National Wildlife Refuge · Washington · FWS Region 1

Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge is located in Stevens County, Washington, with about 40,842 acres of land owned in fee by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For the 2026–2027 season the refuge has 8 mapped hunt units: 4 open with special regulations and 4 closed, covering about 39,582 huntable acres.

4 with special regs4 closed
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
8hunt units
39.6Khuntable acres
40.8KFWS-owned acres
6game categories

Little Pend Oreille 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 Little Pend Oreille 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.

The Refuge is open for hunting in accordance with State seasons from September 1 through December 31. The Refuge is closed to all pursuit and hunting of game or discharge of firearms from January 1 through August 31 except during spring turkey season.

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 Washington regulations plus refuge-specific rules.

Hunt units (8)

Acreage by status
Special regulations: 39,582 (96%)Closed: 1,629 (4%)39.6Khuntable acres
  • Special regulations39,582 ac 96%
  • Closed1,629 ac 4%
Units by size (acres)
Open Hunting
37,875 ac
Closed to Hunting
1,111 ac
Kaniksu
714 ac
Streams/Creeks
712 ac
McDowell Marsh Trail
429 ac
Cusick
280 ac
Springdale
55 ac
Okanogan
35 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Cusick
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 280 —
Kaniksu
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 714 —
Open Hunting
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 37,875 —
Streams/Creeks
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 712 —
Closed to Hunting
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 1,111 —
McDowell Marsh Trail
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 429 —
Okanogan
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 35 —
Springdale
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 55 —

Little Pend Oreille NWR by the numbers

With about 39,582 huntable acres, Little Pend Oreille NWR ranks #2 of 14 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Washington and #70 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 96% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is Open Hunting (37,875 acres, special regulations), while the smallest, Cusick, covers 280 acres.

4 units totaling 1,629 acres are closed to hunting (Closed to Hunting, McDowell Marsh Trail, Okanogan, and Springdale). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

Besides 40,842 acres of federally owned land, the station administers conservation easements on about 76 acres of private land. Easement land protects habitat but is not open to public hunting.

When to hunt Little Pend Oreille NWR

Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. Washington 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

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 Washington hunting license and any required tags or stamps — Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
  • 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 Little Pend Oreille NWR

  • 🐟 Freshwater fishing

Fishing is allowed in Refuge lakes from the last Saturday in April through October 31.

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

How to get to Little Pend Oreille NWR

Navigate

Destination: Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
48.46644, -117.66163
DMS
48°27′59.2″N 117°39′41.9″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Colville, WA13 mi SE of town
  • Spokane, WA57 mi N of town
  • Bonners Ferry, ID63 mi W of town
  • Coeur d'Alene, ID68 mi NW of town

Closest airports

  • GEG Spokane Intl59 mi
  • LWS Lewiston–Nez Perce148 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 Little Pend Oreille NWR

Legal light*–
Sunrise–
Sunset–

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

Full season calculator →

2026–2027 season sun table

DateShooting lightSunriseSunsetDaylight
Tue, Sep 1, 20265:36 AM6:06 AM7:35 PM13h 29m
Tue, Sep 15, 20265:55 AM6:25 AM7:06 PM12h 40m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:18 AM6:48 AM6:32 PM11h 44m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:38 AM7:08 AM6:03 PM10h 55m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:05 AM6:35 AM4:33 PM9h 58m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:27 AM6:57 AM4:13 PM9h 16m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:50 AM7:20 AM3:59 PM8h 39m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:05 AM7:35 AM3:56 PM8h 21m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:12 AM7:42 AM4:04 PM8h 23m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:07 AM7:37 AM4:20 PM8h 43m
Mon, Feb 1, 20276:50 AM7:20 AM4:46 PM9h 26m

Computed for 48.466, -117.662 (PDT / 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 Little Pend Oreille 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…

Little Pend Oreille NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Little Pend Oreille NWR?

Yes. Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 4 units (39,582 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 Little Pend Oreille NWR?

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

Can you fish at Little Pend Oreille NWR?

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

Where is Little Pend Oreille NWR located?

Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge is in Stevens County, Washington, about 13 miles SE of Colville, WA (straight-line). GPS: 48.46644, -117.66163.

What are legal shooting hours at Little Pend Oreille 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

Kootenai NWR

Boundary County, ID · 60 mi E

1 open2 special3 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🎣

1.5K huntable acres

Turnbull NWR

Spokane County, WA · 72 mi S

1 open5 special2 closed
🦌🦆🦃🕊️

8.7K huntable acres

Winthrop NFH

Okanogan County, WA · 116 mi W

1 closed
No hunting listed

Lost Trail NWR

Flathead County, MT · 129 mi E

1 open1 closed
🦌🦃🐦

3.2K huntable acres

Columbia NWR

Adams County, WA · 133 mi SW

3 special1 closed
🦌🦆🐦🕊️🎣

13.5K huntable acres

Entiat NFH

Chelan County, WA · 134 mi W

1 closed
🎣

All refuges in Washington →

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