National Wildlife Refuge · Wisconsin · FWS Region 3

Horicon National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Horicon National Wildlife Refuge lies in Dodge County, Wisconsin, with about 21,973 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 21,628 huntable acres.

3 with special regs1 closedPermit required
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
4hunt units
21.6Khuntable acres
22KFWS-owned acres
6game categories

Horicon 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 Horicon NWR

Hunters can pursue big game, waterfowl, wild turkey, upland birds, migratory birds, and small game here, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules. Fishing is available — freshwater fishing. A refuge permit is required for at least some activities, in addition to your state license.

The 33,000-acre Horicon Marsh is divided into Horicon National Wildlife Refuge (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) and Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources).

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 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 (4)

Acreage by status
Special regulations: 21,628 (98%)Closed: 357 (2%)21.6Khuntable acres
  • Special regulations21,628 ac 98%
  • Closed357 ac 2%
Units by size (acres)
General
19,754 ac
Auto Tour
974 ac
Disabled
900 ac
Closed
357 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Auto Tour
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 974 Required
Special Use Permit		 Disabled hunt area requires permit
Disabled
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 900 Required
Special Use Permit		 Disabled hunt area requires permit
General
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 19,754 Required
Special Use Permit		 Disabled hunt area requires permit
Closed
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 357 Required
Special Use Permit		 Disabled hunt area requires permit

Horicon NWR by the numbers

With about 21,628 huntable acres, Horicon NWR ranks #2 of 9 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Wisconsin and #111 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 98% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is General (19,754 acres, special regulations), while the smallest, Disabled, covers 900 acres. Every huntable unit requires a refuge permit.

1 unit totaling 357 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 Stenaas WPA (85 acres, 4 miles SW).

When to hunt Horicon 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, Waterfowl, Wild Turkey, Upland Birds, Migratory Birds, Small Game
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

Permits & licenses

Refuge permit

Required

Disabled hunt area requires permit

Type: Special Use Permit

How to get it:

  • 🏛️ Refuge visitor center / office

You'll also need

  • A valid Wisconsin hunting license and any required tags or stamps — Wisconsin 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 Horicon NWR

  • 🐟 Freshwater fishing

Fishing is available for yellow perch, carp, bullhead and northern pike. Boating is allowed only at the Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area at the southern end of Horicon Marsh.

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

How to get to Horicon NWR

Navigate

Destination: Horicon National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
43.57664, -88.64587
DMS
43°34′35.9″N 88°38′45.1″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Fond du Lac, WI17 mi SW of town
  • Oshkosh, WI31 mi S of town
  • Madison, WI52 mi NE of town
  • Milwaukee, WI52 mi NW of town

Closest airports

  • MSN Madison Dane County46 mi
  • MKE Milwaukee Mitchell57 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 Horicon 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, 20265:47 AM6:17 AM7:32 PM13h 15m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:02 AM6:32 AM7:07 PM12h 35m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:20 AM6:50 AM6:37 PM11h 47m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:37 AM7:07 AM6:13 PM11h 06m
Sun, Nov 1, 20265:59 AM6:29 AM4:47 PM10h 18m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:17 AM6:47 AM4:31 PM9h 43m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:37 AM7:07 AM4:20 PM9h 13m
Tue, Dec 15, 20266:50 AM7:20 AM4:18 PM8h 58m
Fri, Jan 1, 20276:57 AM7:27 AM4:27 PM8h 60m
Fri, Jan 15, 20276:54 AM7:24 AM4:41 PM9h 17m
Mon, Feb 1, 20276:41 AM7:11 AM5:03 PM9h 52m

Computed for 43.577, -88.646 (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 Horicon 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…

Horicon NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Horicon NWR?

Yes. Horicon National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 3 units (21,628 acres) during 2026–2027 for big game, waterfowl, wild turkey, 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 Horicon NWR?

Yes — Horicon National Wildlife Refuge requires a refuge permit for some or all hunting. Permit type: Special Use Permit. Permits can be obtained visitor center. You also need the appropriate state hunting license and, for waterfowl, a Federal Duck Stamp.

Can you fish at Horicon NWR?

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

Where is Horicon NWR located?

Horicon National Wildlife Refuge is in Dodge County, Wisconsin, about 17 miles SW of Fond du Lac, WI (straight-line). GPS: 43.57664, -88.64587.

What are legal shooting hours at Horicon 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

Fox River NWR

Marquette County, WI · 39 mi W

1 open1 closed
🦌

988 huntable acres

Leopold WMD

Columbia County, WI · 44 mi W

1 open2 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

13.8K huntable acres

Hackmatack NWR

McHenry County, IL · 83 mi S

2 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

655 huntable acres

Necedah NWR

Juneau County, WI · 85 mi NW

1 open1 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

39.1K huntable acres

Genoa NFH

Vernon County, WI · 129 mi W

1 closed
🎣

Upper Mississippi River NWFR

Houston County, MN · 131 mi W

10 special6 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

237K 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.