National Wildlife Refuge · Oklahoma · FWS Region 2

Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Located in Alfalfa County, Oklahoma, Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with about 21,182 acres of land owned in fee by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For the 2026–2027 season the refuge has 12 mapped hunt units: 11 open with special regulations and 1 closed, covering about 9,555 huntable acres.

11 with special regs1 closedYouth hunts
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
12hunt units
9.6Khuntable acres
21.2KFWS-owned acres
7game categories

Salt Plains 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 Salt Plains 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. Special youth hunting opportunities are offered.

The largest salt flat in Mid-America was once used by Native Americans and settlers as a place to gather salt for preserving food.

Youth hunting

Rifle deer hunts for youth hunters are issued by lottery by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.

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 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 Oklahoma regulations plus refuge-specific rules.

Hunt units (12)

Acreage by status
Special regulations: 9,555 (30%)Closed: 22,549 (70%)9.6Khuntable acres
  • Special regulations9,555 ac 30%
  • Closed22,549 ac 70%
Units by size (acres)
Closed to Hunt
22,549 ac
Wilderness
3,936 ac
J
2,138 ac
H
1,164 ac
E
588 ac
A
476 ac
B
460 ac
F
304 ac
G
296 ac
C
151 ac
C-7
25 ac
C-10
17 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
A
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 476 — 🧒 Rifle deer hunts for youth hunters are issued by lottery by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife…
B
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 460 — 🧒 Rifle deer hunts for youth hunters are issued by lottery by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife…
C
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 151 — 🧒 Rifle deer hunts for youth hunters are issued by lottery by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife…
C-7
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 25 — 🧒 Rifle deer hunts for youth hunters are issued by lottery by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife…
C-10
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 17 — 🧒 Rifle deer hunts for youth hunters are issued by lottery by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife…
E
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 588 — 🧒 Rifle deer hunts for youth hunters are issued by lottery by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife…
F
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 304 — 🧒 Rifle deer hunts for youth hunters are issued by lottery by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife…
G
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 296 — 🧒 Rifle deer hunts for youth hunters are issued by lottery by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife…
H
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 1,164 — 🧒 Rifle deer hunts for youth hunters are issued by lottery by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife…
J
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 2,138 — 🧒 Rifle deer hunts for youth hunters are issued by lottery by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife…
Wilderness
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 3,936 — 🧒 Rifle deer hunts for youth hunters are issued by lottery by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife…
Closed to Hunt
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 22,549 — 🧒 Rifle deer hunts for youth hunters are issued by lottery by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife…

Salt Plains NWR by the numbers

With about 9,555 huntable acres, Salt Plains NWR ranks #4 of 9 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Oklahoma and #201 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 30% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is Wilderness (3,936 acres, special regulations), while the smallest, C-10, covers 17 acres.

1 unit totaling 22,549 acres is closed to hunting (Closed to Hunt). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

Besides 21,182 acres of federally owned land, the station administers conservation easements on about 30 acres of private land. Easement land protects habitat but is not open to public hunting.

When to hunt Salt Plains NWR

Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma hunting license and any required tags or stamps — Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation
  • 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 Salt Plains NWR

  • 🐟 Freshwater fishing

Refuge waters include Great Salt Plains Reservoir (8,000 acres), Salt Fork River (two miles) and Sand Creek (two miles). Fishing season is April 1-October 15. Available species include largemouth bass, catfish, carp, crappie, sunfish and sauger.

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

How to get to Salt Plains NWR

Navigate

Destination: Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
36.75279, -98.22361
DMS
36°45′10.0″N 98°13′25.0″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Alva, OK25 mi E of town
  • Enid, OK31 mi NW of town
  • Woodward, OK68 mi E of town
  • Wichita, KS81 mi SW of town

Closest airports

  • ICT Wichita Eisenhower76 mi
  • OKC Oklahoma City Will Rogers100 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 Salt Plains 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, 20266:33 AM7:03 AM8:03 PM13h 00m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:44 AM7:14 AM7:42 PM12h 28m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:56 AM7:26 AM7:18 PM11h 51m
Thu, Oct 15, 20267:09 AM7:39 AM6:57 PM11h 19m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:25 AM6:55 AM5:37 PM10h 42m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:40 AM7:10 AM5:25 PM10h 15m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:56 AM7:26 AM5:17 PM9h 51m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:07 AM7:37 AM5:17 PM9h 40m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:15 AM7:45 AM5:26 PM9h 41m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:14 AM7:44 AM5:38 PM9h 54m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:05 AM7:35 AM5:56 PM10h 21m

Computed for 36.753, -98.224 (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 Salt Plains 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…

Salt Plains NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Salt Plains NWR?

Yes. Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 11 units (9,555 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 Salt Plains NWR?

FWS data does not list a separate refuge hunting permit for Salt Plains 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 Salt Plains NWR?

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

Where is Salt Plains NWR located?

Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge is in Alfalfa County, Oklahoma, about 25 miles E of Alva, OK (straight-line). GPS: 36.75279, -98.22361.

What are legal shooting hours at Salt Plains 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

Quivira NWR

Stafford County, KS · 91 mi N

1 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

8.2K huntable acres

Washita NWR

Custer County, OK · 98 mi SW

4 special2 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

5.9K huntable acres

Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge

Comanche County, OK · 142 mi S

10 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐇🐗🎣

53.3K huntable acres

Deep Fork NWR

Okmulgee County, OK · 154 mi SE

2 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐇🐗🎣

8.3K huntable acres

Optima NWR

Texas County, OK · 166 mi W

1 special
🦌🦃🐦🕊️🐇

4.3K huntable acres

Flint Hills NWR

Coffey County, KS · 166 mi NE

2 special2 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

11.6K huntable acres

All refuges in Oklahoma →

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