National Wildlife Refuge · Washington · FWS Region 1

Columbia National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Columbia National Wildlife Refuge lies in Adams County, Washington, with about 27,632 acres of land owned in fee by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For the 2026–2027 season the refuge has 4 mapped hunt units: 3 open with special regulations and 1 closed, covering about 13,489 huntable acres.

3 with special regs1 closed
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
4hunt units
13.5Khuntable acres
27.6KFWS-owned acres
4game categories

Columbia 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 Columbia NWR

Hunters can pursue big game, waterfowl, upland birds, and migratory birds here, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules. Fishing is available — freshwater fishing.

Fishing is allowed by boat in Bryants Creek ONLY. Gas boat motors are prohibited on the refuge with the exception of Bryants Creek.

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 crane

Categories are those listed by USFWS for this station; exact species, seasons and bag limits follow Washington regulations plus refuge-specific rules.

Hunt units (4)

Acreage by status
Special regulations: 13,489 (45%)Closed: 16,226 (55%)13.5Khuntable acres
  • Special regulations13,489 ac 45%
  • Closed16,226 ac 55%
Units by size (acres)
Closed Hunting
16,226 ac
Open All
12,627 ac
Marsh Unit 1
679 ac
Farm Unit 226-227
184 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Farm Unit 226-227
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 184 —
Marsh Unit 1
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 679 —
Open All
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 12,627 —
Closed Hunting
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 16,226 —

Columbia NWR by the numbers

With about 13,489 huntable acres, Columbia NWR ranks #4 of 14 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Washington and #148 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 45% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is Open All (12,627 acres, special regulations), while the smallest, Farm Unit 226-227, covers 184 acres.

1 unit totaling 16,226 acres is closed to hunting (Closed Hunting). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

When to hunt Columbia NWR

Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. Washington 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, Upland Birds, Migratory Birds
AugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun
🦌 Big Game
Archery deerFirearm deer
🦆 Waterfowl
Early teal & gooseRegular duck & goose
🐦 Upland Birds
Pheasant, quail, grouse
🕊️ Migratory Birds
Dove (Sept. 1 opener)Woodcock & snipeLate dove split

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 Washington hunting license and any required tags or stamps — Washington Department 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 Columbia NWR

  • 🐟 Freshwater fishing

Refuge waters include 145 acres of ponds, 841 acres of lakes and 17.8 miles of streams. Freshwater species include rainbow, cutthroat and brown trout, largemouth bass, black crappie, sunfish, yellow perch and whitefish.

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

How to get to Columbia NWR

Navigate

Destination: Columbia National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
46.88722, -119.28317
DMS
46°53′14.0″N 119°16′59.4″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Othello, WA6.3 mi NW of town
  • Moses Lake, WA17 mi S of town
  • Kennewick, WA47 mi N of town
  • Wenatchee, WA61 mi SE of town

Closest airports

  • PSC Tri-Cities (Pasco)44 mi
  • YKM Yakima Air Terminal63 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 Columbia NWR

Legal light*–
Sunrise–
Sunset–

*½ hour before sunrise — the standard federal shooting-hour start for migratory game birds. Times in Los Angeles local time.

Full season calculator →

2026–2027 season sun table

DateShooting lightSunriseSunsetDaylight
Tue, Sep 1, 20265:45 AM6:15 AM7:39 PM13h 24m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:03 AM6:33 AM7:11 PM12h 38m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:24 AM6:54 AM6:39 PM11h 45m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:43 AM7:13 AM6:12 PM10h 59m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:08 AM6:38 AM4:43 PM10h 05m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:29 AM6:59 AM4:24 PM9h 25m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:51 AM7:21 AM4:11 PM8h 50m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:05 AM7:35 AM4:09 PM8h 34m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:12 AM7:42 AM4:17 PM8h 35m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:08 AM7:38 AM4:33 PM8h 55m
Mon, Feb 1, 20276:52 AM7:22 AM4:57 PM9h 35m

Computed for 46.887, -119.283 (PDT / 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 Columbia 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…

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…

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…

Columbia NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Columbia NWR?

Yes. Columbia National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 3 units (13,489 acres) during 2026–2027 for big game, waterfowl, upland birds, and migratory birds. Seasons follow state regulations plus refuge-specific rules in 50 CFR Part 32.

Do I need a permit to hunt Columbia NWR?

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

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

Where is Columbia NWR located?

Columbia National Wildlife Refuge is in Adams County, Washington, about 6 miles NW of Othello, WA (straight-line). GPS: 46.88722, -119.28317.

What are legal shooting hours at Columbia 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

Hanford Reach National Monument

Grant County, WA · 15 mi S

3 special3 closed
🦌🦆🐦🕊️🎣

56.5K huntable acres

Mcnary NWR

Walla Walla County, WA · 55 mi S

2 open11 special5 closed
🦌🦆🐦🕊️🎣

13.1K huntable acres

Toppenish NWR

Yakima County, WA · 65 mi SW

8 special1 closed
🦆🐦🕊️

881 huntable acres

Umatilla NWR

Morrow County, OR · 70 mi S

5 special4 closed
🦌🦆🐦🕊️🎣

15.4K huntable acres

Cold Springs NWR

Umatilla County, OR · 71 mi S

2 open3 special
🦌🦆🐦🕊️🎣

3.1K huntable acres

Entiat NFH

Chelan County, WA · 74 mi NW

1 closed
🎣

All refuges in Washington →

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