National Wildlife Refuge · Louisiana · FWS Region 4

Catahoula National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Catahoula National Wildlife Refuge is located in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana, with about 25,183 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 24,717 huntable acres.

2 with special regs1 closedPermit required
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
3hunt units
24.7Khuntable acres
25.2KFWS-owned acres
5game categories

Catahoula 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 Catahoula NWR

Hunters can pursue big game, waterfowl, migratory birds, small game, and feral & exotic here, 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.

Catahoula Lake is well-known in the Louisiana for its large numbers of waterfowl. Catahoula National Wildlife Refuge, located next to the lake, draws many of these birds to its flooded timber habitat.

Big GameWhite-tailed and mule deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, bear and other large mammalsWaterfowlDucks, geese, brant, swans (where legal) and cootsMigratory 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: 24,717 (98%)Closed: 466 (2%)24.7Khuntable acres
  • Special regulations24,717 ac 98%
  • Closed466 ac 2%
Units by size (acres)
Bushley Bayou
17,846 ac
Headquarters
6,871 ac
Closed to Hunting
466 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Bushley Bayou
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 17,846 Required
Other, Signed Brochure or Similar		 All approved huntable & fishable species
Headquarters
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 6,871 Required
Other, Signed Brochure or Similar		 All approved huntable & fishable species
Closed to Hunting
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 466 Required
Other, Signed Brochure or Similar		 All approved huntable & fishable species

Catahoula NWR by the numbers

With about 24,717 huntable acres, Catahoula NWR ranks #6 of 20 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Louisiana and #99 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 Bushley Bayou (17,846 acres, special regulations), while the smallest, Headquarters, covers 6,871 acres. Every huntable unit requires a refuge permit.

1 unit totaling 466 acres is closed to hunting (Closed to Hunting). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

Besides 25,183 acres of federally owned land, the station administers conservation easements on about 43 acres of private land. Easement land protects habitat but is not open to public hunting.

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

All approved huntable & fishable species

Type: Other, Signed Brochure or Similar

How to get it:

  • 🪧 Kiosk at the refuge
  • ✉️ By mail
  • 💻 Online (FWS)
  • 🏛️ 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 Catahoula NWR

  • 🐟 Freshwater fishing

Available species include largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, catfish and freshwater drum, by either boat or bank fishing. A nine-mile wildlife drive allows anglers easy access to various locations of the 700-acre Duck Lake and 154-acre Cowpen Bayou.

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

How to get to Catahoula NWR

Navigate

Destination: Catahoula National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
31.65586, -91.94910
DMS
31°39′21.1″N 91°56′56.8″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Natchez, MS33 mi W of town
  • Alexandria, LA38 mi NE of town
  • Monroe, LA60 mi S of town
  • Vicksburg, MS79 mi SW of town

Closest airports

  • BTR Baton Rouge Metro91 mi
  • LFT Lafayette Regional100 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 Catahoula 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, 20266:12 AM6:42 AM7:33 PM12h 51m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:20 AM6:50 AM7:15 PM12h 24m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:30 AM7:00 AM6:54 PM11h 54m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:39 AM7:09 AM6:36 PM11h 27m
Sun, Nov 1, 20265:53 AM6:23 AM5:19 PM10h 56m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:05 AM6:35 AM5:09 PM10h 34m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:19 AM6:49 AM5:04 PM10h 15m
Tue, Dec 15, 20266:29 AM6:59 AM5:05 PM10h 06m
Fri, Jan 1, 20276:37 AM7:07 AM5:14 PM10h 07m
Fri, Jan 15, 20276:37 AM7:07 AM5:25 PM10h 18m
Mon, Feb 1, 20276:31 AM7:01 AM5:40 PM10h 40m

Computed for 31.656, -91.949 (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 Catahoula 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…

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…

HIP Certification Explained: The Harvest Information Program for Migratory Bird Hunters

What HIP is, who needs it, how to get certified in each state you hunt, and why your answers help set duck, goose and…

Catahoula NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Catahoula NWR?

Yes. Catahoula National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 2 units (24,717 acres) during 2026–2027 for big game, waterfowl, 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 Catahoula NWR?

Yes — Catahoula National Wildlife Refuge requires a refuge permit for some or all hunting. Permit type: Other and Signed Brochure or Similar. Permits can be obtained kiosk, mail, online through fws, or visitor center. You also need the appropriate state hunting license and, for waterfowl, a Federal Duck Stamp.

Can you fish at Catahoula NWR?

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

Where is Catahoula NWR located?

Catahoula National Wildlife Refuge is in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana, about 33 miles W of Natchez, MS (straight-line). GPS: 31.65586, -91.94910.

What are legal shooting hours at Catahoula 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 Cocodrie NWR

Concordia Parish, LA · 19 mi E

6 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🕊️🐇🐗🎣

15.1K huntable acres

Lake Ophelia NWR

Avoyelles Parish, LA · 32 mi S

4 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🕊️🐇🐗🎣

12.3K huntable acres

St. Catherine Creek NWR

Adams County, MS · 36 mi SE

5 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🕊️🐇🐗🎣

21.3K huntable acres

Grand Cote NWR

Avoyelles Parish, LA · 40 mi S

1 open2 special1 closed
🦌🦆🕊️🐇🐗🎣

3.4K huntable acres

Red River NWR

Natchitoches Parish, LA · 52 mi W

1 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

10.9K huntable acres

Tensas River NWR

Tensas Parish, LA · 52 mi NE

4 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🕊️🐇🐗🎣

75.1K huntable acres

All refuges in Louisiana →

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