National Wildlife Refuge · Iowa · FWS Region 3

Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Located in Louisa County, Iowa, Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with about 12,076 acres of land owned in fee by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Its lands extend into Illinois. For the 2026–2027 season the refuge has 5 mapped hunt units: 4 open with special regulations and 1 closed, covering about 15,355 huntable acres.

4 with special regs1 closed
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
5hunt units
15.4Khuntable acres
12.1KFWS-owned acres
7game categories

Port Louisa 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 Port Louisa NWR

Hunters can pursue big game, waterfowl, wild turkey, upland birds, migratory birds, small game, and feral & exotic here, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules. Fishing is available — freshwater fishing.

Located along the Upper Mississippi River, Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge, the northernmost refuge of the Mark Twain complex, is extensively managed to improve habitat conditions for waterfowl and many other species of wildlife.

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 mammalsFeral & ExoticFeral hogs and other non-native species where refuge rules allow

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

Hunt units (5)

Acreage by status
Special regulations: 15,355 (86%)Closed: 2,602 (14%)15.4Khuntable acres
  • Special regulations15,355 ac 86%
  • Closed2,602 ac 14%
Units by size (acres)
Iowa River Corridor
9,471 ac
Louisa
2,602 ac
Horseshoe Bend
2,541 ac
Big Timber
1,803 ac
Keithsburg
1,539 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Big Timber
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 1,803 —
Horseshoe Bend
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 2,541 —
Iowa River Corridor
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 9,471 —
Keithsburg
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 1,539 —
Louisa
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 2,602 —

Port Louisa NWR by the numbers

With about 15,355 huntable acres, Port Louisa NWR ranks #2 of 6 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Iowa and #140 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 86% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is Iowa River Corridor (9,471 acres, special regulations), while the smallest, Keithsburg, covers 1,539 acres.

1 unit totaling 2,602 acres is closed to hunting (Louisa). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

Besides 12,076 acres of federally owned land, the station administers conservation easements on about 642 acres of private land. Easement land protects habitat but is not open to public hunting.

When to hunt Port Louisa NWR

Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. Iowa 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, Feral & Exotic
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
🐗 Feral & Exotic
Feral hog (often year-round)

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 Iowa hunting license and any required tags or stamps — Iowa Department of Natural Resources
  • 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 Port Louisa NWR

  • 🐟 Freshwater fishing

Available species include largemouth bass, channel catfish, bullhead, bluegill, crappie and white bass.

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

How to get to Port Louisa NWR

Navigate

Destination: Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
41.21575, -91.10950
DMS
41°12′56.7″N 91°06′34.2″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Davenport, IA35 mi SW of town
  • Cedar Rapids, IA60 mi SE of town
  • Havana, IL84 mi NW of town
  • Peoria, IL87 mi NW of town

Closest airports

  • MLI Quad Cities Intl35 mi
  • CID Cedar Rapids Eastern Iowa55 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 Port Louisa 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, 20265:59 AM6:29 AM7:39 PM13h 10m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:13 AM6:43 AM7:15 PM12h 32m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:29 AM6:59 AM6:48 PM11h 49m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:44 AM7:14 AM6:25 PM11h 11m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:04 AM6:34 AM5:01 PM10h 27m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:21 AM6:51 AM4:46 PM9h 55m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:40 AM7:10 AM4:37 PM9h 27m
Tue, Dec 15, 20266:52 AM7:22 AM4:36 PM9h 14m
Fri, Jan 1, 20276:59 AM7:29 AM4:44 PM9h 15m
Fri, Jan 15, 20276:57 AM7:27 AM4:58 PM9h 31m
Mon, Feb 1, 20276:46 AM7:16 AM5:18 PM10h 03m

Computed for 41.216, -91.109 (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 Port Louisa 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…

Port Louisa NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Port Louisa NWR?

Yes. Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 4 units (15,355 acres) during 2026–2027 for big game, waterfowl, wild turkey, upland birds, migratory birds, small game, and feral & exotic. Seasons follow state regulations plus refuge-specific rules in 50 CFR Part 32.

Do I need a permit to hunt Port Louisa NWR?

FWS data does not list a separate refuge hunting permit for Port Louisa 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 Port Louisa NWR?

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

Where is Port Louisa NWR located?

Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge is in Louisa County, Iowa, about 35 miles SW of Davenport, IA (straight-line). GPS: 41.21575, -91.10950.

What are legal shooting hours at Port Louisa 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

Emiquon NWR

Fulton County, IL · 81 mi SE

1 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

894 huntable acres

Chautauqua NWR

Mason County, IL · 82 mi SE

1 special1 closed
🦆🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

810 huntable acres

Great River NWR

Adams County, IL · 83 mi S

5 special
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

11.3K huntable acres

Meredosia NWR

Morgan County, IL · 97 mi S

2 closed
🎣

Neal Smith NWR

Jasper County, IA · 115 mi W

1 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

4.6K huntable acres

Driftless Area NWR

Clayton County, IA · 120 mi N

1 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

798 huntable acres

All refuges in Iowa →

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