National Wildlife Refuge · Louisiana · FWS Region 4

Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge is located in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, with about 18,409 acres of land owned in fee by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For the 2026–2027 season the refuge has 3 mapped hunt units: 2 open with special regulations and 1 closed, covering about 19,052 huntable acres.

2 with special regs1 closedPermit required
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
3hunt units
19.1Khuntable acres
18.4KFWS-owned acres
6game categories

Big Branch Marsh 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 Big Branch Marsh NWR

Hunting opportunities include big game, waterfowl, upland birds, migratory birds, small game, and feral & exotic, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules. Fishing is available — freshwater fishing, tidal / saltwater fishing, and shellfishing & crabbing. A refuge permit is required for at least some activities, in addition to your state license.

Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1994, is one of eight refuges within the Southeast Louisiana National Wildlife Refuge Complex. Before the refuge was established, area wetlands were threatened by urban expansion from New Orleans.

Big GameWhite-tailed and mule deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, bear and other large mammalsWaterfowlDucks, geese, brant, swans (where legal) and cootsUpland 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 Louisiana regulations plus refuge-specific rules.

Hunt units (3)

Acreage by status
Special regulations: 19,052 (98%)Closed: 411 (2%)19.1Khuntable acres
  • Special regulations19,052 ac 98%
  • Closed411 ac 2%
Units by size (acres)
Open to Hunting
18,007 ac
St. Tammany State Wildlife Refuge
1,045 ac
No Hunting
411 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Open to Hunting
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 18,007 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 Hunting
St. Tammany State Wildlife Refuge
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 1,045 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 Hunting
No Hunting
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 411 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 Hunting

Big Branch Marsh NWR by the numbers

With about 19,052 huntable acres, Big Branch Marsh NWR ranks #7 of 20 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Louisiana and #119 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 98% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is Open to Hunting (18,007 acres, special regulations), while the smallest, St. Tammany State Wildlife Refuge, covers 1,045 acres. Every huntable unit requires a refuge permit.

1 unit totaling 411 acres is closed to hunting (No Hunting). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

Besides 18,409 acres of federally owned land, the station administers conservation easements on about 5.7 acres of private land. Easement land protects habitat but is not open to public hunting.

When to hunt Big Branch Marsh 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, Upland Birds, Migratory Birds, Small Game, Feral & Exotic
AugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun
🦌 Big Game
Archery deerFirearm deer
🦆 Waterfowl
Early teal & gooseRegular duck & goose
🐦 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

Required

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 Big Branch Marsh NWR

  • 🐟 Freshwater fishing
  • 🌊 Tidal / saltwater fishing
  • 🦀 Shellfishing & crabbing

Fishing season is year-round. Available saltwater species include spotted seatrout, red drum, flounder and blue crab. Freshwater species include largemouth bass and crappie.

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

How to get to Big Branch Marsh NWR

Navigate

Destination: Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
30.26793, -89.90958
DMS
30°16′04.5″N 89°54′34.5″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • New Orleans, LA24 mi NE of town
  • Gulfport, MS49 mi W of town
  • Houma, LA67 mi NE of town
  • Baton Rouge, LA77 mi E of town

Closest airports

  • MSY New Orleans Armstrong28 mi
  • BTR Baton Rouge Metro76 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 Branch Marsh 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, 20266:05 AM6:35 AM7:24 PM12h 48m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:13 AM6:43 AM7:06 PM12h 23m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:22 AM6:52 AM6:46 PM11h 54m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:30 AM7:00 AM6:29 PM11h 29m
Sun, Nov 1, 20265:43 AM6:13 AM5:13 PM11h 00m
Sun, Nov 15, 20265:54 AM6:24 AM5:04 PM10h 39m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:08 AM6:38 AM4:59 PM10h 21m
Tue, Dec 15, 20266:18 AM6:48 AM5:01 PM10h 13m
Fri, Jan 1, 20276:25 AM6:55 AM5:09 PM10h 14m
Fri, Jan 15, 20276:26 AM6:56 AM5:19 PM10h 23m
Mon, Feb 1, 20276:20 AM6:50 AM5:34 PM10h 44m

Computed for 30.268, -89.910 (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 Big Branch Marsh 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…

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…

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…

Big Branch Marsh NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Big Branch Marsh NWR?

Yes. Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 2 units (19,052 acres) during 2026–2027 for big game, waterfowl, 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 Big Branch Marsh NWR?

Yes — Big Branch Marsh 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 Big Branch Marsh NWR?

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

Where is Big Branch Marsh NWR located?

Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge is in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, about 24 miles NE of New Orleans, LA (straight-line). GPS: 30.26793, -89.90958.

What are legal shooting hours at Big Branch Marsh 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

Bayou Sauvage NWR

Orleans Parish, LA · 16 mi S

1 special1 closed
🦌🦆🕊️🐇🐗🎣

11.1K huntable acres

Bogue Chitto NWR

St. Tammany Parish, LA · 21 mi N

3 special3 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

36.4K huntable acres

Breton NWR

LA · 64 mi SE

1 closed
🎣

Mississippi Sandhill Crane NWR

Jackson County, MS · 68 mi E

1 closed
No hunting listed

Mandalay NWR

Terrebonne Parish, LA · 74 mi SW

2 special1 closed
🦌🦆🕊️🐇🐗🎣

4.3K huntable acres

Delta NWR

Plaquemines Parish, LA · 84 mi SE

1 special2 closed
🦌🦆🕊️🐇🐗🎣

18.1K huntable acres

All refuges in Louisiana →

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