National Wildlife Refuge · Massachusetts · FWS Region 5

Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge lies in Franklin County, Massachusetts, with about 43,034 acres of land owned in fee by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Its lands extend into New Hampshire, Vermont, and Connecticut. For the 2026–2027 season the refuge has 28 mapped hunt units: 3 open under general rules, 19 open with special regulations, and 6 closed, covering about 50,194 huntable acres.

3 open units19 with special regs6 closed
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
28hunt units
50.2Khuntable acres
43KFWS-owned acres
6game categories

Silvio O. Conte NFWR 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 Silvio O. Conte NFWR

Hunting opportunities include big game, waterfowl, wild turkey, upland birds, migratory birds, and small game, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules. Fishing is available — freshwater fishing.

Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge encompasses the 7.2 million-acre Connecticut River watershed. It has divisions and units in four New England states. VERMONT: The refuge has two divisions in Vermont.

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 mammals

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

Hunt units (28)

Acreage by status
Open: 30,486 (59%)Special regulations: 19,708 (38%)Closed: 1,158 (2%)50.2Khuntable acres
  • Open30,486 ac 59%
  • Special regulations19,708 ac 38%
  • Closed1,158 ac 2%
Units by size (acres)
Nulhegan Basin
26,815 ac
Mascoma
9,373 ac
Pondicherry
6,452 ac
West River
3,386 ac
Blueberry Swamp
1,261 ac
Salmon River
912 ac
Ompompanoosuc River
803 ac
Westfield River
555 ac
Putney
285 ac
Mill River
254 ac
Fort River
251 ac
Mt. Tom
141 ac
Fannie Stebbins
130 ac
Whalebone Cove
127 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Nulhegan Basin Open 26,815 —
Putney Open 285 —
West River Open 3,386 —
Blueberry Swamp Special regs 1,261 —
Dead Branch Special regs 100 —
Deadman's Swamp Special regs 79 —
Fairgrounds Special regs 48 —
Fort River Special regs 251 —
Hatfield Special regs 20 —
Honey Pot Special regs 21 —
Maromas Special regs 24 —
Mascoma Special regs 9,373 —
Mill River Special regs 254 —
Mt. Toby Special regs 29 —
Mt. Tom Special regs 141 —
Pondicherry Special regs 6,452 —
Roger Tory Peterson Special regs 56 —
Saddle Island Special regs 1.2 —
Salmon River Special regs 912 —
Third Island Special regs 3.5 —
Westfield River Special regs 555 —
Whalebone Cove Special regs 127 —
Fannie Stebbins Closed 130 —
Fort River Safety Zone Closed 75 —
Ompompanoosuc River Closed 803 —
Salmon River Closed Closed 84 —
Selden Closed 45 —
Wissatinnewag Closed 21 —

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 Massachusetts hunting license and any required tags or stamps — MassWildlife
  • 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 Silvio O. Conte NFWR

  • 🐟 Freshwater fishing

Trout fishing is popular along reaches of the North and Black branches of the Nulhegan River within the refuge's Nulhegan Basin Division in Vermont. Nearby Lewis Pond offers wilderness-like fishing opportunities.

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

How to get to Silvio O. Conte NFWR

Navigate

Destination: Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
42.43183, -72.53525
DMS
42°25′54.6″N 72°32′06.9″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Springfield, MA23 mi N of town
  • Brattleboro, VT29 mi S of town
  • Pittsfield, MA36 mi E of town
  • Keene, NH37 mi S of town

Closest airports

  • BDL Hartford Bradley35 mi
  • MHT Manchester–Boston65 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 Silvio O. Conte NFWR

Legal light*–
Sunrise–
Sunset–

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

Full season calculator →

2026–2027 season sun table

DateShooting lightSunriseSunsetDaylight
Tue, Sep 1, 20265:44 AM6:14 AM7:26 PM13h 13m
Tue, Sep 15, 20265:58 AM6:28 AM7:02 PM12h 34m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:15 AM6:45 AM6:33 PM11h 48m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:31 AM7:01 AM6:09 PM11h 09m
Sun, Nov 1, 20265:52 AM6:22 AM4:45 PM10h 23m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:10 AM6:40 AM4:29 PM9h 49m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:29 AM6:59 AM4:19 PM9h 20m
Tue, Dec 15, 20266:42 AM7:12 AM4:18 PM9h 06m
Fri, Jan 1, 20276:49 AM7:19 AM4:26 PM9h 07m
Fri, Jan 15, 20276:47 AM7:17 AM4:40 PM9h 24m
Mon, Feb 1, 20276:34 AM7:04 AM5:01 PM9h 57m

Computed for 42.432, -72.535 (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.

Silvio O. Conte NFWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Silvio O. Conte NFWR?

Yes. Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 22 units (50,194 acres) during 2026–2027 for big game, waterfowl, wild turkey, 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 Silvio O. Conte NFWR?

FWS data does not list a separate refuge hunting permit for Silvio O. Conte NFWR. 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 Silvio O. Conte NFWR?

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

Where is Silvio O. Conte NFWR located?

Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge is in Franklin County, Massachusetts, about 23 miles N of Springfield, MA (straight-line). GPS: 42.43183, -72.53525.

What are legal shooting hours at Silvio O. Conte NFWR?

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

Richard Cronin Aquatic Resource Center

Franklin County, MA · 0.1 mi SW

1 closed
No hunting listed

Berkshire NFH

Berkshire County, MA · 41 mi SW

1 closed
🎣

Wapack NWR

Hillsborough County, NH · 46 mi NE

1 closed
No hunting listed

Oxbow NWR

Worcester County, MA · 47 mi E

6 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

1.7K huntable acres

Assabet River NWR

Middlesex County, MA · 54 mi E

4 special2 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

2.3K huntable acres

Nashua NFH

Hillsborough County, NH · 58 mi NE

1 closed
No hunting listed

All refuges in Massachusetts →

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