National Wildlife Refuge · Indiana · FWS Region 3

Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Located in Pike County, Indiana, Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with about 12,209 acres of land owned in fee by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For the 2026–2027 season the refuge has 4 mapped hunt units: 1 open under general rules, 1 open with special regulations, and 2 closed, covering about 12,601 huntable acres.

1 open unit1 with special regs2 closed
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
4hunt units
12.6Khuntable acres
12.2KFWS-owned acres
6game categories

Patoka River 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 Patoka River 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.

Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge consists of more than 10,000 acres of various habitats – including upland and bottomland forest, diverse wetlands and prairie – along 20 miles of the Patoka River in southwestern Indiana.

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 Indiana regulations plus refuge-specific rules.

Hunt units (4)

Acreage by status
Open: 11,527 (88%)Special regulations: 1,074 (8%)Closed: 544 (4%)12.6Khuntable acres
  • Open11,527 ac 88%
  • Special regulations1,074 ac 8%
  • Closed544 ac 4%
Units by size (acres)
Patoka Unit
11,527 ac
Columbia Mine Preserve
1,074 ac
Cane Ridge
482 ac
Maxey Marsh
62 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Patoka Unit
Show on map · Directions		 Open 11,527 —
Columbia Mine Preserve
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 1,074 —
Cane Ridge
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 482 —
Maxey Marsh
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 62 —

Patoka River NWR by the numbers

With about 12,601 huntable acres, Patoka River NWR ranks #2 of 3 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Indiana and #158 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 Patoka Unit (11,527 acres), while the smallest, Columbia Mine Preserve, covers 1,074 acres.

2 units totaling 544 acres are closed to hunting (Cane Ridge and Maxey Marsh). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

Besides 12,209 acres of federally owned land, the station administers conservation easements on about 1,445 acres of private land. Easement land protects habitat but is not open to public hunting.

When to hunt Patoka River NWR

Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. Indiana 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 Indiana hunting license and any required tags or stamps — Indiana DNR Division of Fish & 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 Patoka River NWR

  • 🐟 Freshwater fishing

Refuge waters, including the Patoka River, South Fork and adjacent oxbow and overflow wetlands such as Snakey Point and Buck marshes, offer excellent fishing for largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill and redear sunfish.

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

How to get to Patoka River NWR

Navigate

Destination: Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
38.37582, -87.30438
DMS
38°22′33.0″N 87°18′15.8″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Evansville, IN32 mi NE of town
  • Terre Haute, IN76 mi S of town
  • Louisville, KY84 mi W of town
  • Seymour, IN86 mi SW of town

Closest airports

  • SDF Louisville Muhammad Ali86 mi
  • IND Indianapolis Intl108 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 Patoka River 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, 20265:47 AM6:17 AM7:21 PM13h 04m
Tue, Sep 15, 20265:59 AM6:29 AM6:59 PM12h 30m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:13 AM6:43 AM6:33 PM11h 50m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:26 AM6:56 AM6:12 PM11h 16m
Sun, Nov 1, 20265:44 AM6:14 AM4:51 PM10h 37m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:00 AM6:30 AM4:37 PM10h 08m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:17 AM6:47 AM4:29 PM9h 43m
Tue, Dec 15, 20266:28 AM6:58 AM4:29 PM9h 31m
Fri, Jan 1, 20276:36 AM7:06 AM4:38 PM9h 32m
Fri, Jan 15, 20276:34 AM7:04 AM4:50 PM9h 46m
Mon, Feb 1, 20276:25 AM6:55 AM5:09 PM10h 15m

Computed for 38.376, -87.304 (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.

Guides for hunting Patoka River 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…

Patoka River NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Patoka River NWR?

Yes. Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 2 units (12,601 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 Patoka River NWR?

FWS data does not list a separate refuge hunting permit for Patoka River 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 Patoka River NWR?

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

Where is Patoka River NWR located?

Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge is in Pike County, Indiana, about 32 miles NE of Evansville, IN (straight-line). GPS: 38.37582, -87.30438.

What are legal shooting hours at Patoka River 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

Green River NWR

Henderson County, KY · 35 mi S

3 closed
No hunting listed

Muscatatuck NWR

Jennings County, IN · 90 mi NE

2 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

5.2K huntable acres

Crab Orchard NWR

Williamson County, IL · 108 mi SW

5 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

44.4K huntable acres

Big Oaks NWR

Ripley County, IN · 109 mi E

3 special1 closed
🦌🦃🐇🎣

27.3K huntable acres

Clarks River NWR

Marshall County, KY · 121 mi SW

8 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

11.7K huntable acres

Middle Mississippi River NWR

Jackson County, IL · 133 mi W

9 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

8.2K huntable acres

All refuges in Indiana →

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