National Wildlife Refuge · Oregon · FWS Region 1

Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Located in Tillamook County, Oregon, Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with about 1,201 acres of land owned in fee by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For the 2026–2027 season the refuge has 3 mapped hunt units: 2 open under general rules and 1 closed, covering about 131 huntable acres.

2 open units1 closed
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
3hunt units
131huntable acres
1.2KFWS-owned acres
1game categories

Nestucca Bay 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 Nestucca Bay NWR

  • Big Game
  • Waterfowl
  • Wild Turkey
  • Upland Birds
  • Migratory Birds
  • Small Game
  • Feral & Exotic
  • Fishing

Hunters can pursue waterfowl here, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules. Fishing is available — tidal / saltwater fishing and shellfishing & crabbing.

Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1991 to protect and enhance habitat for dusky Canada geese and Aleutian cackling geese.

WaterfowlDucks, geese, brant, swans (where legal) and coots

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

Hunt units (3)

Acreage by status
Open: 131 (11%)Closed: 1,069 (89%)131huntable acres
  • Open131 ac 11%
  • Closed1,069 ac 89%
Units by size (acres)
Closed
1,069 ac
Brooten Marsh
100 ac
Little Nestucca River
31 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Brooten Marsh
Show on map · Directions		 Open 100 —
Little Nestucca River
Show on map · Directions		 Open 31 —
Closed
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 1,069 —

Nestucca Bay NWR by the numbers

With about 131 huntable acres, Nestucca Bay NWR ranks #16 of 16 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Oregon and #404 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 11% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is Brooten Marsh (100 acres), while the smallest, Little Nestucca River, covers 31 acres.

1 unit totaling 1,069 acres is closed to hunting (Closed). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

Besides 1,201 acres of federally owned land, the station administers conservation easements on about 0.1 acres of private land. Easement land protects habitat but is not open to public hunting.

When to hunt Nestucca Bay NWR

Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. Oregon 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 — Waterfowl
AugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun
🦆 Waterfowl
Early teal & gooseRegular duck & goose

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 Oregon hunting license and any required tags or stamps — Oregon 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 Nestucca Bay NWR

  • 🌊 Tidal / saltwater fishing
  • 🦀 Shellfishing & crabbing

Portions of the refuge are open to fishing and shellfishing. A bank fishing area at the Little Nestucca Restoration Area, with a parking area an access trail, allows foot access to the lower section of the Little Nestucca River.

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

How to get to Nestucca Bay NWR

Navigate

Destination: Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
45.16927, -123.95095
DMS
45°10′09.4″N 123°57′03.4″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Tillamook, OR21 mi S of town
  • Newport, OR37 mi N of town
  • Salem, OR47 mi W of town
  • Corvallis, OR54 mi NW of town

Closest airports

  • PDX Portland Intl72 mi
  • EUG Eugene Airport81 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 Nestucca Bay 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, 20266:06 AM6:36 AM7:55 PM13h 19m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:22 AM6:52 AM7:29 PM12h 36m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:42 AM7:12 AM6:58 PM11h 46m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:59 AM7:29 AM6:32 PM11h 03m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:23 AM6:53 AM5:05 PM10h 12m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:43 AM7:13 AM4:48 PM9h 35m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:03 AM7:33 AM4:36 PM9h 02m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:17 AM7:47 AM4:34 PM8h 47m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:24 AM7:54 AM4:42 PM8h 48m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:21 AM7:51 AM4:57 PM9h 07m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:06 AM7:36 AM5:20 PM9h 44m

Computed for 45.169, -123.951 (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 Nestucca Bay NWR

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…

Fishing National Wildlife Refuges: Licenses, Seasons, Boats and Where to Go

What to know before fishing a National Wildlife Refuge or fish hatchery — state licenses, seasonal closures that…

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…

Nestucca Bay NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Nestucca Bay NWR?

Yes. Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 2 units (131 acres) during 2026–2027 for waterfowl. Seasons follow state regulations plus refuge-specific rules in 50 CFR Part 32.

Do I need a permit to hunt Nestucca Bay NWR?

FWS data does not list a separate refuge hunting permit for Nestucca Bay 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 Nestucca Bay NWR?

Yes. Fishing is permitted (tidal / saltwater fishing and shellfishing & crabbing). State fishing licenses and regulations apply along with refuge rules.

Where is Nestucca Bay NWR located?

Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge is in Tillamook County, Oregon, about 21 miles S of Tillamook, OR (straight-line). GPS: 45.16927, -123.95095.

What are legal shooting hours at Nestucca Bay 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

Siletz Bay NWR

Lincoln County, OR · 19 mi S

1 open1 special2 closed
🦆🎣

205 huntable acres

Three Arch Rocks NWR

Tillamook County, OR · 20 mi N

1 closed
No hunting listed

Cape Meares NWR

Tillamook County, OR · 22 mi N

1 closed
No hunting listed

Baskett Slough NWR

Polk County, OR · 37 mi E

2 special1 closed
🦆

1.1K huntable acres

Wapato Lake NWR

Washington County, OR · 44 mi NE

1 special1 closed
🦆🕊️

270 huntable acres

Ankeny NWR

Marion County, OR · 50 mi SE

1 closed
No hunting listed

All refuges in Oregon →

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