National Wildlife Refuge · Utah · FWS Region 6

Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Located in Juab County, Utah, Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with about 17,970 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 12,670 huntable acres.

3 with special regs1 closed
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
4hunt units
12.7Khuntable acres
18KFWS-owned acres
5game categories

Fish Springs 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 Fish Springs NWR

Hunters can pursue big game, waterfowl, upland birds, migratory birds, and small game here, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules.

Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge, on the southern edge of the Great Salt Lake Desert, is covered with beautiful, lush wetlands fed by springs. The water is brackish and warm, creating a distinctive habitat for a rare native fish, the Utah chub.

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 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 Utah regulations plus refuge-specific rules.

Hunt units (4)

Acreage by status
Special regulations: 12,670 (71%)Closed: 5,301 (29%)12.7Khuntable acres
  • Special regulations12,670 ac 71%
  • Closed5,301 ac 29%
Units by size (acres)
Open Unit
6,395 ac
Open except Mig. Birds
6,253 ac
Closed Unit
5,301 ac
Reservation Unit
22 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Open except Mig. Birds
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 6,253 —
Open Unit
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 6,395 —
Reservation Unit
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 22 —
Closed Unit
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 5,301 —

Fish Springs NWR by the numbers

With about 12,670 huntable acres, Fish Springs NWR ranks #2 of 3 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Utah and #155 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 71% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is Open Unit (6,395 acres, special regulations), while the smallest, Reservation Unit, covers 22 acres.

1 unit totaling 5,301 acres is closed to hunting (Closed Unit). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

Besides 17,970 acres of federally owned land, the station administers conservation easements on about 4.8 acres of private land. Easement land protects habitat but is not open to public hunting.

When to hunt Fish Springs NWR

Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. Utah 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, Small Game
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
🐇 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 Utah hunting license and any required tags or stamps — Utah Division 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 Fish Springs NWR

USFWS does not list fishing opportunities for Fish Springs NWR.

How to get to Fish Springs NWR

Navigate

Destination: Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
39.86053, -113.36535
DMS
39°51′37.9″N 113°21′55.3″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Delta, UT55 mi NW of town
  • Ely, NV92 mi NE of town
  • Provo, UT94 mi W of town
  • Salt Lake City, UT100 mi SW of town

Closest airports

  • SLC Salt Lake City Intl97 mi
  • TWF Magic Valley (Twin Falls)190 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 Fish Springs NWR

Legal light*–
Sunrise–
Sunset–

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

Full season calculator →

2026–2027 season sun table

DateShooting lightSunriseSunsetDaylight
Tue, Sep 1, 20266:30 AM7:00 AM8:07 PM13h 07m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:43 AM7:13 AM7:44 PM12h 31m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:58 AM7:28 AM7:17 PM11h 50m
Thu, Oct 15, 20267:12 AM7:42 AM6:55 PM11h 13m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:31 AM7:01 AM5:32 PM10h 32m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:47 AM7:17 AM5:18 PM10h 01m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:05 AM7:35 AM5:10 PM9h 35m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:17 AM7:47 AM5:09 PM9h 22m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:24 AM7:54 AM5:18 PM9h 23m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:23 AM7:53 AM5:31 PM9h 38m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:12 AM7:42 AM5:50 PM10h 09m

Computed for 39.861, -113.365 (MDT / 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 Fish Springs 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…

Fish Springs NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Fish Springs NWR?

Yes. Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 3 units (12,670 acres) during 2026–2027 for big game, waterfowl, 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 Fish Springs NWR?

FWS data does not list a separate refuge hunting permit for Fish Springs 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 Fish Springs NWR located?

Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge is in Juab County, Utah, about 55 miles NW of Delta, UT (straight-line). GPS: 39.86053, -113.36535.

What are legal shooting hours at Fish Springs 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

Ruby Lake NWR

Elko County, NV · 113 mi W

1 open2 closed
🦆🕊️🎣

8.6K huntable acres

Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

Box Elder County, UT · 125 mi NE

2 special1 closed
🦆🐦🎣

30.2K huntable acres

Oxford Slough WPA

Franklin County, ID · 180 mi NE

1 open
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇

1.9K huntable acres

Bear Lake NWR

Bear Lake County, ID · 192 mi NE

3 open1 special10 closed
🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

7.3K huntable acres

Cokeville Meadows NWR

Lincoln County, WY · 192 mi NE

3 special
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

6K huntable acres

Minidoka NWR

Blaine County, ID · 194 mi N

1 open5 special1 closed
🦌🦆🐦🕊️🐇🎣

5.5K huntable acres

All refuges in Utah →

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