National Fish Hatchery · Washington · FWS Region 1

Spring Creek National Fish Hatchery Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Spring Creek National Fish Hatchery is located in Klickitat County, Washington, with about 50 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 under general rules and 1 closed, covering about 38 huntable acres.

1 open unit1 closed
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
2hunt units
38huntable acres
50FWS-owned acres
5game categories

Spring Creek NFH 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 Spring Creek NFH

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

Spring Creek National Fish Hatchery, along the Columbia River and White Salmon River in Underwood, Washington, was established in 1901.

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

Hunt units (2)

Acreage by status
Open: 38 (51%)Closed: 37 (49%)38huntable acres
  • Open38 ac 51%
  • Closed37 ac 49%
Units by size (acres)
Big White Ponds Area
38 ac
Station
37 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Big White Ponds Area
Show on map · Directions		 Open 38 —
Station
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 37 —

Spring Creek NFH by the numbers

With about 38 huntable acres, Spring Creek NFH ranks #14 of 14 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Washington and #415 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 51% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is Big White Ponds Area (38 acres).

1 unit totaling 37 acres is closed to hunting (Station). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

Besides 50 acres of federally owned land, the station administers conservation easements on about 0.0 acres of private land. Easement land protects habitat but is not open to public hunting.

When to hunt Spring Creek NFH

Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. Washington 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, Upland Birds, Migratory Birds, Small Game
AugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun
🦌 Big Game
Archery deerFirearm deer
🦃 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

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 Washington hunting license and any required tags or stamps — Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
  • 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 Spring Creek NFH

  • 🐟 Freshwater fishing

Tule fall Chinook salmon are native to parts of the Columbia River and have historically provided food for people living along the river.

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

How to get to Spring Creek NFH

Navigate

Destination: Spring Creek National Fish Hatchery (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
45.74994, -121.52021
DMS
45°44′59.8″N 121°31′12.8″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Vancouver, WA56 mi E of town
  • Portland, OR58 mi E of town
  • Yakima, WA76 mi SW of town
  • Salem, OR93 mi NE of town

Closest airports

  • PDX Portland Intl53 mi
  • YKM Yakima Air Terminal74 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 Spring Creek NFH

Legal light*–
Sunrise–
Sunset–

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

Full season calculator →

2026–2027 season sun table

DateShooting lightSunriseSunsetDaylight
Tue, Sep 1, 20265:55 AM6:25 AM7:46 PM13h 21m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:12 AM6:42 AM7:19 PM12h 37m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:32 AM7:02 AM6:48 PM11h 46m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:50 AM7:20 AM6:22 PM11h 02m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:14 AM6:44 AM4:54 PM10h 10m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:35 AM7:05 AM4:36 PM9h 32m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:56 AM7:26 AM4:24 PM8h 58m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:09 AM7:39 AM4:22 PM8h 42m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:16 AM7:46 AM4:31 PM8h 44m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:13 AM7:43 AM4:46 PM9h 03m
Mon, Feb 1, 20276:58 AM7:28 AM5:09 PM9h 41m

Computed for 45.750, -121.520 (PDT / 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 Spring Creek NFH

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…

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…

Spring Creek NFH FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Spring Creek NFH?

Yes. Spring Creek National Fish Hatchery offers hunting in 1 unit (38 acres) during 2026–2027 for big game, 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 Spring Creek NFH?

FWS data does not list a separate refuge hunting permit for Spring Creek NFH. 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 Spring Creek NFH?

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

Where is Spring Creek NFH located?

Spring Creek National Fish Hatchery is in Klickitat County, Washington, about 56 miles E of Vancouver, WA (straight-line). GPS: 45.74994, -121.52021.

What are legal shooting hours at Spring Creek NFH?

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

Willard NFH

Skamania County, WA · 5.5 mi W

1 closed
🎣

Little White Salmon NFH

Skamania County, WA · 6.3 mi W

1 open1 closed
🦌🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

114 huntable acres

Conboy Lake NWR

Klickitat County, WA · 18 mi NE

1 special2 closed
🦆🕊️

2.1K huntable acres

Pierce NWR

Skamania County, WA · 25 mi W

1 closed
No hunting listed

Franz Lake NWR

Skamania County, WA · 29 mi W

1 closed
No hunting listed

Steigerwald Lake NWR

Clark County, WA · 40 mi W

1 closed
No hunting listed

All refuges in Washington →

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