National Wildlife Refuge · North Dakota · FWS Region 6

Lostwood National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Lostwood National Wildlife Refuge lies in Burke County, North Dakota, with about 27,320 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 26,154 huntable acres.

1 with special regs1 closed
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
2hunt units
26.2Khuntable acres
27.3KFWS-owned acres
4game categories

Lostwood 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 Lostwood NWR

Permitted hunting categories are big game, wild turkey, upland birds, and small game, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules.

In many areas of the Northern Great Plains large expanses of native prairie have been lost forever. Of the 27,589 acres on Lostwood National Wildlife Refuge about 70 percent are native prairie.

Big GameWhite-tailed and mule deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, bear and other large mammalsWild TurkeySpring and fall wild turkeyUpland BirdsPheasant, quail, grouse, prairie chicken and partridgeSmall 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
Special regulations: 26,154 (96%)Closed: 1,177 (4%)26.2Khuntable acres
  • Special regulations26,154 ac 96%
  • Closed1,177 ac 4%
Units by size (acres)
Hunting Unit
26,154 ac
Closed Unit
1,177 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Hunting Unit Special regs 26,154 —
Closed Unit Closed 1,177 —

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 Lostwood NWR

USFWS does not list fishing opportunities for Lostwood NWR.

How to get to Lostwood NWR

Navigate

Destination: Lostwood National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
48.60529, -102.45279
DMS
48°36′19.0″N 102°27′10.0″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Kenmare, ND18 mi W of town
  • Crosby, ND44 mi SE of town
  • Minot, ND59 mi NW of town
  • Williston, ND62 mi NE of town

Closest airports

  • MOT Minot Intl59 mi
  • BIS Bismarck Municipal149 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 Lostwood 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, 20266:35 AM7:05 AM8:34 PM13h 29m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:54 AM7:24 AM8:05 PM12h 41m
Thu, Oct 1, 20267:17 AM7:47 AM7:31 PM11h 44m
Thu, Oct 15, 20267:37 AM8:07 AM7:02 PM10h 55m
Sun, Nov 1, 20267:04 AM7:34 AM5:32 PM9h 57m
Sun, Nov 15, 20267:27 AM7:57 AM5:12 PM9h 15m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:50 AM8:20 AM4:57 PM8h 37m
Tue, Dec 15, 20268:05 AM8:35 AM4:54 PM8h 19m
Fri, Jan 1, 20278:12 AM8:42 AM5:03 PM8h 21m
Fri, Jan 15, 20278:07 AM8:37 AM5:19 PM8h 42m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:50 AM8:20 AM5:45 PM9h 25m

Computed for 48.605, -102.453 (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.

Lostwood NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Lostwood NWR?

Yes. Lostwood National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 1 unit (26,154 acres) during 2026–2027 for big game, wild turkey, upland birds, and small game. Seasons follow state regulations plus refuge-specific rules in 50 CFR Part 32.

Do I need a permit to hunt Lostwood NWR?

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

Lostwood National Wildlife Refuge is in Burke County, North Dakota, about 18 miles W of Kenmare, ND (straight-line). GPS: 48.60529, -102.45279.

What are legal shooting hours at Lostwood 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

Lostwood WMD

Burke County, ND · 3.4 mi NE

1 open
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

11K huntable acres

Des Lacs NWR

Burke County, ND · 29 mi NE

3 special1 closed
🦌🦃🐦🐇

14K huntable acres

Shell Lake NWR

Mountrail County, ND · 33 mi SE

1 closed
No hunting listed

Upper Souris NWR

Renville County, ND · 39 mi E

3 special1 closed
🦌🦃🐦🐇🎣

32K huntable acres

Crosby WMD

Divide County, ND · 43 mi NW

1 open
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

18.8K huntable acres

Lake Zahl NWR

Williams County, ND · 55 mi W

1 special1 closed
🦌🐦

3.3K 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 September 29, 2026.