National Wildlife Refuge · Louisiana · FWS Region 4

Delta National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Delta National Wildlife Refuge is located in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, with about 50,372 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: 1 open with special regulations and 2 closed, covering about 18,142 huntable acres.

1 with special regs2 closedPermit required
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
3hunt units
18.1Khuntable acres
50.4KFWS-owned acres
5game categories

Delta 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 Delta 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 and tidal / saltwater fishing. A refuge permit is required for at least some activities, in addition to your state license.

Delta National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1935 to provide sanctuary and habitat for wintering waterfowl.

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: 18,142 (36%)Closed: 32,114 (64%)18.1Khuntable acres
  • Special regulations18,142 ac 36%
  • Closed32,114 ac 64%
Units by size (acres)
Restricted Area
31,308 ac
Open to Hunting
18,142 ac
Cubits Gap
806 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Open to Hunting
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 18,142 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar
Cubits Gap
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 806 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar
Restricted Area
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 31,308 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar

Delta NWR by the numbers

With about 18,142 huntable acres, Delta NWR ranks #8 of 20 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Louisiana and #122 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 36% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is Open to Hunting (18,142 acres, special regulations). Every huntable unit requires a refuge permit.

2 units totaling 32,114 acres are closed to hunting (Cubits Gap and Restricted Area). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

Besides 50,372 acres of federally owned land, the station administers conservation easements on about 107 acres of private land. Easement land protects habitat but is not open to public hunting.

When to hunt Delta 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

Type: Signed Brochure or Similar

How to get it:

  • 🪧 Kiosk at the refuge
  • ✉️ By mail
  • 💻 Online (FWS)
  • 📋 Other (see refuge)
  • 🏛️ 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 Delta NWR

  • 🐟 Freshwater fishing
  • 🌊 Tidal / saltwater fishing

Delta National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1935 to provide sanctuary and habitat for wintering waterfowl.

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

How to get to Delta NWR

Navigate

Destination: Delta National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
29.22265, -89.21012
DMS
29°13′21.5″N 89°12′36.4″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • New Orleans, LA72 mi SE of town
  • Gulfport, MS80 mi S of town
  • Houma, LA95 mi E of town
  • Mobile, AL123 mi SW of town

Closest airports

  • MSY New Orleans Armstrong82 mi
  • BTR Baton Rouge Metro147 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 Delta 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, 20266:03 AM6:33 AM7:20 PM12h 46m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:10 AM6:40 AM7:03 PM12h 23m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:18 AM6:48 AM6:43 PM11h 55m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:27 AM6:57 AM6:27 PM11h 31m
Sun, Nov 1, 20265:39 AM6:09 AM5:11 PM11h 03m
Sun, Nov 15, 20265:50 AM6:20 AM5:03 PM10h 43m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:03 AM6:33 AM4:58 PM10h 26m
Tue, Dec 15, 20266:13 AM6:43 AM5:00 PM10h 17m
Fri, Jan 1, 20276:20 AM6:50 AM5:08 PM10h 18m
Fri, Jan 15, 20276:21 AM6:51 AM5:19 PM10h 28m
Mon, Feb 1, 20276:16 AM6:46 AM5:33 PM10h 48m

Computed for 29.223, -89.210 (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 Delta 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…

Delta NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Delta NWR?

Yes. Delta National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 1 unit (18,142 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 Delta NWR?

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

Can you fish at Delta NWR?

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

Where is Delta NWR located?

Delta National Wildlife Refuge is in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, about 72 miles SE of New Orleans, LA (straight-line). GPS: 29.22265, -89.21012.

What are legal shooting hours at Delta 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

Breton NWR

LA · 40 mi N

1 closed
🎣

Bayou Sauvage NWR

Orleans Parish, LA · 68 mi NW

1 special1 closed
🦌🦆🕊️🐇🐗🎣

11.1K huntable acres

Big Branch Marsh NWR

St. Tammany Parish, LA · 84 mi NW

2 special1 closed
🦌🦆🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

19.1K huntable acres

Mississippi Sandhill Crane NWR

Jackson County, MS · 90 mi N

1 closed
No hunting listed

Grand Bay NWR

Jackson County, MS · 94 mi NE

2 special1 closed
🦌🦆🕊️🐇🐗🎣

10.1K huntable acres

Mandalay NWR

Terrebonne Parish, LA · 98 mi W

2 special1 closed
🦌🦆🕊️🐇🐗🎣

4.3K huntable acres

All refuges in Louisiana →

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