use as they leave their resting area in the morning and head to fields.
Categories are those listed by USFWS for this station; exact species, seasons and bag limits follow Texas regulations plus refuge-specific rules.
Hunt units (3)
- Open1,266 ac 30%
- Closed2,935 ac 70%
| Unit | Status | Acres | Permit | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matthes Field Show on map · Directions |
✓Open | 253 | — | |
| Pelton Lake Show on map · Directions |
✓Open | 1,013 | — | |
| Closed Show on map · Directions |
✕Closed | 2,935 | — |
Big Boggy NWR by the numbers
With about 1,266 huntable acres, Big Boggy NWR ranks #16 of 16 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Texas and #348 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 30% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.
The largest huntable unit is Pelton Lake (1,013 acres), while the smallest, Matthes Field, covers 253 acres.
1 unit totaling 2,935 acres is closed to hunting (Closed). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.
Besides 4,201 acres of federally owned land, the station administers conservation easements on about 310 acres of private land. Easement land protects habitat but is not open to public hunting.
When to hunt Big Boggy NWR
Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. Texas 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.
AugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun
🦆 Waterfowl
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 Texas hunting license and any required tags or stamps — Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
- 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 Big Boggy NWR
USFWS does not list fishing opportunities for Big Boggy NWR.
How to get to Big Boggy NWR
Navigate
Destination: Big Boggy National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)
- Decimal
28.75236, -95.81282- DMS
28°45′08.5″N 95°48′46.2″W
Nearest towns
- Bay City, TX18 mi SE of town
- Galveston, TX72 mi SW of town
- Victoria, TX72 mi E of town
- Houston, TX75 mi S of town
Closest airports
- IAH Houston Bush Intercontinental89 mi
- CRP Corpus Christi Intl123 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 Big Boggy 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
| Date | Shooting light | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, Sep 1, 2026 | 6:30 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:46 PM | 12h 46m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:37 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:29 PM | 12h 22m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 6:45 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:10 PM | 11h 55m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 6:53 AM | 7:23 AM | 6:54 PM | 11h 31m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:04 AM | 6:34 AM | 5:38 PM | 11h 04m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:15 AM | 6:45 AM | 5:30 PM | 10h 44m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 6:28 AM | 6:58 AM | 5:26 PM | 10h 28m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 6:38 AM | 7:08 AM | 5:28 PM | 10h 20m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 6:45 AM | 7:15 AM | 5:36 PM | 10h 20m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 6:47 AM | 7:17 AM | 5:46 PM | 10h 30m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 6:41 AM | 7:11 AM | 6:01 PM | 10h 49m |
Computed for 28.752, -95.813 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day hunting weather
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Forecast from the National Weather Service. Wind direction matters — plan your approach downwind of where game beds.
Guides for hunting Big Boggy NWR
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…
How to Read a Refuge Hunt Brochure (and Not Miss the Rule That Matters)
What's inside a National Wildlife Refuge hunt brochure, where to find it, how it relates to 50 CFR Part 32 and state…
Hunting Safety on Public Land: Cold Water, Tree Stands, Crowds and Weather
The safety habits that matter most on refuges and WPAs — firearm rules, blaze orange, tree-stand harnesses, cold-water…
Big Boggy NWR FAQ
Is hunting allowed at Big Boggy NWR?
Yes. Big Boggy National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 2 units (1,266 acres) during 2026–2027 for waterfowl. Seasons follow state regulations plus refuge-specific rules in 50 CFR Part 32.
Do I need a permit to hunt Big Boggy NWR?
FWS data does not list a separate refuge hunting permit for Big Boggy 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 Big Boggy NWR located?
Big Boggy National Wildlife Refuge is in Matagorda County, Texas, about 18 miles SE of Bay City, TX (straight-line). GPS: 28.75236, -95.81282.
What are legal shooting hours at Big Boggy 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
Brazoria NWR
Brazoria County, TX · 47 mi NE
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🦆🕊️🎣
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Aransas NWR
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Attwater Prairie Chicken NWR
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Jocelyn Nungaray NWR
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McFaddin NWR
Jefferson County, TX · 115 mi NE
!4 special✕1 closed
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Data: USFWS National Hunt Units 2026–2027, Hunting & Fishing Opportunities, Realty Boundaries & Tracts. Page updated October 28, 2026.