Wetland Management District · Montana · FWS Region 6

Bowdoin Wetland Management District Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Bowdoin Wetland Management District lies in Phillips County, Montana, with about 10,681 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: 1 open under general rules, 1 open with special regulations, and 1 closed, covering about 8,275 huntable acres.

1 open unit1 with special regs1 closed
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
3hunt units
8.3Khuntable acres
10.7KFWS-owned acres
6game categories

Bowdoin WMD 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 Bowdoin WMD

Hunting opportunities include 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.

The six waterfowl production areas (WPAs) open to hunting in Bowdoin Wetland Management District are well-known by non-resident hunters as excellent places for waterfowl, upland bird and even big-game hunting.

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 Montana regulations plus refuge-specific rules.

Hunt units (3)

Acreage by status
Open: 6,806 (64%)Special regulations: 1,470 (14%)Closed: 2,277 (22%)8.3Khuntable acres
  • Open6,806 ac 64%
  • Special regulations1,470 ac 14%
  • Closed2,277 ac 22%
Units by size (acres)
WPA Open
6,806 ac
WPA Closed
2,277 ac
WPA No Rifle
1,470 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
WPA Open
Show on map · Directions		 Open 6,806 —
WPA No Rifle
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 1,470 —
WPA Closed
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 2,277 —

Bowdoin WMD by the numbers

With about 8,275 huntable acres, Bowdoin WMD ranks #9 of 23 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Montana and #217 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 78% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is WPA Open (6,806 acres), while the smallest, WPA No Rifle, covers 1,470 acres.

1 unit totaling 2,277 acres is closed to hunting (WPA Closed). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

Besides 10,681 acres of federally owned land, the station administers conservation easements on about 216,245 acres of private land. Easement land protects habitat but is not open to public hunting.

6 Waterfowl Production Areas lie within 35 miles; the closest is Pearce WPA (448 acres, 6 miles NE).

When to hunt Bowdoin WMD

Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. Montana 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, Wild Turkey, Upland Birds, Migratory Birds, Small Game
AugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun
🦌 Big Game
Archery deerFirearm deer
🦆 Waterfowl
Early teal & gooseRegular duck & goose
🦃 Wild Turkey
Spring gobblerFall (some states)
🐦 Upland Birds
Pheasant, quail, grouse
🕊️ Migratory Birds
Dove (Sept. 1 opener)Woodcock & snipeLate dove split
🐇 Small Game
Squirrel & rabbit

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 Bowdoin WMD

  • 🐟 Freshwater fishing

Fishing season is in accordance with state regulations. Available species include northern pike, catfish and walleye. The fishing opportunities in the district are marginal.

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

How to get to Bowdoin WMD

Navigate

Destination: Bowdoin Wetland Management District (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
48.39388, -107.72925
DMS
48°23′38.0″N 107°43′45.3″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Malta, MT6.9 mi E of town
  • Glasgow, MT52 mi W of town
  • Jordan, MT83 mi NW of town
  • Havre, MT90 mi E of town

Closest airports

  • GTF Great Falls Intl180 mi
  • BIL Billings Logan183 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 Bowdoin WMD

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

DateShooting lightSunriseSunsetDaylight
Tue, Sep 1, 20265:57 AM6:27 AM7:55 PM13h 28m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:16 AM6:46 AM7:26 PM12h 40m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:38 AM7:08 AM6:52 PM11h 44m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:58 AM7:28 AM6:24 PM10h 55m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:25 AM6:55 AM4:53 PM9h 58m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:47 AM7:17 AM4:33 PM9h 16m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:10 AM7:40 AM4:19 PM8h 39m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:25 AM7:55 AM4:16 PM8h 21m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:32 AM8:02 AM4:25 PM8h 23m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:27 AM7:57 AM4:41 PM8h 44m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:10 AM7:40 AM5:07 PM9h 27m

Computed for 48.394, -107.729 (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.

Waterfowl Production Areas managed by Bowdoin WMD

This district manages 13 named WPAs totaling 10,681 acres of walk-in public land. The largest are listed below; each links to its county guide with a satellite map and directions.

WPACountyAcres
Holm WPABlaine County2,286
Beaver Creek WPAPhillips County1,581
Korsbeck WPAPhillips County1,376
Dyrdahl WPAPhillips County1,313
McNeil Slough WPAPhillips County1,246
Copple WPAPhillips County611
Frank White WPAPhillips County485
Webb WPAPhillips County479
Pearce WPAPhillips County448
Hewitt Lake WPAPhillips County324
Hammond WPAPhillips County264
Balck Coulee WPABlaine County188
South McNeil Slough WPAPhillips County79

Guides for hunting Bowdoin WMD

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…

Bowdoin WMD FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Bowdoin WMD?

Yes. Bowdoin Wetland Management District offers hunting in 2 units (8,275 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 Bowdoin WMD?

FWS data does not list a separate refuge hunting permit for Bowdoin WMD. You still need a valid state license, any required state tags or stamps, and (for waterfowl hunters 16+) a Federal Duck Stamp.

Can you fish at Bowdoin WMD?

Yes. Fishing is permitted (freshwater fishing). State fishing licenses and regulations apply along with refuge rules.

Where is Bowdoin WMD located?

Bowdoin Wetland Management District is in Phillips County, Montana, about 7 miles E of Malta, MT (straight-line). GPS: 48.39388, -107.72925.

What are legal shooting hours at Bowdoin WMD?

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

Bowdoin NWR

Phillips County, MT · 3.1 mi E

1 open2 special1 closed
🦆🐦🕊️🐇

15.4K huntable acres

Hewitt Lake NWR

Phillips County, MT · 11 mi NE

1 open
🦌🦆🐦🕊️🐇

720 huntable acres

Black Coulee NWR

Blaine County, MT · 38 mi NW

1 open
🦌🦆🐦🕊️🐇

643 huntable acres

UL Bend NWR

Phillips County, MT · 56 mi S

1 special
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

55.8K huntable acres

Charles M. Russell NWR

Garfield County, MT · 70 mi SE

1 special2 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

931K huntable acres

Lake Thibadeau NWR

Hill County, MT · 89 mi W

1 open
🦌🦆🐦🕊️🐇

24 huntable acres

Waterfowl Production Areas within 35 miles

All refuges in Montana →

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