National Wildlife Refuge · Illinois · FWS Region 3

Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Located in McHenry County, Illinois, Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with about 1,169 acres of land owned in fee by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Its lands extend into Wisconsin. For the 2026–2027 season the refuge has 3 mapped hunt units: 2 open with special regulations and 1 closed, covering about 655 huntable acres.

2 with special regs1 closed
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
3hunt units
655huntable acres
1.2KFWS-owned acres
7game categories

Hackmatack 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 Hackmatack NWR

Permitted hunting categories are big game, waterfowl, wild turkey, upland birds, migratory birds, small game, and feral & exotic, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules. Fishing is available — freshwater fishing.

Hunting is available at almost 400 national wildlife refuges, more than 35 wetland management districts and almost 20 national fish hatcheries. Hunting is a priority public use at national wildlife refuges.

Big GameWhite-tailed and mule deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, bear and other large mammalsWaterfowlDucks, geese, brant, swans (where legal) and cootsWild TurkeySpring and fall wild turkeyUpland BirdsPheasant, quail, grouse, prairie chicken and partridgeMigratory 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 Illinois regulations plus refuge-specific rules.

Hunt units (3)

Acreage by status
Special regulations: 655 (58%)Closed: 472 (42%)655huntable acres
  • Special regulations655 ac 58%
  • Closed472 ac 42%
Units by size (acres)
Open - IL
570 ac
Closed
472 ac
Open - WI
85 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Open - IL
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 570 —
Open - WI
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 85 —
Closed
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 472 —

Hackmatack NWR by the numbers

With about 655 huntable acres, Hackmatack NWR ranks #8 of 9 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Illinois and #374 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 58% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is Open - IL (570 acres, special regulations), while the smallest, Open - WI, covers 85 acres.

1 unit totaling 472 acres is closed to hunting (Closed). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

Besides 1,169 acres of federally owned land, the station administers conservation easements on about 50 acres of private land. Easement land protects habitat but is not open to public hunting.

1 Waterfowl Production Area lies within 35 miles; the closest is Johnstown WPA (131 acres, 31 miles NW).

When to hunt Hackmatack NWR

Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. Illinois 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, Wild Turkey, Upland Birds, Migratory Birds, Small Game, Feral & Exotic
AugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun
🦌 Big Game
Archery deerFirearm deer
🦆 Waterfowl
Early teal & gooseRegular duck & goose
🦃 Wild Turkey
Spring gobblerFall (some states)
🐦 Upland Birds
Pheasant, quail, grouse
🕊️ 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

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 Illinois hunting license and any required tags or stamps — Illinois Department of Natural 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 Hackmatack NWR

  • 🐟 Freshwater fishing

Fishing is available at 378 units (343 national wildlife refuges and 35 wetland management districts) of the National Wildlife Refuge System, almost 20 national fish hatcheries and other U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lands and waters.

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

How to get to Hackmatack NWR

Navigate

Destination: Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
42.37902, -88.46603
DMS
42°22′44.5″N 88°27′57.7″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Rockford, IL33 mi E of town
  • Milwaukee, WI54 mi SW of town
  • Chicago, IL55 mi NW of town
  • Madison, WI67 mi SE of town

Closest airports

  • ORD Chicago O'Hare40 mi
  • MKE Milwaukee Mitchell49 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 Hackmatack 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, 20265:48 AM6:18 AM7:30 PM13h 12m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:02 AM6:32 AM7:05 PM12h 33m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:19 AM6:49 AM6:37 PM11h 48m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:35 AM7:05 AM6:13 PM11h 09m
Sun, Nov 1, 20265:56 AM6:26 AM4:48 PM10h 23m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:14 AM6:44 AM4:33 PM9h 49m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:33 AM7:03 AM4:23 PM9h 20m
Tue, Dec 15, 20266:45 AM7:15 AM4:22 PM9h 06m
Fri, Jan 1, 20276:52 AM7:22 AM4:30 PM9h 08m
Fri, Jan 15, 20276:50 AM7:20 AM4:44 PM9h 24m
Mon, Feb 1, 20276:38 AM7:08 AM5:05 PM9h 57m

Computed for 42.379, -88.466 (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 Hackmatack 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…

Turkey Hunting on Wildlife Refuges: Lotteries, Pressured Birds and Safety

How spring and fall turkey hunts work on National Wildlife Refuges, how to scout and call public-land gobblers, 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…

Hackmatack NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Hackmatack NWR?

Yes. Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 2 units (655 acres) during 2026–2027 for big game, waterfowl, wild turkey, upland birds, 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 Hackmatack NWR?

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

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

Where is Hackmatack NWR located?

Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge is in McHenry County, Illinois, about 33 miles E of Rockford, IL (straight-line). GPS: 42.37902, -88.46603.

What are legal shooting hours at Hackmatack 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

Horicon NWR

Dodge County, WI · 83 mi N

3 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

21.6K huntable acres

Leopold WMD

Columbia County, WI · 94 mi NW

1 open2 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

13.8K huntable acres

Fox River NWR

Marquette County, WI · 102 mi NW

1 open1 closed
🦌

988 huntable acres

Kankakee NWR and Conservation Area

Iroquois County, IL · 106 mi SE

1 special
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

66 huntable acres

Necedah NWR

Juneau County, WI · 148 mi NW

1 open1 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

39.1K huntable acres

Driftless Area NWR

Clayton County, IA · 152 mi W

1 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

798 huntable acres

Waterfowl Production Areas within 35 miles

All refuges in Illinois →

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