White River NFH
Windsor County, VT · 83 mi S
✕1 closed
No hunting listed
Missisquoi 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.
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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
Hunting at Missisquoi NWR
- Big Game
- Waterfowl
- Wild Turkey
- Upland Birds
- Migratory Birds
- Small Game
-
Feral & Exotic - Fishing
Hunting opportunities include big game, waterfowl, wild turkey, upland birds, migratory birds, and small game, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules. Fishing is available — freshwater fishing. A refuge permit is required for at least some activities, in addition to your state license. Special youth hunting opportunities are offered.
Migratory bird hunting, upland game hunting and big-game hunting were expanded in 2021.
Youth hunting
The refuge is open during State-designated youth-only waterfowl and deer hunt weekends. Eleven blind sites are available exclusively to waterfowl hunters ages 12-15 as part of the Junior Waterfowl Hunter Training Program on the first four Saturdays and S.
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 Vermont regulations plus refuge-specific rules.
Hunt units (13)
- Special regulations4,131 ac 56%
- Closed3,211 ac 44%
| Unit | Status | Acres | Permit | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Lakeshore Area East Show on map · Directions |
!Special regs | 303 | Required Other OMB-Approved Permit, Signed Brochure or Similar |
Waterfowl, upland game and big game. 🧒 The refuge is open during State-designated youth-only waterfowl and deer hunt weekends. Eleven… |
| Delta Lakeshore Area West Show on map · Directions |
!Special regs | 60 | Required Other OMB-Approved Permit, Signed Brochure or Similar |
Waterfowl, upland game and big game. 🧒 The refuge is open during State-designated youth-only waterfowl and deer hunt weekends. Eleven… |
| Eagle Point Show on map · Directions |
!Special regs | 458 | Required Other OMB-Approved Permit, Signed Brochure or Similar |
Waterfowl, upland game and big game. 🧒 The refuge is open during State-designated youth-only waterfowl and deer hunt weekends. Eleven… |
| Junior Waterfowl Area Show on map · Directions |
!Special regs | 166 | Required Other OMB-Approved Permit, Signed Brochure or Similar |
Waterfowl, upland game and big game. 🧒 The refuge is open during State-designated youth-only waterfowl and deer hunt weekends. Eleven… |
| Long Marsh and Metcalfe Island Show on map · Directions |
!Special regs | 674 | Required Other OMB-Approved Permit, Signed Brochure or Similar |
Waterfowl, upland game and big game. 🧒 The refuge is open during State-designated youth-only waterfowl and deer hunt weekends. Eleven… |
| Long Marsh Bay Junior Waterfowl Area Show on map · Directions |
!Special regs | 61 | Required Other OMB-Approved Permit, Signed Brochure or Similar |
Waterfowl, upland game and big game. 🧒 The refuge is open during State-designated youth-only waterfowl and deer hunt weekends. Eleven… |
| Long Marsh Channel Show on map · Directions |
!Special regs | 42 | Required Other OMB-Approved Permit, Signed Brochure or Similar |
Waterfowl, upland game and big game. 🧒 The refuge is open during State-designated youth-only waterfowl and deer hunt weekends. Eleven… |
| Maquam Shore Area Show on map · Directions |
!Special regs | 19 | Required Other OMB-Approved Permit, Signed Brochure or Similar |
Waterfowl, upland game and big game. 🧒 The refuge is open during State-designated youth-only waterfowl and deer hunt weekends. Eleven… |
| Maquam Swamp Area Show on map · Directions |
!Special regs | 138 | Required Other OMB-Approved Permit, Signed Brochure or Similar |
Waterfowl, upland game and big game. 🧒 The refuge is open during State-designated youth-only waterfowl and deer hunt weekends. Eleven… |
| Metcalfe Pothole Show on map · Directions |
!Special regs | 25 | Required Other OMB-Approved Permit, Signed Brochure or Similar |
Waterfowl, upland game and big game. 🧒 The refuge is open during State-designated youth-only waterfowl and deer hunt weekends. Eleven… |
| Saxes Pothole Creek and Shad Island Area Show on map · Directions |
!Special regs | 132 | Required Other OMB-Approved Permit, Signed Brochure or Similar |
Waterfowl, upland game and big game. 🧒 The refuge is open during State-designated youth-only waterfowl and deer hunt weekends. Eleven… |
| Tabor Road and Maquam Swamp and Bog Show on map · Directions |
!Special regs | 2,053 | Required Other OMB-Approved Permit, Signed Brochure or Similar |
Waterfowl, upland game and big game. 🧒 The refuge is open during State-designated youth-only waterfowl and deer hunt weekends. Eleven… |
| No Hunting Show on map · Directions |
✕Closed | 3,211 | Required Other OMB-Approved Permit, Signed Brochure or Similar |
Waterfowl, upland game and big game. 🧒 The refuge is open during State-designated youth-only waterfowl and deer hunt weekends. Eleven… |
Missisquoi NWR by the numbers
With about 4,131 huntable acres, Missisquoi NWR ranks #1 of 1 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Vermont and #275 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 56% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.
The largest huntable unit is Tabor Road and Maquam Swamp and Bog (2,053 acres, special regulations), while the smallest, Maquam Shore Area, covers 19 acres. Every huntable unit requires a refuge permit.
1 unit totaling 3,211 acres is closed to hunting (No Hunting). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.
Besides 7,342 acres of federally owned land, the station administers conservation easements on about 42 acres of private land. Easement land protects habitat but is not open to public hunting.
When to hunt Missisquoi NWR
Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. Vermont 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.
AugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun
🦌 Big Game
🦆 Waterfowl
🦃 Wild Turkey
🐦 Upland Birds
🕊️ Migratory Birds
🐇 Small Game
Permits & licenses
Refuge permit
Required
Waterfowl, upland game and big game.
Type: Other OMB-Approved Permit, Signed Brochure or Similar
How to get it:
- ✉️ By mail
- 🏛️ Refuge visitor center / office
You'll also need
- A valid Vermont hunting license and any required tags or stamps — Vermont Fish & Wildlife 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 Missisquoi NWR
- 🐟 Freshwater fishing
Fishing is permitted year-round on most of the refuge. However, some areas are closed all year or seasonally to prevent impact to wildlife. A variety of fish abound in the waters within and surrounding the refuge.
State fishing licenses and regulations apply. Some waters close seasonally to protect wildlife.
How to get to Missisquoi NWR
Navigate
Destination: Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)
- Decimal
44.95251, -73.17932- DMS
44°57′09.0″N 73°10′45.6″W
Nearest towns
- St. Albans, VT11 mi NW of town
- Plattsburgh, NY22 mi NE of town
- Burlington, VT33 mi N of town
- Montpelier, VT56 mi NW of town
Closest airports
- BTV Burlington Intl33 mi
- ALB Albany Intl155 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 Missisquoi NWR
Legal light*–
Sunrise–
Sunset–
*½ hour before sunrise — the standard federal shooting-hour start for migratory game birds. Times in New York local time.
Full season calculator →2026–2027 season sun table
| Date | Shooting light | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, Sep 1, 2026 | 5:43 AM | 6:13 AM | 7:32 PM | 13h 19m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 5:59 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:06 PM | 12h 36m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 6:18 AM | 6:48 AM | 6:35 PM | 11h 47m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 6:36 AM | 7:06 AM | 6:09 PM | 11h 03m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 5:59 AM | 6:29 AM | 4:42 PM | 10h 13m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:19 AM | 6:49 AM | 4:25 PM | 9h 36m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 6:40 AM | 7:10 AM | 4:13 PM | 9h 04m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 6:53 AM | 7:23 AM | 4:11 PM | 8h 48m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:00 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:20 PM | 8h 50m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 6:57 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:35 PM | 9h 08m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 6:43 AM | 7:13 AM | 4:58 PM | 9h 45m |
Computed for 44.953, -73.179 (EDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day hunting weather
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Forecast from the National Weather Service. Wind direction matters — plan your approach downwind of where game beds.
Guides for hunting Missisquoi 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…
Missisquoi NWR FAQ
Is hunting allowed at Missisquoi NWR?
Yes. Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 12 units (4,131 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 Missisquoi NWR?
Yes — Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge requires a refuge permit for some or all hunting. Permit type: Other OMB-Approved Permit and Signed Brochure or Similar. Permits can be obtained mail or visitor center. You also need the appropriate state hunting license and, for waterfowl, a Federal Duck Stamp.
Can you fish at Missisquoi NWR?
Yes. Fishing is permitted (freshwater fishing). State fishing licenses and regulations apply along with refuge rules.
Where is Missisquoi NWR located?
Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge is in Franklin County, Vermont, about 11 miles NW of St. Albans, VT (straight-line). GPS: 44.95251, -73.17932.
What are legal shooting hours at Missisquoi 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
Dwight D. Eisenhower NFH
Rutland County, VT · 84 mi S
✕1 closed
🎣
Umbagog NWR
Coos County, NH · 103 mi E
!2 special
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣
36.1K huntable acres
John Hay NWR
Merrimack County, NH · 124 mi SE
✕1 closed
No hunting listed
Wapack NWR
Hillsborough County, NH · 157 mi SE
✕1 closed
No hunting listed
Merrimack River Atlantic Salmon Smolt Release Site
Hillsborough County, NH · 170 mi SE
✕1 closed
No hunting listed
Data: USFWS National Hunt Units 2026–2027, Hunting & Fishing Opportunities, Realty Boundaries & Tracts. Page updated October 28, 2026.