Supawna Meadows NWR
Salem County, NJ · 23 mi N
✓1 open✕3 closed
🦆🕊️🎣
1.4K huntable acres
Bombay Hook 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 Bombay Hook NWR
- Big Game
- Waterfowl
- Wild Turkey
- Upland Birds
- Migratory Birds
- Small Game
-
Feral & Exotic - Fishing
Permitted hunting categories are big game, waterfowl, wild turkey, upland birds, migratory birds, and small game, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules. Fishing is available — freshwater fishing. A refuge permit is required for at least some activities, in addition to your state license. Special youth hunting opportunities are offered.
In winter, snow geese blanket the salt marshes and fields of Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge.
Youth hunting
A waterfowl hunt limited to young hunters accompanied by a guardian is conducted on the South Waterfowl Area on the fourth Saturday in October. A special youth deer hunt is also offered.
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 cootsWild TurkeySpring and fall wild turkeyUpland 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 Delaware regulations plus refuge-specific rules.
Hunt units (8)
- Special regulations9,076 ac 59%
- Closed6,270 ac 41%
| Unit | Status | Acres | Permit | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fischer Tract Show on map · Directions |
!Special regs | 242 | Required Other OMB-Approved Permit |
lottery hunt on the HQ unit. No fee. 🧒 A waterfowl hunt limited to young hunters accompanied by a guardian is conducted on the South… |
| Headquarters Area Show on map · Directions |
!Special regs | 1,864 | Required Other OMB-Approved Permit |
lottery hunt on the HQ unit. No fee. 🧒 A waterfowl hunt limited to young hunters accompanied by a guardian is conducted on the South… |
| Kelly Island / Mahon Show on map · Directions |
!Special regs | 1,726 | Required Other OMB-Approved Permit |
lottery hunt on the HQ unit. No fee. 🧒 A waterfowl hunt limited to young hunters accompanied by a guardian is conducted on the South… |
| Regular Area Show on map · Directions |
!Special regs | 814 | Required Other OMB-Approved Permit |
lottery hunt on the HQ unit. No fee. 🧒 A waterfowl hunt limited to young hunters accompanied by a guardian is conducted on the South… |
| Snow Goose Show on map · Directions |
!Special regs | 2,997 | Required Other OMB-Approved Permit |
lottery hunt on the HQ unit. No fee. 🧒 A waterfowl hunt limited to young hunters accompanied by a guardian is conducted on the South… |
| South Upland Show on map · Directions |
!Special regs | 576 | Required Other OMB-Approved Permit |
lottery hunt on the HQ unit. No fee. 🧒 A waterfowl hunt limited to young hunters accompanied by a guardian is conducted on the South… |
| Steamboat Landing Tract Show on map · Directions |
!Special regs | 857 | Required Other OMB-Approved Permit |
lottery hunt on the HQ unit. No fee. 🧒 A waterfowl hunt limited to young hunters accompanied by a guardian is conducted on the South… |
| Closed Show on map · Directions |
✕Closed | 6,270 | Required Other OMB-Approved Permit |
lottery hunt on the HQ unit. No fee. 🧒 A waterfowl hunt limited to young hunters accompanied by a guardian is conducted on the South… |
Bombay Hook NWR by the numbers
With about 9,076 huntable acres, Bombay Hook NWR ranks #1 of 2 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Delaware and #205 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 59% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.
The largest huntable unit is Snow Goose (2,997 acres, special regulations), while the smallest, Fischer Tract, covers 242 acres. Every huntable unit requires a refuge permit.
1 unit totaling 6,270 acres is closed to hunting (Closed). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.
Besides 15,346 acres of federally owned land, the station administers conservation easements on about 80 acres of private land. Easement land protects habitat but is not open to public hunting.
When to hunt Bombay Hook NWR
Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. Delaware 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
🦌 Big Game
🦆 Waterfowl
🦃 Wild Turkey
🐦 Upland Birds
🕊️ Migratory Birds
🐇 Small Game
Permits & licenses
Refuge permit
Required
lottery hunt on the HQ unit. No fee.
Type: Other OMB-Approved Permit
How to get it:
- 🪧 Kiosk at the refuge
- 🏛️ Refuge visitor center / office
You'll also need
- A valid Delaware hunting license and any required tags or stamps — Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife
- 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 Bombay Hook NWR
- 🐟 Freshwater fishing
At Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge, fishing is allowed in Parson Pond. Fishing is catch-and-release only. Fishing is allowed during regular refuge hours of operation.
State fishing licenses and regulations apply. Some waters close seasonally to protect wildlife.
How to get to Bombay Hook NWR
Navigate
Destination: Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)
- Decimal
39.26039, -75.45774- DMS
39°15′37.4″N 75°27′27.9″W
Nearest towns
- Dover, DE7.7 mi NE of town
- Vineland, NJ28 mi SW of town
- Wilmington, DE34 mi S of town
- Cape May, NJ37 mi NW of town
Closest airports
- PHL Philadelphia Intl44 mi
- ACY Atlantic City Intl49 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 Bombay Hook NWR
Legal light*–
Sunrise–
Sunset–
*½ hour before sunrise — the standard federal shooting-hour start for migratory game birds. Times in New York 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 | 7:34 PM | 13h 05m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:11 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:12 PM | 12h 31m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 6:26 AM | 6:56 AM | 6:46 PM | 11h 50m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 6:40 AM | 7:10 AM | 6:24 PM | 11h 15m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 5:58 AM | 6:28 AM | 5:02 PM | 10h 34m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:14 AM | 6:44 AM | 4:48 PM | 10h 04m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 6:32 AM | 7:02 AM | 4:40 PM | 9h 38m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 6:44 AM | 7:14 AM | 4:39 PM | 9h 26m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 6:51 AM | 7:21 AM | 4:48 PM | 9h 27m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 6:49 AM | 7:19 AM | 5:01 PM | 9h 41m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 6:39 AM | 7:09 AM | 5:20 PM | 10h 11m |
Computed for 39.260, -75.458 (EDT / 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 Bombay Hook 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…
Turkey Hunting on Wildlife Refuges: Lotteries, Pressured Birds and Safety
How spring and fall turkey hunts work on National Wildlife Refuges, how to scout and call public-land gobblers, 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…
Bombay Hook NWR FAQ
Is hunting allowed at Bombay Hook NWR?
Yes. Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 7 units (9,076 acres) during 2026–2027 for big game, waterfowl, wild turkey, 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 Bombay Hook NWR?
Yes — Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge requires a refuge permit for some or all hunting. Permit type: Other OMB-Approved Permit. Permits can be obtained kiosk or visitor center. You also need the appropriate state hunting license and, for waterfowl, a Federal Duck Stamp.
Can you fish at Bombay Hook NWR?
Yes. Fishing is permitted (freshwater fishing). State fishing licenses and regulations apply along with refuge rules.
Where is Bombay Hook NWR located?
Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge is in Kent County, Delaware, about 8 miles NE of Dover, DE (straight-line). GPS: 39.26039, -75.45774.
What are legal shooting hours at Bombay Hook 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
Prime Hook NWR
Sussex County, DE · 31 mi S
!8 special✕2 closed
🦌🦆🐦🕊️🐇🎣
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Susquehanna NWR
Harford County, MD · 37 mi NW
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No hunting listed
Cape May NWR
Cape May County, NJ · 39 mi E
!4 special✕2 closed
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12K huntable acres
John Heinz NWR at Tinicum
Delaware County, PA · 44 mi N
!3 special✕1 closed
🦌🎣
194 huntable acres
Eastern Neck NWR
MD · 44 mi W
!1 special✕1 closed
🦌🦃🐇🎣
2K huntable acres
Data: USFWS National Hunt Units 2026–2027, Hunting & Fishing Opportunities, Realty Boundaries & Tracts. Page updated October 28, 2026.