National Wildlife Refuge · North Dakota · FWS Region 6

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

Lake Zahl National Wildlife Refuge lies in Williams County, North Dakota, with about 3,189 acres of land owned in fee by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For the 2026–2027 season the refuge has 2 mapped hunt units: 1 open with special regulations and 1 closed, covering about 3,260 huntable acres.

1 with special regs1 closedYouth hunts
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
2hunt units
3.3Khuntable acres
3.2KFWS-owned acres
2game categories

Lake Zahl 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 Lake Zahl NWR

Hunting opportunities include big game and upland birds, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules. Special youth hunting opportunities are offered.

From a distance, the cattails that grow throughout Lake Zahl National Wildlife Refuge look idyllic and easy to negotiate. However, hunters know that this cover is like walking through a jungle.

Youth hunting

A youth gun deer season is held.

All refuges with youth hunts →
Big GameWhite-tailed and mule deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, bear and other large mammalsUpland BirdsPheasant, quail, grouse, prairie chicken and partridge

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

Hunt units (2)

Acreage by status
Special regulations: 3,260 (86%)Closed: 514 (14%)3.3Khuntable acres
  • Special regulations3,260 ac 86%
  • Closed514 ac 14%
Units by size (acres)
Refuge
3,260 ac
Closed Unit
514 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Refuge
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 3,260 — 🧒 A youth gun deer season is held.
Closed Unit
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 514 — 🧒 A youth gun deer season is held.

Lake Zahl NWR by the numbers

With about 3,260 huntable acres, Lake Zahl NWR ranks #21 of 28 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in North Dakota and #293 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 86% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is Refuge (3,260 acres, special regulations).

1 unit totaling 514 acres is closed to hunting (Closed Unit). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

Besides 3,189 acres of federally owned land, the station administers conservation easements on about 596 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 Green Lake WPA (379 acres, 3 miles NE).

When to hunt Lake Zahl NWR

Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. North 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, Upland Birds
AugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun
🦌 Big Game
Archery deerFirearm deer
🐦 Upland Birds
Pheasant, quail, grouse

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

Fishing at Lake Zahl NWR

USFWS does not list fishing opportunities for Lake Zahl NWR.

How to get to Lake Zahl NWR

Navigate

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

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
48.58082, -103.64905
DMS
48°34′51.0″N 103°38′56.6″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Crosby, ND28 mi SW of town
  • Williston, ND30 mi N of town
  • Plentywood, MT44 mi E of town
  • Sidney, MT64 mi N of town

Closest airports

  • MOT Minot Intl111 mi
  • BIS Bismarck Municipal184 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 Lake Zahl 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, 20266:40 AM7:10 AM8:39 PM13h 29m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:59 AM7:29 AM8:10 PM12h 40m
Thu, Oct 1, 20267:22 AM7:52 AM7:36 PM11h 44m
Thu, Oct 15, 20267:42 AM8:12 AM7:07 PM10h 55m
Sun, Nov 1, 20267:09 AM7:39 AM5:37 PM9h 58m
Sun, Nov 15, 20267:31 AM8:01 AM5:17 PM9h 15m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:55 AM8:25 AM5:02 PM8h 38m
Tue, Dec 15, 20268:09 AM8:39 AM4:59 PM8h 20m
Fri, Jan 1, 20278:16 AM8:46 AM5:08 PM8h 22m
Fri, Jan 15, 20278:11 AM8:41 AM5:24 PM8h 42m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:55 AM8:25 AM5:50 PM9h 25m

Computed for 48.581, -103.649 (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 Lake Zahl 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…

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…

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…

Lake Zahl NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Lake Zahl NWR?

Yes. Lake Zahl National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 1 unit (3,260 acres) during 2026–2027 for big game and upland birds. Seasons follow state regulations plus refuge-specific rules in 50 CFR Part 32.

Do I need a permit to hunt Lake Zahl NWR?

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

Lake Zahl National Wildlife Refuge is in Williams County, North Dakota, about 28 miles SW of Crosby, ND (straight-line). GPS: 48.58082, -103.64905.

What are legal shooting hours at Lake Zahl 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

Crosby WMD

Divide County, ND · 26 mi NE

1 open
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

18.8K huntable acres

Medicine Lake NWR

Sheridan County, MT · 34 mi W

3 special1 closed
🦌🦆🐦🕊️🐇🎣

22K huntable acres

Northeast Montana WMD

Sheridan County, MT · 37 mi W

1 open
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

12.1K huntable acres

Lostwood NWR

Burke County, ND · 55 mi E

1 special1 closed
🦌🦃🐦🐇

26.2K huntable acres

Lostwood WMD

Burke County, ND · 57 mi E

1 open
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

11K huntable acres

Des Lacs NWR

Burke County, ND · 73 mi E

3 special1 closed
🦌🦃🐦🐇

14K huntable acres

Waterfowl Production Areas within 35 miles

All refuges in North Dakota →

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