National Wildlife Refuge · Nevada · FWS Region 8

Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge is located in Churchill County, Nevada, with about 82,991 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 53,900 huntable acres.

1 with special regs1 closed
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
2hunt units
53.9Khuntable acres
83KFWS-owned acres
6game categories

Stillwater 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 Stillwater NWR

Hunters can pursue big game, waterfowl, wild turkey, upland birds, migratory birds, and small game here, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules.

Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge was established to restore and conserve wetlands at the terminus of the Carson River and today offers some of the best waterfowl hunting in Nevada.

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 Nevada regulations plus refuge-specific rules.

Hunt units (2)

Acreage by status
Special regulations: 53,900 (65%)Closed: 29,088 (35%)53.9Khuntable acres
  • Special regulations53,900 ac 65%
  • Closed29,088 ac 35%
Units by size (acres)
North Unit
53,900 ac
South Unit
29,088 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
North Unit
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 53,900 —
South Unit
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 29,088 —

Stillwater NWR by the numbers

With about 53,900 huntable acres, Stillwater NWR ranks #3 of 7 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Nevada and #45 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 65% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is North Unit (53,900 acres, special regulations).

1 unit totaling 29,088 acres is closed to hunting (South Unit). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

When to hunt Stillwater NWR

Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. Nevada 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, Upland Birds, Migratory Birds, Small Game
AugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun
🦌 Big Game
Archery deerFirearm deer
🦆 Waterfowl
Early teal & gooseRegular duck & goose
🦃 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 Nevada hunting license and any required tags or stamps — Nevada Department of 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 Stillwater NWR

USFWS does not list fishing opportunities for Stillwater NWR.

How to get to Stillwater NWR

Navigate

Destination: Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
39.63620, -118.44950
DMS
39°38′10.3″N 118°26′58.2″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Fallon, NV21 mi NE of town
  • Reno, NV73 mi E of town
  • Carson City, NV78 mi NE of town
  • Winnemucca, NV99 mi S of town

Closest airports

  • RNO Reno–Tahoe71 mi
  • SMF Sacramento Intl180 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 Stillwater NWR

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, 20265:51 AM6:21 AM7:27 PM13h 06m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:03 AM6:33 AM7:04 PM12h 31m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:18 AM6:48 AM6:38 PM11h 50m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:32 AM7:02 AM6:16 PM11h 14m
Sun, Nov 1, 20265:51 AM6:21 AM4:53 PM10h 32m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:07 AM6:37 AM4:39 PM10h 02m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:25 AM6:55 AM4:31 PM9h 36m
Tue, Dec 15, 20266:37 AM7:07 AM4:30 PM9h 24m
Fri, Jan 1, 20276:44 AM7:14 AM4:39 PM9h 25m
Fri, Jan 15, 20276:42 AM7:12 AM4:52 PM9h 39m
Mon, Feb 1, 20276:32 AM7:02 AM5:11 PM10h 09m

Computed for 39.636, -118.450 (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 Stillwater 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…

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…

Stillwater NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Stillwater NWR?

Yes. Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 1 unit (53,900 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 Stillwater NWR?

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

Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge is in Churchill County, Nevada, about 21 miles NE of Fallon, NV (straight-line). GPS: 39.63620, -118.44950.

What are legal shooting hours at Stillwater 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

Fallon NWR

Churchill County, NV · 11 mi NW

1 open
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇

18.1K huntable acres

Anaho Island NWR

Washoe County, NV · 61 mi W

1 closed
No hunting listed

Lahontan NFH

Douglas County, NV · 85 mi SW

1 closed
No hunting listed

Sheldon NWR

Humboldt County, NV · 156 mi N

4 open2 closed
🦌🦆🐦🕊️🎣

536K huntable acres

Ruby Lake NWR

Elko County, NV · 162 mi E

1 open2 closed
🦆🕊️🎣

8.6K huntable acres

Modoc NWR

Modoc County, CA · 166 mi NW

2 special3 closed
🦆🐦🕊️🎣

2.3K huntable acres

All refuges in Nevada →

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