Wetland Management District · North Dakota · FWS Region 6

Crosby Wetland Management District Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Crosby Wetland Management District is located in Divide County, North Dakota, with about 18,831 acres of land owned in fee by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For the 2026–2027 season the refuge has 1 mapped hunt unit: 1 open under general rules, covering about 18,799 huntable acres.

1 open unit
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
1hunt units
18.8Khuntable acres
18.8KFWS-owned acres
6game categories

Crosby 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 Crosby WMD

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

Located in the heart of "prairie pothole" country, hunters can experience world-class waterfowl hunting on the 96 waterfowl production areas (WPAs) that make up Crosby Wetland Management District.

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 North Dakota regulations plus refuge-specific rules.

Hunt units (1)

Acreage by status
Open: 18,799 (100%)18.8Khuntable acres
  • Open18,799 ac 100%
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
WPA Open
Show on map · Directions		 Open 18,799 —

Crosby WMD by the numbers

With about 18,799 huntable acres, Crosby WMD ranks #12 of 28 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in North Dakota and #120 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 100% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is WPA Open (18,799 acres).

Besides 18,831 acres of federally owned land, the station administers conservation easements on about 117,990 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 Carlson WPA (156 acres, 0 miles NE).

When to hunt Crosby WMD

Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. North Dakota 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 North Dakota hunting license and any required tags or stamps — North Dakota Game and Fish Department
  • 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 Crosby WMD

  • 🐟 Freshwater fishing

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

How to get to Crosby WMD

Navigate

Destination: Crosby Wetland Management District (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
48.88108, -103.31031
DMS
48°52′51.9″N 103°18′37.1″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Crosby, ND2.2 mi SW of town
  • Williston, ND52 mi N of town
  • Plentywood, MT57 mi E of town
  • Kenmare, ND58 mi W of town

Closest airports

  • MOT Minot Intl102 mi
  • BIS Bismarck Municipal188 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 Crosby WMD

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, 20266:38 AM7:08 AM8:38 PM13h 30m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:58 AM7:28 AM8:09 PM12h 41m
Thu, Oct 1, 20267:20 AM7:50 AM7:34 PM11h 44m
Thu, Oct 15, 20267:41 AM8:11 AM7:05 PM10h 54m
Sun, Nov 1, 20267:08 AM7:38 AM5:34 PM9h 56m
Sun, Nov 15, 20267:31 AM8:01 AM5:14 PM9h 13m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:54 AM8:24 AM5:00 PM8h 35m
Tue, Dec 15, 20268:09 AM8:39 AM4:56 PM8h 17m
Fri, Jan 1, 20278:16 AM8:46 AM5:05 PM8h 19m
Fri, Jan 15, 20278:11 AM8:41 AM5:21 PM8h 40m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:54 AM8:24 AM5:48 PM9h 24m

Computed for 48.881, -103.310 (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.

Waterfowl Production Areas managed by Crosby WMD

This district manages 95 named WPAs totaling 18,831 acres of walk-in public land. The largest are listed below; each links to its county guide with a satellite map and directions.

WPACountyAcres
Fuller WPAWilliams County2,278
Beaver Lake WPABurke County1,434
Wildrose Marsh WPADivide County705
Kittelson WPADivide County619
Alamo WPAWilliams County585
Miller Lake WPADivide County524
Powers Lake WPABurke County497
Rattler Lake WPADivide County392
Hamlet WPADivide County387
Green Lake WPAWilliams County379
Drawbond WPADivide County367
State Slough WPADivide County327
Appam Lake WPAWilliams County322
Soo Grade WPADivide County322
Norman Lake WPADivide County321
Nelson WPABurke County320
Stady WPADivide County316
Brightwater Lake WPADivide County315
Larson O'Rourke WPABurke County254
C. Wigness WPADivide County242
Lundell WPADivide County241
Truax WPADivide County230
Troy WPADivide County226
Writing Rock WPADivide County211
Torgerson WPADivide County208

Showing the 25 largest of 95. All tracts are on the map above and in the KML download.

Guides for hunting Crosby 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…

Crosby WMD FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Crosby WMD?

Yes. Crosby Wetland Management District offers hunting in 1 unit (18,799 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 Crosby WMD?

FWS data does not list a separate refuge hunting permit for Crosby 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 Crosby WMD?

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

Where is Crosby WMD located?

Crosby Wetland Management District is in Divide County, North Dakota, about 2 miles SW of Crosby, ND (straight-line). GPS: 48.88108, -103.31031.

What are legal shooting hours at Crosby 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

Lake Zahl NWR

Williams County, ND · 26 mi SW

1 special1 closed
🦌🐦

3.3K huntable acres

Lostwood NWR

Burke County, ND · 43 mi SE

1 special1 closed
🦌🦃🐦🐇

26.2K huntable acres

Lostwood WMD

Burke County, ND · 44 mi E

1 open
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

11K huntable acres

Des Lacs NWR

Burke County, ND · 53 mi E

3 special1 closed
🦌🦃🐦🐇

14K huntable acres

Medicine Lake NWR

Sheridan County, MT · 56 mi SW

3 special1 closed
🦌🦆🐦🕊️🐇🎣

22K huntable acres

Northeast Montana WMD

Sheridan County, MT · 59 mi SW

1 open
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

12.1K huntable acres

Waterfowl Production Areas within 35 miles

All refuges in North Dakota →

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