National Wildlife Refuge · South Dakota · FWS Region 6

Karl E. Mundt National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Karl E. Mundt National Wildlife Refuge is located in Gregory County, South Dakota, with about 1,083 acres of land owned in fee by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Its lands extend into Nebraska. For the 2026–2027 season the refuge has 3 mapped hunt units: 1 open with special regulations and 2 closed, covering about 697 huntable acres.

1 with special regs2 closed
View hunt map Directions Official website ↗
3hunt units
697huntable acres
1.1KFWS-owned acres
1game categories

Karl E. Mundt 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 Karl E. Mundt NWR

  • Big Game
  • Waterfowl
  • Wild Turkey
  • Upland Birds
  • Migratory Birds
  • Small Game
  • Feral & Exotic
  • Fishing

Permitted hunting categories are big game, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules.

Big GameWhite-tailed and mule deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, bear and other large mammals

Categories are those listed by USFWS for this station; exact species, seasons and bag limits follow South Dakota regulations plus refuge-specific rules.

Hunt units (3)

Acreage by status
Special regulations: 697 (64%)Closed: 386 (36%)697huntable acres
  • Special regulations697 ac 64%
  • Closed386 ac 36%
Units by size (acres)
Hunt Unit
697 ac
Closed Unit-SD
349 ac
Closed Unit-NE
37 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Hunt Unit
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 697 —
Closed Unit-NE
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 37 —
Closed Unit-SD
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 349 —

Karl E. Mundt NWR by the numbers

With about 697 huntable acres, Karl E. Mundt NWR ranks #10 of 11 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in South Dakota and #372 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 64% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is Hunt Unit (697 acres, special regulations).

2 units totaling 386 acres are closed to hunting (Closed Unit-NE and Closed Unit-SD). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

Besides 1,083 acres of federally owned land, the station administers conservation easements on about 305 acres of private land. Easement land protects habitat but is not open to public hunting.

6 Waterfowl Production Areas lie within 35 miles; the closest is John Eldridge WPA (150 acres, 11 miles NE).

When to hunt Karl E. Mundt NWR

Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. South Dakota 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
AugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun
🦌 Big Game
Archery deerFirearm deer

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 South Dakota hunting license and any required tags or stamps — South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks
  • Hunter education certification where your state requires it
  • The current refuge hunt brochure / regulations (often must be signed and carried)

Fishing at Karl E. Mundt NWR

USFWS does not list fishing opportunities for Karl E. Mundt NWR.

How to get to Karl E. Mundt NWR

Navigate

Destination: Karl E. Mundt National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
43.03253, -98.53567
DMS
43°01′57.1″N 98°32′08.4″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Lake Andes, SD8.8 mi S of town
  • Mitchell, SD53 mi SW of town
  • Norfolk, NE90 mi NW of town
  • Huron, SD93 mi S of town

Closest airports

  • FSD Sioux Falls Regional98 mi
  • SUX Sioux Gateway118 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 Karl E. Mundt 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, 20266:27 AM6:57 AM8:11 PM13h 14m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:42 AM7:12 AM7:46 PM12h 34m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:59 AM7:29 AM7:17 PM11h 48m
Thu, Oct 15, 20267:16 AM7:46 AM6:53 PM11h 07m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:37 AM7:07 AM5:27 PM10h 20m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:55 AM7:25 AM5:12 PM9h 46m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:15 AM7:45 AM5:01 PM9h 16m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:28 AM7:58 AM5:00 PM9h 02m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:35 AM8:05 AM5:08 PM9h 03m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:32 AM8:02 AM5:22 PM9h 20m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:20 AM7:50 AM5:44 PM9h 54m

Computed for 43.033, -98.536 (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 Karl E. Mundt 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…

How to Read a Refuge Hunt Brochure (and Not Miss the Rule That Matters)

What's inside a National Wildlife Refuge hunt brochure, where to find it, how it relates to 50 CFR Part 32 and state…

Hunting Safety on Public Land: Cold Water, Tree Stands, Crowds and Weather

The safety habits that matter most on refuges and WPAs — firearm rules, blaze orange, tree-stand harnesses, cold-water…

Karl E. Mundt NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Karl E. Mundt NWR?

Yes. Karl E. Mundt National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 1 unit (697 acres) during 2026–2027 for big game. Seasons follow state regulations plus refuge-specific rules in 50 CFR Part 32.

Do I need a permit to hunt Karl E. Mundt NWR?

FWS data does not list a separate refuge hunting permit for Karl E. Mundt 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 Karl E. Mundt NWR located?

Karl E. Mundt National Wildlife Refuge is in Gregory County, South Dakota, about 9 miles S of Lake Andes, SD (straight-line). GPS: 43.03253, -98.53567.

What are legal shooting hours at Karl E. Mundt 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 Andes WMD

Charles Mix County, SD · 10 mi NE

1 open1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

15.1K huntable acres

Lake Andes NWR

Charles Mix County, SD · 13 mi NE

1 open3 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

2.2K huntable acres

John W. and Louise Seier NWR

Rock County, NE · 80 mi SW

1 special
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗

2.4K huntable acres

Huron WMD

Beadle County, SD · 93 mi N

1 open1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

17.5K huntable acres

Fort Niobrara NWR

Cherry County, NE · 97 mi W

1 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

5.1K huntable acres

Madison WMD

Lake County, SD · 98 mi NE

1 open1 special
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

44K huntable acres

Waterfowl Production Areas within 35 miles

All refuges in South Dakota →

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