National Wildlife Refuge · Wisconsin · FWS Region 3

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

Located in Marquette County, Wisconsin, Fox River National Wildlife Refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with about 998 acres of land owned in fee by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For the 2026–2027 season the refuge has 2 mapped hunt units: 1 open under general rules and 1 closed, covering about 988 huntable acres.

1 open unit1 closed
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
2hunt units
988huntable acres
998FWS-owned acres
1game categories

Fox 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 Fox River NWR

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

Permitted hunting categories are big game, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules.

Fox River National Wildlife Refuge conserves the oak savanna upland and sedge meadow wetland habitats historically found in extensive areas along the Fox River.

Big GameWhite-tailed and mule deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, bear and other large mammals

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

Hunt units (2)

Acreage by status
Open: 988 (99%)Closed: 11 (1%)988huntable acres
  • Open988 ac 99%
  • Closed11 ac 1%
Units by size (acres)
Refuge
988 ac
Closed
11 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Refuge
Show on map · Directions		 Open 988 —
Closed
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 11 —

Fox River NWR by the numbers

With about 988 huntable acres, Fox River NWR ranks #7 of 9 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Wisconsin and #358 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 99% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is Refuge (988 acres).

1 unit totaling 11 acres is closed to hunting (Closed). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

6 Waterfowl Production Areas lie within 35 miles; the closest is WPA 1 WPA (89 acres, 1 miles W).

When to hunt Fox River NWR

Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. Wisconsin 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
AugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun
🦌 Big Game
Archery deerFirearm deer

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 Wisconsin hunting license and any required tags or stamps — Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
  • Hunter education certification where your state requires it
  • The current refuge hunt brochure / regulations (often must be signed and carried)

Fishing at Fox River NWR

USFWS does not list fishing opportunities for Fox River NWR.

How to get to Fox River NWR

Navigate

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

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
43.68914, -89.40692
DMS
43°41′20.9″N 89°24′24.9″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Necedah, WI41 mi SE of town
  • Madison, WI43 mi N of town
  • Fond du Lac, WI49 mi W of town
  • Oshkosh, WI49 mi SW of town

Closest airports

  • MSN Madison Dane County38 mi
  • GRB Green Bay Austin Straubel84 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 Fox River 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, 20265:50 AM6:20 AM7:35 PM13h 16m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:05 AM6:35 AM7:10 PM12h 35m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:23 AM6:53 AM6:40 PM11h 47m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:40 AM7:10 AM6:16 PM11h 06m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:02 AM6:32 AM4:50 PM10h 18m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:21 AM6:51 AM4:33 PM9h 43m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:40 AM7:10 AM4:22 PM9h 12m
Tue, Dec 15, 20266:54 AM7:24 AM4:21 PM8h 57m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:01 AM7:31 AM4:30 PM8h 59m
Fri, Jan 15, 20276:58 AM7:28 AM4:44 PM9h 16m
Mon, Feb 1, 20276:45 AM7:15 AM5:06 PM9h 51m

Computed for 43.689, -89.407 (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 Fox River 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…

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…

Fox River NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Fox River NWR?

Yes. Fox River National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 1 unit (988 acres) during 2026–2027 for big game. Seasons follow state regulations plus refuge-specific rules in 50 CFR Part 32.

Do I need a permit to hunt Fox River NWR?

FWS data does not list a separate refuge hunting permit for Fox 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 Fox River NWR located?

Fox River National Wildlife Refuge is in Marquette County, Wisconsin, about 41 miles SE of Necedah, WI (straight-line). GPS: 43.68914, -89.40692.

What are legal shooting hours at Fox 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

Leopold WMD

Columbia County, WI · 14 mi SW

1 open2 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

13.8K huntable acres

Horicon NWR

Dodge County, WI · 39 mi E

3 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

21.6K huntable acres

Necedah NWR

Juneau County, WI · 49 mi NW

1 open1 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

39.1K huntable acres

Genoa NFH

Vernon County, WI · 91 mi W

1 closed
🎣

Upper Mississippi River NWFR

Houston County, MN · 93 mi W

10 special6 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

237K huntable acres

Hackmatack NWR

McHenry County, IL · 102 mi SE

2 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

655 huntable acres

Waterfowl Production Areas within 35 miles

All refuges in Wisconsin →

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