National Wildlife Refuge · Connecticut · FWS Region 5

Stewart B. Mckinney National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Located in Greater Bridgeport Planning Region, Connecticut, Stewart B. Mckinney National Wildlife Refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with about 1,027 acres of land owned in fee by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For the 2026–2027 season the refuge has 13 mapped hunt units: 5 open with special regulations and 8 closed, covering about 496 huntable acres.

5 with special regs8 closedPermit required
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
13hunt units
496huntable acres
1KFWS-owned acres
3game categories

Stewart B. Mckinney 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 Stewart B. Mckinney NWR

Permitted hunting categories are big game, waterfowl, and wild turkey, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules. A refuge permit is required for at least some activities, in addition to your state license.

Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge consists of 10 units stretched along 70 miles of Connecticut’s coastline. Four units offer hunting. CALF ISLAND: This Greenwich unit is a summer nesting ground for forest and water birds.

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 turkey

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

Hunt units (13)

Acreage by status
Special regulations: 496 (48%)Closed: 534 (52%)496huntable acres
  • Special regulations496 ac 48%
  • Closed534 ac 52%
Units by size (acres)
Great Meadows Closed
260 ac
Salt Meadow Closed
233 ac
Great Meadows Open
174 ac
Salt Meadow Open
134 ac
Chimon Island
81 ac
Sheffield Island
75 ac
Calf Island
32 ac
Goose Island
16 ac
Milford Point
9.6 ac
Falkner Island
5.9 ac
Outer Island
5.1 ac
Menunketesuck Island
2.9 ac
Peach Island
1.7 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Calf Island
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 32 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 Signed brochures required for all hunting
Chimon Island
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 81 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 Signed brochures required for all hunting
Great Meadows Open
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 174 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 Signed brochures required for all hunting
Salt Meadow Open
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 134 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 Signed brochures required for all hunting
Sheffield Island
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 75 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 Signed brochures required for all hunting
Falkner Island
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 5.9 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 Signed brochures required for all hunting
Goose Island
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 16 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 Signed brochures required for all hunting
Great Meadows Closed
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 260 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 Signed brochures required for all hunting
Menunketesuck Island
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 2.9 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 Signed brochures required for all hunting
Milford Point
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 9.6 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 Signed brochures required for all hunting
Outer Island
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 5.1 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 Signed brochures required for all hunting
Peach Island
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 1.7 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 Signed brochures required for all hunting
Salt Meadow Closed
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 233 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 Signed brochures required for all hunting

Stewart B. Mckinney NWR by the numbers

With about 496 huntable acres, Stewart B. Mckinney NWR ranks #1 of 1 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Connecticut and #381 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 48% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is Great Meadows Open (174 acres, special regulations), while the smallest, Calf Island, covers 32 acres. Every huntable unit requires a refuge permit.

8 units totaling 534 acres are closed to hunting (Falkner Island, Goose Island, Great Meadows Closed, Menunketesuck Island, and Milford Point, …). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

Besides 1,027 acres of federally owned land, the station administers conservation easements on about 2.9 acres of private land. Easement land protects habitat but is not open to public hunting.

When to hunt Stewart B. Mckinney NWR

Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. Connecticut 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, Waterfowl, Wild Turkey
AugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun
🦌 Big Game
Archery deerFirearm deer
🦆 Waterfowl
Early teal & gooseRegular duck & goose
🦃 Wild Turkey
Spring gobblerFall (some states)

Permits & licenses

Refuge permit

Required

Signed brochures required for all hunting

Type: Signed Brochure or Similar

How to get it:

  • 💻 Online (FWS)
  • 🏛️ Refuge visitor center / office

You'll also need

  • A valid Connecticut hunting license and any required tags or stamps — Connecticut DEEP Wildlife Division
  • 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 Stewart B. Mckinney NWR

USFWS does not list fishing opportunities for Stewart B. Mckinney NWR.

How to get to Stewart B. Mckinney NWR

Navigate

Destination: Stewart B. Mckinney National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
41.16027, -73.14096
DMS
41°09′37.0″N 73°08′27.5″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • New Haven, CT15 mi SW of town
  • Riverhead, NY30 mi NW of town
  • Hartford, CT48 mi SW of town
  • New York City, NY55 mi NE of town

Closest airports

  • JFK New York JFK49 mi
  • BDL Hartford Bradley59 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 Stewart B. Mckinney 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, 20265:48 AM6:18 AM7:27 PM13h 10m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:01 AM6:31 AM7:04 PM12h 32m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:17 AM6:47 AM6:36 PM11h 49m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:32 AM7:02 AM6:13 PM11h 11m
Sun, Nov 1, 20265:52 AM6:22 AM4:49 PM10h 27m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:09 AM6:39 AM4:35 PM9h 55m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:28 AM6:58 AM4:25 PM9h 27m
Tue, Dec 15, 20266:40 AM7:10 AM4:24 PM9h 14m
Fri, Jan 1, 20276:47 AM7:17 AM4:33 PM9h 16m
Fri, Jan 15, 20276:45 AM7:15 AM4:46 PM9h 31m
Mon, Feb 1, 20276:34 AM7:04 AM5:07 PM10h 03m

Computed for 41.160, -73.141 (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 Stewart B. Mckinney 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…

Public-Land Duck Hunting on National Wildlife Refuges: Tactics That Work

How to find ducks, beat the crowds and set up on refuge marshes and WPAs — scouting, timing, small decoy spreads for…

Federal Duck Stamp Explained: Who Needs One, Where to Buy It and Where the Money Goes

Everything waterfowl hunters need to know about the Federal Duck Stamp — who must carry it, signing rules, the…

Nontoxic Shot Guide for Refuge and WPA Hunters

Why lead shot is banned for waterfowl, which nontoxic loads are approved, how steel, bismuth and tungsten compare, and…

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…

Refuge Hunting Permits: Types, Lotteries & How to Apply

Signed brochures, quota permits, special use permits and where to get them — online, kiosk, mail or visitor center.

Stewart B. Mckinney NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Stewart B. Mckinney NWR?

Yes. Stewart B. Mckinney National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 5 units (496 acres) during 2026–2027 for big game, waterfowl, and wild turkey. Seasons follow state regulations plus refuge-specific rules in 50 CFR Part 32.

Do I need a permit to hunt Stewart B. Mckinney NWR?

Yes — Stewart B. Mckinney National Wildlife Refuge requires a refuge permit for some or all hunting. Permit type: Signed Brochure or Similar. Permits can be obtained online through fws or visitor center. You also need the appropriate state hunting license and, for waterfowl, a Federal Duck Stamp.

Where is Stewart B. Mckinney NWR located?

Stewart B. Mckinney National Wildlife Refuge is in Greater Bridgeport Planning Region, Connecticut, about 15 miles SW of New Haven, CT (straight-line). GPS: 41.16027, -73.14096.

What are legal shooting hours at Stewart B. Mckinney 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

Target Rock NWR

Suffolk County, NY · 22 mi SW

1 closed
🎣

Oyster Bay NWR

Nassau County, NY · 26 mi SW

1 closed
🎣

Wertheim NWR

Suffolk County, NY · 30 mi SE

5 special7 closed
🦌🦃🎣

1.7K huntable acres

Seatuck NWR

Suffolk County, NY · 31 mi S

1 special1 closed
🦌🎣

108 huntable acres

Conscience Point NWR

Suffolk County, NY · 40 mi E

1 closed
No hunting listed

Elizabeth Alexandra Morton NWR

Suffolk County, NY · 42 mi E

1 closed
🎣

All refuges in Connecticut →

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