National Wildlife Refuge · Texas · FWS Region 2

Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge is located in Hidalgo County, Texas, with about 2,109 acres of land owned in fee by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For the 2026–2027 season, all 1 mapped hunt unit are listed as closed to hunting.

1 closed
View hunt map Directions Official website ↗
1hunt units
0huntable acres
2.1KFWS-owned acres
0game categories

Santa Ana 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 Santa Ana NWR

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

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service does not list any hunting opportunities for this station.

Hunt units (1)

Acreage by status
Closed: 2,109 (100%)0huntable acres
  • Closed2,109 ac 100%
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Station Closed 2,109 —

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 Texas hunting license and any required tags or stamps — Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
  • Hunter education certification where your state requires it
  • The current refuge hunt brochure / regulations (often must be signed and carried)

Fishing at Santa Ana NWR

USFWS does not list fishing opportunities for Santa Ana NWR.

How to get to Santa Ana NWR

Navigate

Destination: Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

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Decimal
26.06943, -98.14623
DMS
26°04′09.9″N 98°08′46.4″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • McAllen, TX10 mi SE of town
  • Harlingen, TX29 mi W of town
  • Brownsville, TX42 mi W of town
  • Corpus Christi, TX128 mi S of town

Closest airports

  • HRL Valley Intl (Harlingen)33 mi
  • BRO Brownsville/South Padre46 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 Santa Ana 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, 20266:42 AM7:12 AM7:53 PM12h 41m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:47 AM7:17 AM7:38 PM12h 21m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:54 AM7:24 AM7:20 PM11h 56m
Thu, Oct 15, 20267:00 AM7:30 AM7:05 PM11h 35m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:10 AM6:40 AM5:51 PM11h 11m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:20 AM6:50 AM5:44 PM10h 53m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:32 AM7:02 AM5:41 PM10h 38m
Tue, Dec 15, 20266:41 AM7:11 AM5:43 PM10h 31m
Fri, Jan 1, 20276:49 AM7:19 AM5:51 PM10h 32m
Fri, Jan 15, 20276:51 AM7:21 AM6:01 PM10h 40m
Mon, Feb 1, 20276:46 AM7:16 AM6:14 PM10h 58m

Computed for 26.069, -98.146 (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.

Santa Ana NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Santa Ana NWR?

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service does not currently list hunting opportunities at Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge. All mapped units are closed to hunting.

Do I need a permit to hunt Santa Ana NWR?

FWS data does not list a separate refuge hunting permit for Santa Ana NWR. You still need a valid state license, any required state tags or stamps, and (for waterfowl hunters 16+) a Federal Duck Stamp.

Where is Santa Ana NWR located?

Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge is in Hidalgo County, Texas, about 10 miles SE of McAllen, TX (straight-line). GPS: 26.06943, -98.14623.

What are legal shooting hours at Santa Ana 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

Laguna Atascosa NWR

Cameron County, TX · 52 mi E

11 special1 closed
🦌🦆🕊️🐗🎣

80.3K huntable acres

Lower Rio Grande Valley NWR

Cameron County, TX · 57 mi E

1 open9 special1 closed
🦌🦃🕊️🐇🐗

23.5K huntable acres

Aransas NWR

Calhoun County, TX · 177 mi NE

1 open2 special3 closed
🦌🦆🐗🎣

54.6K huntable acres

Big Boggy NWR

Matagorda County, TX · 234 mi NE

2 open1 closed
🦆

1.3K huntable acres

Uvalde NFH

Uvalde County, TX · 239 mi NW

1 closed
No hunting listed

San Bernard NWR

Brazoria County, TX · 251 mi NE

4 open1 closed
🦆🎣

7K huntable acres

All refuges in Texas →

Data: USFWS National Hunt Units 2026–2027, Hunting & Fishing Opportunities, Realty Boundaries & Tracts. Page updated September 29, 2026.