National Wildlife Refuge · Alabama · FWS Region 4

Choctaw National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Choctaw National Wildlife Refuge is located in Choctaw County, Alabama, within an approved boundary of roughly 3,965 acres. For the 2026–2027 season the refuge has 3 mapped hunt units: 2 open with special regulations and 1 closed, covering about 3,913 huntable acres.

2 with special regs1 closed
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
3hunt units
3.9Khuntable acres
4Kboundary acres
4game categories

Choctaw 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 Choctaw NWR

Hunters can pursue big game, waterfowl, small game, and feral & exotic here, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules. Fishing is available — freshwater fishing.

A variety of wetland and flooded timber habitats makes Choctaw National Wildlife Refuge a haven for waterfowl. About 200 broods of wood ducks are born in nest boxes each spring, and as many as 10,000 ducks land here during the fall migration.

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

Hunt units (3)

Acreage by status
Special regulations: 3,913 (98%)Closed: 62 (2%)3.9Khuntable acres
  • Special regulations3,913 ac 98%
  • Closed62 ac 2%
Units by size (acres)
Sanctuary Area
2,436 ac
Hunt Area
1,477 ac
Closed Area
62 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Hunt Area
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 1,477 —
Sanctuary Area
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 2,436 —
Closed Area
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 62 —

Choctaw NWR by the numbers

With about 3,913 huntable acres, Choctaw NWR ranks #4 of 7 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Alabama and #280 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 Sanctuary Area (2,436 acres, special regulations), while the smallest, Hunt Area, covers 1,477 acres.

1 unit totaling 62 acres is closed to hunting (Closed Area). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

When to hunt Choctaw NWR

Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. Alabama 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, Small Game, Feral & Exotic
AugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun
🦌 Big Game
Archery deerFirearm deer
🦆 Waterfowl
Early teal & gooseRegular duck & goose
🐇 Small Game
Squirrel & rabbit
🐗 Feral & Exotic
Feral hog (often year-round)

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 Alabama hunting license and any required tags or stamps — Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
  • 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 Choctaw NWR

  • 🐟 Freshwater fishing

Refuge waters include Duck Lake (20 acres). Fishing is allowed all year except for 1,500 acres closed as waterfowl sanctuary, December 1-March 1. Available species include largemouth bass, crappie, sunfish and catfish.

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

How to get to Choctaw NWR

Navigate

Destination: Choctaw National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
31.80971, -88.18658
DMS
31°48′35.0″N 88°11′11.7″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Hattiesburg, MS73 mi NE of town
  • Mobile, AL78 mi N of town
  • Tuscaloosa, AL103 mi S of town
  • Pensacola, FL112 mi NW of town

Closest airports

  • PNS Pensacola Intl110 mi
  • JAN Jackson–Evers116 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 Choctaw 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, 20265:57 AM6:27 AM7:18 PM12h 51m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:05 AM6:35 AM7:00 PM12h 24m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:15 AM6:45 AM6:39 PM11h 54m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:24 AM6:54 AM6:21 PM11h 27m
Sun, Nov 1, 20265:38 AM6:08 AM5:04 PM10h 56m
Sun, Nov 15, 20265:50 AM6:20 AM4:54 PM10h 34m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:04 AM6:34 AM4:49 PM10h 14m
Tue, Dec 15, 20266:15 AM6:45 AM4:50 PM10h 05m
Fri, Jan 1, 20276:22 AM6:52 AM4:58 PM10h 06m
Fri, Jan 15, 20276:22 AM6:52 AM5:09 PM10h 17m
Mon, Feb 1, 20276:16 AM6:46 AM5:25 PM10h 39m

Computed for 31.810, -88.187 (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 Choctaw 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…

Your First Public-Land Hunt: A Step-by-Step Checklist for New Hunters

Hunter education, licenses, choosing a first species, gear, practice, scouting with maps and what to expect on your…

Feral Hog Hunting on National Wildlife Refuges

Why many refuges allow — and encourage — feral hog hunting, how refuge rules handle hogs, safe shot placement, disease…

Choctaw NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Choctaw NWR?

Yes. Choctaw National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 2 units (3,913 acres) during 2026–2027 for big game, waterfowl, 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 Choctaw NWR?

FWS data does not list a separate refuge hunting permit for Choctaw NWR. 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 Choctaw NWR?

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

Where is Choctaw NWR located?

Choctaw National Wildlife Refuge is in Choctaw County, Alabama, about 73 miles NE of Hattiesburg, MS (straight-line). GPS: 31.80971, -88.18658.

What are legal shooting hours at Choctaw 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

Grand Bay NWR

Jackson County, MS · 99 mi S

2 special1 closed
🦌🦆🕊️🐇🐗🎣

10.1K huntable acres

Mississippi Sandhill Crane NWR

Jackson County, MS · 99 mi S

1 closed
No hunting listed

Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee NWR

Winston County, MS · 104 mi N

2 special3 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

44.7K huntable acres

Cahaba River NWR

Bibb County, AL · 109 mi NE

1 special1 closed
🦌🦃🐦🐇🐗🎣

4.7K huntable acres

Bon Secour NWR

Baldwin County, AL · 111 mi S

1 closed
🎣

Bogue Chitto NWR

St. Tammany Parish, LA · 129 mi SW

3 special3 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

36.4K huntable acres

All refuges in Alabama →

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