National Wildlife Refuge · Virginia · FWS Region 5

Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Located in Prince William County, Virginia, Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with about 268 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: 2 open under general rules and 1 closed, covering about 4.1 huntable acres.

2 open units1 closed
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
3hunt units
4huntable acres
268FWS-owned acres
1game categories

Featherstone 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 Featherstone NWR

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

Hunting opportunities include waterfowl, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules. Fishing is available — freshwater fishing.

Freshwater tidal marshes and creeks throughout Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge offer hunting opportunities. Neabsco Creek (19 acres) and Farm Creek (17 acres) are open to waterfowl hunting with some restrictions.

WaterfowlDucks, geese, brant, swans (where legal) and coots

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

Hunt units (3)

Acreage by status
Open: 4.1 (2%)Closed: 264 (98%)4huntable acres
  • Open4.1 ac 2%
  • Closed264 ac 98%
Units by size (acres)
No Hunting Area
264 ac
Farm Creek
3.6 ac
Neabsco Creek
0.5 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Farm Creek
Show on map · Directions		 Open 3.6 —
Neabsco Creek
Show on map · Directions		 Open 0.5 —
No Hunting Area
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 264 —

Featherstone NWR by the numbers

With about 4.1 huntable acres, Featherstone NWR ranks #13 of 13 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Virginia and #420 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 2% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is Farm Creek (3.6 acres), while the smallest, Neabsco Creek, covers 0.5 acres.

1 unit totaling 264 acres is closed to hunting (No Hunting Area). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

Besides 268 acres of federally owned land, the station administers conservation easements on about 3.1 acres of private land. Easement land protects habitat but is not open to public hunting.

When to hunt Featherstone NWR

Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. Virginia 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 — Waterfowl
AugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun
🦆 Waterfowl
Early teal & gooseRegular duck & goose

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 Virginia hunting license and any required tags or stamps — Virginia Department of Wildlife 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 Featherstone NWR

  • 🐟 Freshwater fishing

The refuge offers fishing on 36 acres of stream habitat. Farm Creek unit (17 acres) is open to non-motorized boating only, and Neabsco Creek unit (19 acres) is open to both motorized and non-motorized boat use.

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

How to get to Featherstone NWR

Navigate

Destination: Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
38.60695, -77.25343
DMS
38°36′25.0″N 77°15′12.3″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Washington, DC24 mi SW of town
  • Fredericksburg, VA24 mi NE of town
  • Annapolis, MD49 mi SW of town
  • Tappahannock, VA51 mi NW of town

Closest airports

  • IAD Washington Dulles26 mi
  • BWI Baltimore/Washington51 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 Featherstone 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, 20266:07 AM6:37 AM7:41 PM13h 04m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:19 AM6:49 AM7:19 PM12h 30m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:33 AM7:03 AM6:53 PM11h 50m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:46 AM7:16 AM6:32 PM11h 16m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:04 AM6:34 AM5:10 PM10h 36m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:20 AM6:50 AM4:57 PM10h 07m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:37 AM7:07 AM4:49 PM9h 41m
Tue, Dec 15, 20266:49 AM7:19 AM4:48 PM9h 30m
Fri, Jan 1, 20276:56 AM7:26 AM4:57 PM9h 31m
Fri, Jan 15, 20276:55 AM7:25 AM5:09 PM9h 45m
Mon, Feb 1, 20276:45 AM7:15 AM5:29 PM10h 14m

Computed for 38.607, -77.253 (EDT / 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 Featherstone NWR

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…

Fishing National Wildlife Refuges: Licenses, Seasons, Boats and Where to Go

What to know before fishing a National Wildlife Refuge or fish hatchery — state licenses, seasonal closures that…

How to Read a Refuge Hunt Brochure (and Not Miss the Rule That Matters)

What's inside a National Wildlife Refuge hunt brochure, where to find it, how it relates to 50 CFR Part 32 and state…

Hunting Safety on Public Land: Cold Water, Tree Stands, Crowds and Weather

The safety habits that matter most on refuges and WPAs — firearm rules, blaze orange, tree-stand harnesses, cold-water…

Featherstone NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Featherstone NWR?

Yes. Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 2 units (4.1 acres) during 2026–2027 for waterfowl. Seasons follow state regulations plus refuge-specific rules in 50 CFR Part 32.

Do I need a permit to hunt Featherstone NWR?

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

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

Where is Featherstone NWR located?

Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge is in Prince William County, Virginia, about 24 miles SW of Washington, DC (straight-line). GPS: 38.60695, -77.25343.

What are legal shooting hours at Featherstone 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

Occoquan Bay NWR

Prince William County, VA · 2.8 mi N

1 special1 closed
🦌🦃🐇

571 huntable acres

Elizabeth Hartwell Mason Neck NWR

Fairfax County, VA · 4.4 mi E

2 special1 closed
🦌🐇🎣

1.8K huntable acres

Southern Maryland Woodlands NWR

Charles County, MD · 12 mi S

1 special1 closed
🦌🦃

31 huntable acres

Patuxent Research Refuge

Prince George's County, MD · 39 mi NE

1 open6 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🕊️🐇🎣

12.6K huntable acres

Rappahannock River Valley NWR

Richmond County, VA · 52 mi SE

18 special2 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐇🎣

6.8K huntable acres

Eastern Neck NWR

MD · 62 mi NE

1 special1 closed
🦌🦃🐇🎣

2K huntable acres

All refuges in Virginia →

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