National Wildlife Refuge · Maryland · FWS Region 5

Southern Maryland Woodlands National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Southern Maryland Woodlands National Wildlife Refuge lies in Charles County, Maryland, with about 31 acres of land owned in fee by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For the 2026–2027 season the refuge has 2 mapped hunt units: 1 open with special regulations and 1 closed, covering about 31 huntable acres.

1 with special regs1 closed
View hunt map Directions Official website ↗
2hunt units
31huntable acres
31FWS-owned acres
2game categories

Southern Maryland Woodlands 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 Southern Maryland Woodlands NWR

Hunters can pursue big game and wild turkey here, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules.

Big GameWhite-tailed and mule deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, bear and other large mammalsWild TurkeySpring and fall wild turkey

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

Hunt units (2)

Acreage by status
Special regulations: 31 (99%)Closed: 0.3 (1%)31huntable acres
  • Special regulations31 ac 99%
  • Closed0.3 ac 1%
Units by size (acres)
Open
31 ac
Closed
0.3 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Open
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 31 —
Closed
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 0.3 —

Southern Maryland Woodlands NWR by the numbers

With about 31 huntable acres, Southern Maryland Woodlands NWR ranks #4 of 4 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Maryland and #416 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 99% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is Open (31 acres, special regulations).

1 unit totaling 0.3 acres is closed to hunting (Closed). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

Besides 31 acres of federally owned land, the station administers conservation easements on about 0.3 acres of private land. Easement land protects habitat but is not open to public hunting.

When to hunt Southern Maryland Woodlands NWR

Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. Maryland 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, Wild Turkey
AugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun
🦌 Big Game
Archery deerFirearm deer
🦃 Wild Turkey
Spring gobblerFall (some states)

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

Fishing at Southern Maryland Woodlands NWR

USFWS does not list fishing opportunities for Southern Maryland Woodlands NWR.

How to get to Southern Maryland Woodlands NWR

Navigate

Destination: Southern Maryland Woodlands National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
38.43891, -77.22918
DMS
38°26′20.1″N 77°13′45.0″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Fredericksburg, VA16 mi NE of town
  • Washington, DC34 mi S of town
  • Tappahannock, VA40 mi NW of town
  • Annapolis, MD55 mi SW of town

Closest airports

  • IAD Washington Dulles37 mi
  • BWI Baltimore/Washington59 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 Southern Maryland Woodlands NWR

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, 20266:07 AM6:37 AM7:41 PM13h 04m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:19 AM6:49 AM7:19 PM12h 30m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:33 AM7:03 AM6:53 PM11h 50m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:46 AM7:16 AM6:32 PM11h 16m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:04 AM6:34 AM5:10 PM10h 36m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:20 AM6:50 AM4:57 PM10h 07m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:37 AM7:07 AM4:49 PM9h 42m
Tue, Dec 15, 20266:48 AM7:18 AM4:49 PM9h 31m
Fri, Jan 1, 20276:55 AM7:25 AM4:57 PM9h 32m
Fri, Jan 15, 20276:54 AM7:24 AM5:10 PM9h 46m
Mon, Feb 1, 20276:44 AM7:14 AM5:29 PM10h 14m

Computed for 38.439, -77.229 (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 Southern Maryland Woodlands 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…

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…

How to Read a Refuge Hunt Brochure (and Not Miss the Rule That Matters)

What's inside a National Wildlife Refuge hunt brochure, where to find it, how it relates to 50 CFR Part 32 and state…

Hunting Safety on Public Land: Cold Water, Tree Stands, Crowds and Weather

The safety habits that matter most on refuges and WPAs — firearm rules, blaze orange, tree-stand harnesses, cold-water…

Southern Maryland Woodlands NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Southern Maryland Woodlands NWR?

Yes. Southern Maryland Woodlands National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 1 unit (31 acres) during 2026–2027 for big game and wild turkey. Seasons follow state regulations plus refuge-specific rules in 50 CFR Part 32.

Do I need a permit to hunt Southern Maryland Woodlands NWR?

FWS data does not list a separate refuge hunting permit for Southern Maryland Woodlands 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 Southern Maryland Woodlands NWR located?

Southern Maryland Woodlands National Wildlife Refuge is in Charles County, Maryland, about 16 miles NE of Fredericksburg, VA (straight-line). GPS: 38.43891, -77.22918.

What are legal shooting hours at Southern Maryland Woodlands 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

Featherstone NWR

Prince William County, VA · 12 mi N

2 open1 closed
🦆🎣

4 huntable acres

Elizabeth Hartwell Mason Neck NWR

Fairfax County, VA · 14 mi N

2 special1 closed
🦌🐇🎣

1.8K huntable acres

Occoquan Bay NWR

Prince William County, VA · 14 mi N

1 special1 closed
🦌🦃🐇

571 huntable acres

Rappahannock River Valley NWR

Richmond County, VA · 41 mi SE

18 special2 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐇🎣

6.8K huntable acres

Patuxent Research Refuge

Prince George's County, MD · 48 mi NE

1 open6 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🕊️🐇🎣

12.6K huntable acres

Blackwater NWR

Dorchester County, MD · 62 mi E

37 special2 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐇🎣

20K huntable acres

All refuges in Maryland →

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