National Wildlife Refuge · Montana · FWS Region 6

Hewitt Lake National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Hewitt Lake National Wildlife Refuge is located in Phillips County, Montana, with about 720 acres of land owned in fee by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For the 2026–2027 season the refuge has 1 mapped hunt unit: 1 open under general rules, covering about 720 huntable acres.

1 open unit
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
1hunt units
720huntable acres
720FWS-owned acres
5game categories

Hewitt Lake 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 Hewitt Lake NWR

Hunting opportunities include big game, waterfowl, upland birds, migratory birds, and small game, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules.

Hewitt Lake National Wildlife Refuge is one of four unmanned satellite refuges managed out of the Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge headquarters.

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 Montana regulations plus refuge-specific rules.

Hunt units (1)

Acreage by status
Open: 720 (100%)720huntable acres
  • Open720 ac 100%
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Station
Show on map · Directions		 Open 720 —

Hewitt Lake NWR by the numbers

With about 720 huntable acres, Hewitt Lake NWR ranks #19 of 23 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Montana and #371 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 Station (720 acres).

6 Waterfowl Production Areas lie within 35 miles; the closest is Hewitt Lake WPA (324 acres, 1 miles E).

When to hunt Hewitt Lake 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.

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 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 Hewitt Lake NWR

USFWS does not list fishing opportunities for Hewitt Lake NWR.

How to get to Hewitt Lake NWR

Navigate

Destination: Hewitt Lake National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
48.53213, -107.61685
DMS
48°31′55.7″N 107°37′00.7″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Malta, MT17 mi NE of town
  • Glasgow, MT50 mi NW of town
  • Jordan, MT90 mi N of town
  • Havre, MT94 mi E of town

Closest airports

  • GTF Great Falls Intl188 mi
  • BIL Billings Logan193 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 Hewitt Lake 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, 20265:56 AM6:26 AM7:55 PM13h 29m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:15 AM6:45 AM7:26 PM12h 40m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:37 AM7:07 AM6:52 PM11h 44m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:58 AM7:28 AM6:23 PM10h 55m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:25 AM6:55 AM4:52 PM9h 58m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:47 AM7:17 AM4:33 PM9h 16m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:10 AM7:40 AM4:18 PM8h 38m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:25 AM7:55 AM4:15 PM8h 20m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:32 AM8:02 AM4:24 PM8h 22m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:27 AM7:57 AM4:40 PM8h 43m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:10 AM7:40 AM5:06 PM9h 26m

Computed for 48.532, -107.617 (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 Hewitt Lake 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…

Hewitt Lake NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Hewitt Lake NWR?

Yes. Hewitt Lake National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 1 unit (720 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 Hewitt Lake NWR?

FWS data does not list a separate refuge hunting permit for Hewitt Lake 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 Hewitt Lake NWR located?

Hewitt Lake National Wildlife Refuge is in Phillips County, Montana, about 17 miles NE of Malta, MT (straight-line). GPS: 48.53213, -107.61685.

What are legal shooting hours at Hewitt Lake 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

Bowdoin NWR

Phillips County, MT · 9.2 mi S

1 open2 special1 closed
🦆🐦🕊️🐇

15.4K huntable acres

Bowdoin WMD

Phillips County, MT · 11 mi SW

1 open1 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

8.3K huntable acres

Black Coulee NWR

Blaine County, MT · 38 mi W

1 open
🦌🦆🐦🕊️🐇

643 huntable acres

UL Bend NWR

Phillips County, MT · 67 mi S

1 special
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

55.8K huntable acres

Charles M. Russell NWR

Garfield County, MT · 73 mi SE

1 special2 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

931K huntable acres

Lake Thibadeau NWR

Hill County, MT · 92 mi W

1 open
🦌🦆🐦🕊️🐇

24 huntable acres

Waterfowl Production Areas within 35 miles

All refuges in Montana →

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