National Wildlife Refuge · Michigan · FWS Region 3

Seney National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Located in Schoolcraft County, Michigan, Seney National Wildlife Refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with about 95,429 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: 3 open with special regulations and 1 closed, covering about 86,071 huntable acres.

3 with special regs1 closed
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
4hunt units
86.1Khuntable acres
95.4KFWS-owned acres
4game categories

Seney 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 Seney NWR

Permitted hunting categories are big game, upland birds, migratory birds, and small game, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules. Fishing is available — freshwater fishing.

Migratory bird hunting, upland game hunting and big game hunting were expanded in 2015.

Big GameWhite-tailed and mule deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, bear and other large mammalsUpland 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 Michigan regulations plus refuge-specific rules.

Hunt units (4)

Acreage by status
Special regulations: 86,071 (90%)Closed: 9,279 (10%)86.1Khuntable acres
  • Special regulations86,071 ac 90%
  • Closed9,279 ac 10%
Units by size (acres)
A
47,454 ac
B
34,935 ac
Closed
9,279 ac
C
3,682 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
A
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 47,454 —
B
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 34,935 —
C
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 3,682 —
Closed
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 9,279 —

Seney NWR by the numbers

With about 86,071 huntable acres, Seney NWR ranks #1 of 8 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Michigan and #31 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 90% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is A (47,454 acres, special regulations), while the smallest, C, covers 3,682 acres.

1 unit totaling 9,279 acres is closed to hunting (Closed). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

Besides 95,429 acres of federally owned land, the station administers conservation easements on about 1,191 acres of private land. Easement land protects habitat but is not open to public hunting.

When to hunt Seney NWR

Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. Michigan 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, Upland Birds, Migratory Birds, Small Game
AugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun
🦌 Big Game
Archery deerFirearm deer
🐦 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 Michigan hunting license and any required tags or stamps — Michigan 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 Seney NWR

  • 🐟 Freshwater fishing

Available species are northern pike, yellow perch, brown bullhead, sunfish, largemouth and smallmouth bass and brook and brown trout. Fishing is permitted during daylight hours only.

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

How to get to Seney NWR

Navigate

Destination: Seney National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
46.26042, -86.09159
DMS
46°15′37.5″N 86°05′29.7″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Seney, MI9.2 mi SW of town
  • Marquette, MI65 mi E of town
  • Sault Ste. Marie, MI85 mi W of town
  • Traverse City, MI106 mi N of town

Closest airports

  • GRB Green Bay Austin Straubel157 mi
  • GRR Grand Rapids Ford235 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 Seney NWR

Legal light*–
Sunrise–
Sunset–

*½ hour before sunrise — the standard federal shooting-hour start for migratory game birds. Times in Detroit local time.

Full season calculator →

2026–2027 season sun table

DateShooting lightSunriseSunsetDaylight
Tue, Sep 1, 20266:33 AM7:03 AM8:25 PM13h 22m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:50 AM7:20 AM7:58 PM12h 38m
Thu, Oct 1, 20267:11 AM7:41 AM7:26 PM11h 46m
Thu, Oct 15, 20267:29 AM7:59 AM7:00 PM11h 00m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:54 AM7:24 AM5:31 PM10h 08m
Sun, Nov 15, 20267:14 AM7:44 AM5:13 PM9h 29m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:36 AM8:06 AM5:01 PM8h 55m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:50 AM8:20 AM4:58 PM8h 39m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:57 AM8:27 AM5:07 PM8h 40m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:53 AM8:23 AM5:22 PM8h 59m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:38 AM8:08 AM5:46 PM9h 38m

Computed for 46.260, -86.092 (EDT / 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 Seney 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…

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…

Dove Hunting on Wildlife Refuges: Managed Fields, Openers and Rules

How dove hunting works on National Wildlife Refuges — managed fields and draw days, HIP and plugged-gun rules…

HIP Certification Explained: The Harvest Information Program for Migratory Bird Hunters

What HIP is, who needs it, how to get certified in each state you hunt, and why your answers help set duck, goose and…

Your First Public-Land Hunt: A Step-by-Step Checklist for New Hunters

Hunter education, licenses, choosing a first species, gear, practice, scouting with maps and what to expect on your…

Fishing National Wildlife Refuges: Licenses, Seasons, Boats and Where to Go

What to know before fishing a National Wildlife Refuge or fish hatchery — state licenses, seasonal closures that…

Seney NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Seney NWR?

Yes. Seney National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 3 units (86,071 acres) during 2026–2027 for big game, 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 Seney NWR?

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

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

Where is Seney NWR located?

Seney National Wildlife Refuge is in Schoolcraft County, Michigan, about 9 miles SW of Seney, MI (straight-line). GPS: 46.26042, -86.09159.

What are legal shooting hours at Seney 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

Michigan Islands NWR

MI · 40 mi S

1 closed
No hunting listed

Sullivan Creek NFH

Chippewa County, MI · 61 mi E

1 closed
No hunting listed

Pendills Creek NFH

Chippewa County, MI · 62 mi E

1 open1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

64 huntable acres

Green Bay NWR

WI · 62 mi SW

1 open1 special4 closed
🦌🎣

459 huntable acres

Gravel Island NWR

Door County, WI · 84 mi SW

1 closed
No hunting listed

Huron NWR

MI · 101 mi NW

1 closed
No hunting listed

All refuges in Michigan →

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