National Wildlife Refuge · North Dakota · FWS Region 6

Tewaukon National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Tewaukon National Wildlife Refuge is located in Sargent County, North Dakota, with about 7,010 acres of land owned in fee by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For the 2026–2027 season the refuge has 4 mapped hunt units: 3 open with special regulations and 1 closed, covering about 6,852 huntable acres.

3 with special regs1 closed
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
4hunt units
6.9Khuntable acres
7KFWS-owned acres
4game categories

Tewaukon 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 Tewaukon NWR

Hunters can pursue big game, wild turkey, upland birds, and small game here, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules. Fishing is available — freshwater fishing.

White-tailed deer find a diversity of suitable habitat at Tewaukon National Wildlife Refuge, which means good numbers of deer; however, hunting conditions are challenging.

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 partridgeSmall 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 North Dakota regulations plus refuge-specific rules.

Hunt units (4)

Acreage by status
Special regulations: 6,852 (98%)Closed: 152 (2%)6.9Khuntable acres
  • Special regulations6,852 ac 98%
  • Closed152 ac 2%
Units by size (acres)
Tewaukon
4,529 ac
Sprague Lake
2,273 ac
Closed Unit
152 ac
Bow Unit
51 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Bow Unit
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 51 —
Sprague Lake
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 2,273 —
Tewaukon
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 4,529 —
Closed Unit
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 152 —

Tewaukon NWR by the numbers

With about 6,852 huntable acres, Tewaukon NWR ranks #18 of 28 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in North Dakota and #235 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 98% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is Tewaukon (4,529 acres, special regulations), while the smallest, Bow Unit, covers 51 acres.

1 unit totaling 152 acres is closed to hunting (Closed Unit). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

Besides 7,010 acres of federally owned land, the station administers conservation easements on about 1,252 acres of private land. Easement land protects habitat but is not open to public hunting.

6 Waterfowl Production Areas lie within 35 miles; the closest is Nickeson WPA (94 acres, 1 miles NW).

When to hunt Tewaukon NWR

Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. North Dakota 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, Small Game
AugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun
🦌 Big Game
Archery deerFirearm deer
🦃 Wild Turkey
Spring gobblerFall (some states)
🐦 Upland Birds
Pheasant, quail, grouse
🐇 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 North Dakota hunting license and any required tags or stamps — North Dakota Game and Fish Department
  • Hunter education certification where your state requires it
  • The current refuge hunt brochure / regulations (often must be signed and carried)

Fishing at Tewaukon NWR

  • 🐟 Freshwater fishing

Fishing only for walleye and northern pike on Sprague Lake and Lake Tewaukon is allowed. Bank fishing on these lakes is open year-round. Boat fishing is permitted May 1-September 30. Ice fishing is also permitted on these two lakes.

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

How to get to Tewaukon NWR

Navigate

Destination: Tewaukon National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
46.00274, -97.38573
DMS
46°00′09.9″N 97°23′08.6″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Wahpeton, ND41 mi SW of town
  • Aberdeen, SD65 mi NE of town
  • Fergus Falls, MN65 mi W of town
  • Moorhead, MN67 mi SW of town

Closest airports

  • ABR Aberdeen Regional63 mi
  • FAR Fargo Hector Intl69 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 Tewaukon NWR

Legal light*–
Sunrise–
Sunset–

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

Full season calculator →

2026–2027 season sun table

DateShooting lightSunriseSunsetDaylight
Tue, Sep 1, 20266:19 AM6:49 AM8:10 PM13h 22m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:36 AM7:06 AM7:43 PM12h 37m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:56 AM7:26 AM7:11 PM11h 46m
Thu, Oct 15, 20267:14 AM7:44 AM6:45 PM11h 01m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:38 AM7:08 AM5:17 PM10h 09m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:59 AM7:29 AM4:59 PM9h 30m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:20 AM7:50 AM4:47 PM8h 57m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:34 AM8:04 AM4:44 PM8h 41m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:41 AM8:11 AM4:53 PM8h 42m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:37 AM8:07 AM5:08 PM9h 01m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:22 AM7:52 AM5:32 PM9h 40m

Computed for 46.003, -97.386 (CDT / 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 Tewaukon 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…

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…

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…

Fishing National Wildlife Refuges: Licenses, Seasons, Boats and Where to Go

What to know before fishing a National Wildlife Refuge or fish hatchery — state licenses, seasonal closures that…

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…

Tewaukon NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Tewaukon NWR?

Yes. Tewaukon National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 3 units (6,852 acres) during 2026–2027 for big game, wild turkey, upland birds, and small game. Seasons follow state regulations plus refuge-specific rules in 50 CFR Part 32.

Do I need a permit to hunt Tewaukon NWR?

FWS data does not list a separate refuge hunting permit for Tewaukon NWR. 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 Tewaukon NWR?

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

Where is Tewaukon NWR located?

Tewaukon National Wildlife Refuge is in Sargent County, North Dakota, about 41 miles SW of Wahpeton, ND (straight-line). GPS: 46.00274, -97.38573.

What are legal shooting hours at Tewaukon 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

Tewaukon WMD

Sargent County, ND · 0.6 mi E

1 open
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

16K huntable acres

Waubay WMD

Day County, SD · 40 mi S

1 open
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

41.1K huntable acres

Waubay NWR

Day County, SD · 40 mi S

1 open1 closed
🦌🎣

4.6K huntable acres

Sand Lake NWR

Brown County, SD · 44 mi W

2 special1 closed
🦌🐦🎣

19.5K huntable acres

Sand Lake WMD

Brown County, SD · 48 mi SW

1 open
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

44.5K huntable acres

Fergus Falls WMD

Otter Tail County, MN · 66 mi E

1 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

49.4K huntable acres

Waterfowl Production Areas within 35 miles

All refuges in North Dakota →

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