National Wildlife Refuge · Florida · FWS Region 4

Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge is located in Citrus County, Florida, with about 85 acres of land owned in fee by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For the 2026–2027 season, all 1 mapped hunt unit are listed as closed to hunting.

1 closed
View hunt map Directions Official website ↗
1hunt units
0huntable acres
85FWS-owned acres
0game categories

Crystal River 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 Crystal River NWR

  • Big Game
  • Waterfowl
  • Wild Turkey
  • Upland Birds
  • Migratory Birds
  • Small Game
  • Feral & Exotic
  • Fishing

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service does not list any hunting opportunities for this station.

Hunt units (1)

Acreage by status
Closed: 142 (100%)0huntable acres
  • Closed142 ac 100%
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Station Closed 142 —

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 Florida hunting license and any required tags or stamps — Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
  • Hunter education certification where your state requires it
  • The current refuge hunt brochure / regulations (often must be signed and carried)

Fishing at Crystal River NWR

USFWS does not list fishing opportunities for Crystal River NWR.

How to get to Crystal River NWR

Navigate

Destination: Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

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Decimal
28.77492, -82.62944
DMS
28°46′29.7″N 82°37′46.0″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Crystal River, FL9.0 mi S of town
  • Ocala, FL41 mi SW of town
  • Tampa, FL58 mi N of town
  • Gainesville, FL63 mi S of town

Closest airports

  • TPA Tampa Intl55 mi
  • MCO Orlando Intl84 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 Crystal River NWR

Legal light*–
Sunrise–
Sunset–

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

Full season calculator →

2026–2027 season sun table

DateShooting lightSunriseSunsetDaylight
Tue, Sep 1, 20266:38 AM7:08 AM7:53 PM12h 46m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:44 AM7:14 AM7:37 PM12h 22m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:52 AM7:22 AM7:17 PM11h 55m
Thu, Oct 15, 20267:00 AM7:30 AM7:01 PM11h 31m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:12 AM6:42 AM5:46 PM11h 04m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:23 AM6:53 AM5:37 PM10h 44m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:36 AM7:06 AM5:33 PM10h 27m
Tue, Dec 15, 20266:45 AM7:15 AM5:35 PM10h 19m
Fri, Jan 1, 20276:53 AM7:23 AM5:43 PM10h 20m
Fri, Jan 15, 20276:54 AM7:24 AM5:53 PM10h 30m
Mon, Feb 1, 20276:49 AM7:19 AM6:08 PM10h 49m

Computed for 28.775, -82.629 (EDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.

7-day hunting weather

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Forecast from the National Weather Service. Wind direction matters — plan your approach downwind of where game beds.

Crystal River NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Crystal River NWR?

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service does not currently list hunting opportunities at Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge. All mapped units are closed to hunting.

Do I need a permit to hunt Crystal River NWR?

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

Where is Crystal River NWR located?

Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge is in Citrus County, Florida, about 9 miles S of Crystal River, FL (straight-line). GPS: 28.77492, -82.62944.

What are legal shooting hours at Crystal River 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

Chassahowitzka NWR

Citrus County, FL · 4.3 mi SW

2 open1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

21.8K huntable acres

Cedar Keys NWR

FL · 34 mi NW

1 closed
🎣

Lower Suwannee NWR

Dixie County, FL · 50 mi NW

4 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐇🐗🎣

49.6K huntable acres

Welaka NFH

Putnam County, FL · 75 mi NE

1 closed
No hunting listed

Lake Woodruff NWR

Volusia County, FL · 75 mi E

3 special1 closed
🦌🦃🐗🎣

12.5K huntable acres

Pinellas NWR

FL · 77 mi S

1 closed
🎣

All refuges in Florida →

Data: USFWS National Hunt Units 2026–2027, Hunting & Fishing Opportunities, Realty Boundaries & Tracts. Page updated September 29, 2026.