Grass Lake NWR
Stillwater County, MT · 6.1 mi SE
✓1 open✕1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️
1.7K huntable acres
Hailstone 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
Hunting at Hailstone NWR
- Big Game
- Waterfowl
- Wild Turkey
- Upland Birds
- Migratory Birds
-
Small Game -
Feral & Exotic -
Fishing
Permitted hunting categories are big game, waterfowl, wild turkey, upland birds, and migratory birds, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules.
During wet periods, waterfowl hunting is possible on the creek. Hunters should check carefully before planning a trip here. During drought, most wetlands dry up in the fall and waterfowl hunting is nonexistent.
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 crane
Categories are those listed by USFWS for this station; exact species, seasons and bag limits follow Montana regulations plus refuge-specific rules.
Hunt units (1)
- Open156 ac 100%
| Unit | Status | Acres | Permit | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunt Unit Show on map · Directions |
✓Open | 156 | — |
Hailstone NWR by the numbers
With about 156 huntable acres, Hailstone NWR ranks #21 of 23 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Montana and #402 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 100% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.
The largest huntable unit is Hunt Unit (156 acres).
5 Waterfowl Production Areas lie within 35 miles; the closest is Hailstone WPA (1,766 acres, 1 miles S).
When to hunt Hailstone NWR
Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. Montana 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.
AugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun
🦌 Big Game
🦆 Waterfowl
🦃 Wild Turkey
🐦 Upland Birds
🕊️ Migratory Birds
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 Montana hunting license and any required tags or stamps — Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
- 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 Hailstone NWR
USFWS does not list fishing opportunities for Hailstone NWR.
How to get to Hailstone NWR
Navigate
Destination: Hailstone National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)
- Decimal
46.01962, -109.17327- DMS
46°01′10.6″N 109°10′23.8″W
Nearest towns
- Billings, MT36 mi NW of town
- Lewistown, MT73 mi S of town
- Bozeman, MT93 mi E of town
- Cody, WY103 mi N of town
Closest airports
- BIL Billings Logan34 mi
- BZN Bozeman Yellowstone96 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 Hailstone 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
| Date | Shooting light | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, Sep 1, 2026 | 6:06 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:57 PM | 13h 22m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:23 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:30 PM | 12h 37m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 6:43 AM | 7:13 AM | 6:59 PM | 11h 46m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:01 AM | 7:31 AM | 6:32 PM | 11h 01m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:25 AM | 6:55 AM | 5:04 PM | 10h 09m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:46 AM | 7:16 AM | 4:46 PM | 9h 30m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:07 AM | 7:37 AM | 4:34 PM | 8h 57m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:21 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:31 PM | 8h 40m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:28 AM | 7:58 AM | 4:40 PM | 8h 42m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:24 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:55 PM | 9h 01m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:10 AM | 7:40 AM | 5:19 PM | 9h 40m |
Computed for 46.020, -109.173 (MDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day hunting weather
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Forecast from the National Weather Service. Wind direction matters — plan your approach downwind of where game beds.
Guides for hunting Hailstone 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…
Hailstone NWR FAQ
Is hunting allowed at Hailstone NWR?
Yes. Hailstone National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 1 unit (156 acres) during 2026–2027 for big game, waterfowl, wild turkey, upland birds, and migratory birds. Seasons follow state regulations plus refuge-specific rules in 50 CFR Part 32.
Do I need a permit to hunt Hailstone NWR?
FWS data does not list a separate refuge hunting permit for Hailstone 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 Hailstone NWR located?
Hailstone National Wildlife Refuge is in Stillwater County, Montana, about 36 miles NW of Billings, MT (straight-line). GPS: 46.01962, -109.17327.
What are legal shooting hours at Hailstone 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
Lake Mason NWR
Musselshell County, MT · 43 mi NE
✓3 open✕1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️
8.8K huntable acres
War Horse NWR
Petroleum County, MT · 69 mi NE
✓3 open
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🎣
2.9K huntable acres
Charles M. Russell WMD
Fergus County, MT · 73 mi N
✓1 open!1 special
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣
6.6K huntable acres
Bozeman FTC
Gallatin County, MT · 89 mi W
✕1 closed
No hunting listed
UL Bend NWR
Phillips County, MT · 123 mi NE
!1 special
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣
55.8K huntable acres
Waterfowl Production Areas within 35 miles
- Hailstone WPA 1,766 ac · 1.1 mi S
- Hansen WPA 2,806 ac · 13 mi SE
- Spidel WPA 487 ac · 17 mi NE
- Spidel WPA 775 ac · 17 mi NE
- Tew WPA 557 ac · 28 mi E
Data: USFWS National Hunt Units 2026–2027, Hunting & Fishing Opportunities, Realty Boundaries & Tracts. Page updated October 28, 2026.