National Fish Hatchery · Michigan · FWS Region 3

Jordan River National Fish Hatchery Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Jordan River National Fish Hatchery is located in Antrim County, Michigan, with about 102 acres of land owned in fee by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For the 2026–2027 season the refuge has 3 mapped hunt units: 2 open with special regulations and 1 closed, covering about 74 huntable acres.

2 with special regs1 closed
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
3hunt units
74huntable acres
102FWS-owned acres
7game categories

Jordan River NFH 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 Jordan River NFH

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.

Jordan River National Fish Hatchery is in the beautiful Jordan River Valley in Antrim County, Michigan. Hatchery land is surrounded by large tracts of state-owned public land.

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 Michigan regulations plus refuge-specific rules.

Hunt units (3)

Acreage by status
Special regulations: 74 (72%)Closed: 28 (28%)74huntable acres
  • Special regulations74 ac 72%
  • Closed28 ac 28%
Units by size (acres)
Open Area A
73 ac
Closed
28 ac
Open Area B
0.9 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Open Area A
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 73 —
Open Area B
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 0.9 —
Closed
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 28 —

Jordan River NFH by the numbers

With about 74 huntable acres, Jordan River NFH ranks #7 of 8 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Michigan and #410 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 72% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is Open Area A (73 acres, special regulations), while the smallest, Open Area B, covers 0.9 acres.

1 unit totaling 28 acres is closed to hunting (Closed). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

When to hunt Jordan River NFH

Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. Michigan 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 Michigan hunting license and any required tags or stamps — Michigan 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 Jordan River NFH

USFWS does not list fishing opportunities for Jordan River NFH.

How to get to Jordan River NFH

Navigate

Destination: Jordan River National Fish Hatchery (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
45.02592, -84.96231
DMS
45°01′33.3″N 84°57′44.3″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Traverse City, MI37 mi NE of town
  • Alpena, MI75 mi W of town
  • Seney, MI103 mi SE of town
  • Sault Ste. Marie, MI106 mi S of town

Closest airports

  • GRR Grand Rapids Ford151 mi
  • GRB Green Bay Austin Straubel160 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 Jordan River NFH

Legal light*–
Sunrise–
Sunset–

*½ hour before sunrise — the standard federal shooting-hour start for migratory game birds. Times in Detroit local time.

Full season calculator →

2026–2027 season sun table

DateShooting lightSunriseSunsetDaylight
Tue, Sep 1, 20266:30 AM7:00 AM8:19 PM13h 19m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:47 AM7:17 AM7:53 PM12h 36m
Thu, Oct 1, 20267:06 AM7:36 AM7:22 PM11h 46m
Thu, Oct 15, 20267:23 AM7:53 AM6:57 PM11h 03m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:47 AM7:17 AM5:29 PM10h 13m
Sun, Nov 15, 20267:06 AM7:36 AM5:12 PM9h 36m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:27 AM7:57 AM5:00 PM9h 03m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:40 AM8:10 AM4:58 PM8h 48m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:47 AM8:17 AM5:07 PM8h 50m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:44 AM8:14 AM5:22 PM9h 07m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:30 AM8:00 AM5:45 PM9h 45m

Computed for 45.026, -84.962 (EDT / 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 Jordan River NFH

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…

Jordan River NFH FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Jordan River NFH?

Yes. Jordan River National Fish Hatchery offers hunting in 2 units (74 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 Jordan River NFH?

FWS data does not list a separate refuge hunting permit for Jordan River NFH. You still need a valid state license, any required state tags or stamps, and (for waterfowl hunters 16+) a Federal Duck Stamp.

Where is Jordan River NFH located?

Jordan River National Fish Hatchery is in Antrim County, Michigan, about 37 miles NE of Traverse City, MI (straight-line). GPS: 45.02592, -84.96231.

What are legal shooting hours at Jordan River NFH?

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

Kirtlands Warbler Wildlife Management Area

Oscoda County, MI · 34 mi SE

1 open
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗

6.6K huntable acres

Michigan Islands NWR

MI · 63 mi NW

1 closed
No hunting listed

Sullivan Creek NFH

Chippewa County, MI · 89 mi N

1 closed
No hunting listed

Harbor Island NWR

Chippewa County, MI · 91 mi NE

1 special
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

736 huntable acres

Green Bay NWR

WI · 94 mi W

1 open1 special4 closed
🦌🎣

459 huntable acres

Pendills Creek NFH

Chippewa County, MI · 97 mi N

1 open1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

64 huntable acres

All refuges in Michigan →

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