Wetland Management District · North Dakota · FWS Region 6

Long Lake Wetland Management District Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Located in Burleigh County, North Dakota, Long Lake Wetland Management District is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with about 23,666 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 under general rules and 1 closed, covering about 23,662 huntable acres.

1 open unit1 closedYouth hunts
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
2hunt units
23.7Khuntable acres
23.7KFWS-owned acres
6game categories

Long Lake WMD 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 Long Lake WMD

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. Special youth hunting opportunities are offered.

Whether deer hunters are looking for an animal to fill the freezer or a large buck, Long Lake NWR offers a long season and plenty of opportunities to fill a tag. The 23,000-acre refuge offers archery, muzzleloader, modern firearms and youth seasons.

Youth hunting

A youth season is offered.

All refuges with youth hunts →
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 North Dakota regulations plus refuge-specific rules.

Hunt units (2)

Acreage by status
Open: 23,662 (100%)Closed: 30 (0%)23.7Khuntable acres
  • Open23,662 ac 100%
  • Closed30 ac 0%
Units by size (acres)
WPA Open
23,662 ac
WPA Closed
30 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
WPA Open
Show on map · Directions		 Open 23,662 — 🧒 A youth season is offered.
WPA Closed
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 30 — 🧒 A youth season is offered.

Long Lake WMD by the numbers

With about 23,662 huntable acres, Long Lake WMD ranks #9 of 28 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in North Dakota and #101 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 100% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is WPA Open (23,662 acres).

1 unit totaling 30 acres is closed to hunting (WPA Closed). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

Besides 23,666 acres of federally owned land, the station administers conservation easements on about 244,333 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 Ymca WPA (161 acres, 3 miles NW).

When to hunt Long Lake WMD

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, 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 North Dakota hunting license and any required tags or stamps — North Dakota Game and Fish Department
  • 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 Long Lake WMD

  • 🐟 Freshwater fishing

The fishing opportunities in most wetland management districts are marginal but are offered in accordance with state seasons. Species found include northern pike, walleye and perch.

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

How to get to Long Lake WMD

Navigate

Destination: Long Lake Wetland Management District (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
46.66988, -100.22954
DMS
46°40′11.6″N 100°13′46.3″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Bismarck, ND28 mi E of town
  • Jamestown, ND74 mi W of town
  • Carrington, ND75 mi SW of town
  • Mobridge, SD79 mi N of town

Closest airports

  • BIS Bismarck Municipal26 mi
  • MOT Minot Intl120 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 Long Lake WMD

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, 20266:29 AM6:59 AM8:23 PM13h 24m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:47 AM7:17 AM7:55 PM12h 38m
Thu, Oct 1, 20267:07 AM7:37 AM7:23 PM11h 45m
Thu, Oct 15, 20267:26 AM7:56 AM6:56 PM10h 59m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:51 AM7:21 AM5:27 PM10h 06m
Sun, Nov 15, 20267:12 AM7:42 AM5:09 PM9h 27m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:34 AM8:04 AM4:56 PM8h 52m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:48 AM8:18 AM4:53 PM8h 35m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:55 AM8:25 AM5:02 PM8h 37m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:51 AM8:21 AM5:17 PM8h 56m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:36 AM8:06 AM5:42 PM9h 36m

Computed for 46.670, -100.230 (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.

Waterfowl Production Areas managed by Long Lake WMD

This district manages 88 named WPAs totaling 23,666 acres of walk-in public land. The largest are listed below; each links to its county guide with a satellite map and directions.

WPACountyAcres
Rath/Wonnenburg WPABurleigh County2,722
Crimmins WPABurleigh County1,458
Kleppe Lang WPAKidder County854
Sisco/Fallgatter WPAEmmons County848
Bechold WPAKidder County796
East Lost Lake WPABurleigh County793
Basaraba WPABurleigh County788
Ghylin WPABurleigh County688
Victor WPABurleigh County638
Foell WPAEmmons County625
Schiermeister WPAEmmons County581
Goldsmith WPAKidder County518
Rohrich/Walther/Weiszhaar WPAEmmons County492
Monroe WPABurleigh County476
Goose Lake WPAEmmons County475
Albright WPAKidder County452
Vogel WPAKidder County385
Whitman WPAKidder County327
Adams WPABurleigh County319
Puklich WPAKidder County316
Oswald WPABurleigh County310
Personius WPAKidder County301
Almer WPAKidder County285
Small WPABurleigh County284
P.d.l. 1 WPAKidder County266

Showing the 25 largest of 88. All tracts are on the map above and in the KML download.

Guides for hunting Long Lake WMD

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…

Long Lake WMD FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Long Lake WMD?

Yes. Long Lake Wetland Management District offers hunting in 1 unit (23,662 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 Long Lake WMD?

FWS data does not list a separate refuge hunting permit for Long Lake WMD. 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 Long Lake WMD?

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

Where is Long Lake WMD located?

Long Lake Wetland Management District is in Burleigh County, North Dakota, about 28 miles E of Bismarck, ND (straight-line). GPS: 46.66988, -100.22954.

What are legal shooting hours at Long Lake WMD?

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

Long Lake NWR

Kidder County, ND · 10 mi NE

2 special
🦌🦃🐦🐇🎣

23.2K huntable acres

Slade NWR

Kidder County, ND · 27 mi NE

1 special
🦌🦃🐦🐇

3K huntable acres

Florence Lake NWR

Burleigh County, ND · 44 mi N

1 special1 closed
🦌🦃🐦🐇

1.6K huntable acres

Chase Lake NWR

Stutsman County, ND · 44 mi NE

1 special
🦌

4.4K huntable acres

Chase Lake Prairie Project WMD

Stutsman County, ND · 57 mi NE

1 open
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

40K huntable acres

Kulm WMD

LaMoure County, ND · 66 mi E

1 open
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

45.1K 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.