National Wildlife Refuge · Mississippi · FWS Region 4

Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge lies in Winston County, Mississippi, with about 48,342 acres of land owned in fee by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For the 2026–2027 season the refuge has 5 mapped hunt units: 2 open with special regulations and 3 closed, covering about 44,706 huntable acres.

2 with special regs3 closedPermit requiredYouth hunts
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
5hunt units
44.7Khuntable acres
48.3KFWS-owned acres
7game categories

Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee 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 Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee NWR

Permitted hunting categories are big game, waterfowl, wild turkey, upland birds, migratory birds, small game, and feral & exotic, 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.

Exceptional hunting opportunities await sportsmen and women at Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge, well known for a large deer population and good-size bucks.

Youth hunting

General-access youth hunts are offered for deer, turkey and squirrel. A special youth waterfowl workshop is held in conjunction with Mississippi State University; participants are selected by lottery. The workshop concludes with a special hunt the first.

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 Mississippi regulations plus refuge-specific rules.

Hunt units (5)

Acreage by status
Special regulations: 44,706 (92%)Closed: 3,633 (8%)44.7Khuntable acres
  • Special regulations44,706 ac 92%
  • Closed3,633 ac 8%
Units by size (acres)
Hunt Area
43,240 ac
Connecting People with Nature
2,505 ac
Noxubee Wilderness
1,466 ac
Mobility Impaired Hunt Area
667 ac
Closed Area
461 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Hunt Area
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 43,240 Required
Other		 Waterfowl and deer hunters require a quota permit
🧒 General-access youth hunts are offered for deer, turkey and squirrel. A special youth waterfowl…
Noxubee Wilderness
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 1,466 Required
Other		 Waterfowl and deer hunters require a quota permit
🧒 General-access youth hunts are offered for deer, turkey and squirrel. A special youth waterfowl…
Closed Area
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 461 Required
Other		 Waterfowl and deer hunters require a quota permit
🧒 General-access youth hunts are offered for deer, turkey and squirrel. A special youth waterfowl…
Connecting People with Nature
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 2,505 Required
Other		 Waterfowl and deer hunters require a quota permit
🧒 General-access youth hunts are offered for deer, turkey and squirrel. A special youth waterfowl…
Mobility Impaired Hunt Area
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 667 Required
Other		 Waterfowl and deer hunters require a quota permit
🧒 General-access youth hunts are offered for deer, turkey and squirrel. A special youth waterfowl…

Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee NWR by the numbers

With about 44,706 huntable acres, Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee NWR ranks #1 of 13 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Mississippi and #59 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 92% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is Hunt Area (43,240 acres, special regulations), while the smallest, Noxubee Wilderness, covers 1,466 acres. Every huntable unit requires a refuge permit.

3 units totaling 3,633 acres are closed to hunting (Closed Area, Connecting People with Nature, and Mobility Impaired Hunt Area). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

Besides 48,342 acres of federally owned land, the station administers conservation easements on about 907 acres of private land. Easement land protects habitat but is not open to public hunting.

When to hunt Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee NWR

Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. Mississippi 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

Required

Waterfowl and deer hunters require a quota permit

Type: Other

How to get it:

  • ✉️ By mail
  • 💻 Online (FWS)
  • 💻 Online (e.g. Recreation.gov)
  • 🏛️ Refuge visitor center / office

You'll also need

  • A valid Mississippi hunting license and any required tags or stamps — Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks
  • 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 Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee NWR

  • 🐟 Freshwater fishing

Refuge waters include Bluff Lake (800 acres), Loakfoma Lake (450 acres), Ross Branch Reservoir (40 acres) and Noxubee River. Fishing season is March 1-October 31 in all refuge lakes; Noxubee River is open year-round.

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

How to get to Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee NWR

Navigate

Destination: Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
33.21937, -88.82855
DMS
33°13′09.7″N 88°49′42.8″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Columbus, MS30 mi SW of town
  • Tupelo, MS72 mi S of town
  • Tuscaloosa, AL73 mi W of town
  • Yazoo City, MS95 mi E of town

Closest airports

  • JAN Jackson–Evers96 mi
  • BHM Birmingham–Shuttlesworth122 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 Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee 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, 20265:58 AM6:28 AM7:22 PM12h 53m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:07 AM6:37 AM7:03 PM12h 26m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:18 AM6:48 AM6:41 PM11h 53m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:28 AM6:58 AM6:23 PM11h 25m
Sun, Nov 1, 20265:42 AM6:12 AM5:04 PM10h 52m
Sun, Nov 15, 20265:55 AM6:25 AM4:54 PM10h 28m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:10 AM6:40 AM4:48 PM10h 08m
Tue, Dec 15, 20266:21 AM6:51 AM4:49 PM9h 58m
Fri, Jan 1, 20276:28 AM6:58 AM4:57 PM9h 59m
Fri, Jan 15, 20276:28 AM6:58 AM5:09 PM10h 11m
Mon, Feb 1, 20276:21 AM6:51 AM5:25 PM10h 34m

Computed for 33.219, -88.829 (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 Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee 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…

Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee NWR?

Yes. Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 2 units (44,706 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 Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee NWR?

Yes — Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge requires a refuge permit for some or all hunting. Permit type: Other. Permits can be obtained mail, online through fws, online (e.g. recreation.gov), or visitor center. You also need the appropriate state hunting license and, for waterfowl, a Federal Duck Stamp.

Can you fish at Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee NWR?

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

Where is Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee NWR located?

Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge is in Winston County, Mississippi, about 30 miles SW of Columbus, MS (straight-line). GPS: 33.21937, -88.82855.

What are legal shooting hours at Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee 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

Private John Allen NFH

Lee County, MS · 71 mi N

1 closed
No hunting listed

Morgan Brake NWR

Holmes County, MS · 78 mi W

4 special
🦌🦆🕊️🐇🐗🎣

7.6K huntable acres

Mathews Brake NWR

Holmes County, MS · 83 mi W

2 special
🦌🦆🐇🐗🎣

2.4K huntable acres

Tallahatchie NWR

Tallahatchie County, MS · 85 mi NW

1 special1 closed
🦌🦆🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

3.6K huntable acres

Hillside NWR

Holmes County, MS · 86 mi W

3 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐇🐗🎣

15.4K huntable acres

Coldwater River NWR

Quitman County, MS · 96 mi NW

1 open1 special1 closed
🦆🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

2.3K huntable acres

All refuges in Mississippi →

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