Bowdoin WMD
Phillips County, MT · 38 mi SE
✓1 open!1 special✕1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣
8.3K huntable acres
Black Coulee 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.
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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
Hunting at Black Coulee NWR
- Big Game
- Waterfowl
-
Wild Turkey - Upland Birds
- Migratory Birds
- Small Game
-
Feral & Exotic -
Fishing
Hunting opportunities include big game, waterfowl, upland birds, migratory birds, and small game, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules.
Black Coulee National Wildlife Refuge was established to conserve habitat around Black Coulee Reservoir. Fall waterfowl hunting is highly dependent on the amount of water in the reservoir.
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 mammals
Categories are those listed by USFWS for this station; exact species, seasons and bag limits follow Montana regulations plus refuge-specific rules.
Hunt units (1)
- Open643 ac 100%
| Unit | Status | Acres | Permit | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Station | ✓Open | 643 | — |
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 Montana hunting license and any required tags or stamps — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
- 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 Black Coulee NWR
USFWS does not list fishing opportunities for Black Coulee NWR.
How to get to Black Coulee NWR
Navigate
Destination: Black Coulee National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)
- Decimal
48.68981, -108.42286- DMS
48°41′23.3″N 108°25′22.3″W
Nearest towns
- Malta, MT34 mi NW of town
- Havre, MT58 mi E of town
- Glasgow, MT88 mi NW of town
- Jordan, MT118 mi NW of town
Closest airports
- GTF Great Falls Intl160 mi
- BIL Billings Logan199 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 Black Coulee NWR
Legal light*–
Sunrise–
Sunset–
*½ hour before sunrise — the standard federal shooting-hour start for migratory game birds. Times in Denver local time.
Full season calculator →2026–2027 season sun table
| Date | Shooting light | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, Sep 1, 2026 | 5:59 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:58 PM | 13h 29m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:18 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:29 PM | 12h 41m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 6:41 AM | 7:11 AM | 6:55 PM | 11h 44m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:01 AM | 7:31 AM | 6:26 PM | 10h 55m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:28 AM | 6:58 AM | 4:55 PM | 9h 57m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:51 AM | 7:21 AM | 4:35 PM | 9h 15m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:14 AM | 7:44 AM | 4:21 PM | 8h 37m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:29 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:18 PM | 8h 19m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:36 AM | 8:06 AM | 4:26 PM | 8h 21m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:31 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:43 PM | 8h 42m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:14 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:09 PM | 9h 25m |
Computed for 48.690, -108.423 (MDT / 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.
Black Coulee NWR FAQ
Is hunting allowed at Black Coulee NWR?
Yes. Black Coulee National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 1 unit (643 acres) during 2026–2027 for big game, waterfowl, upland birds, migratory birds, and small game. Seasons follow state regulations plus refuge-specific rules in 50 CFR Part 32.
Do I need a permit to hunt Black Coulee NWR?
FWS data does not list a separate refuge hunting permit for Black Coulee 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 Black Coulee NWR located?
Black Coulee National Wildlife Refuge is in Blaine County, Montana, about 34 miles NW of Malta, MT (straight-line). GPS: 48.68981, -108.42286.
What are legal shooting hours at Black Coulee 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
Hewitt Lake NWR
Phillips County, MT · 38 mi E
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🦌🦆🐦🕊️🐇
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✓1 open!2 special✕1 closed
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Lake Thibadeau NWR
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Creedman Coulee NWR
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UL Bend NWR
Phillips County, MT · 79 mi S
!1 special
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55.8K huntable acres
Waterfowl Production Areas within 35 miles
- Balck Coulee WPA 188 ac · 0.9 mi E
- Dyrdahl WPA 1,313 ac · 26 mi NE
- Webb WPA 479 ac · 27 mi NE
- Korsbeck WPA 1,376 ac · 34 mi S
Data: USFWS National Hunt Units 2026–2027, Hunting & Fishing Opportunities, Realty Boundaries & Tracts. Page updated September 29, 2026.