National Wildlife Refuge · Texas · FWS Region 2

Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge lies in Liberty County, Texas, with about 29,468 acres of land owned in fee by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For the 2026–2027 season the refuge has 12 mapped hunt units: 7 open with special regulations and 5 closed, covering about 8,765 huntable acres.

7 with special regs5 closedPermit requiredYouth hunts
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
12hunt units
8.8Khuntable acres
29.5KFWS-owned acres
4game categories

Trinity River 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 Trinity River NWR

Hunters can pursue big game, waterfowl, small game, and feral & exotic here, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules. Fishing is available — freshwater fishing and shellfishing & crabbing. A refuge permit is required for at least some activities, in addition to your state license. Special youth hunting opportunities are offered.

Flocks of ducks circling overhead, white-tailed bucks sneaking through thick cover, and alligators lurking at water's edge: Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge offers the perfect place for outdoor adventure.

Youth hunting

A hunter selected in the lottery may bring two youths (or one youth and one observer).

All refuges with youth hunts →
Big GameWhite-tailed and mule deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, bear and other large mammalsWaterfowlDucks, geese, brant, swans (where legal) and cootsSmall GameSquirrel, rabbit, hare, raccoon, opossum and other small mammalsFeral & ExoticFeral hogs and other non-native species where refuge rules allow

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

Hunt units (12)

Acreage by status
Special regulations: 8,765 (30%)Closed: 20,702 (70%)8.8Khuntable acres
  • Special regulations8,765 ac 30%
  • Closed20,702 ac 70%
Units by size (acres)
Closed
17,811 ac
Page
2,197 ac
Boars Den
2,017 ac
Brierwood
1,636 ac
Champion Lake South
1,282 ac
Champion Lake
1,238 ac
Hirsch
892 ac
Brockner
798 ac
Connor
551 ac
McGuire
542 ac
Silver Lake
259 ac
Butler
243 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Boars Den
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 2,017 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 All hunting on the refuge. Need to sign the Hunting Regulation brochure.
🧒 A hunter selected in the lottery may bring two youths (or one youth and one observer).
Brierwood
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 1,636 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 All hunting on the refuge. Need to sign the Hunting Regulation brochure.
🧒 A hunter selected in the lottery may bring two youths (or one youth and one observer).
Butler
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 243 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 All hunting on the refuge. Need to sign the Hunting Regulation brochure.
🧒 A hunter selected in the lottery may bring two youths (or one youth and one observer).
Champion Lake
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 1,238 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 All hunting on the refuge. Need to sign the Hunting Regulation brochure.
🧒 A hunter selected in the lottery may bring two youths (or one youth and one observer).
Hirsch
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 892 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 All hunting on the refuge. Need to sign the Hunting Regulation brochure.
🧒 A hunter selected in the lottery may bring two youths (or one youth and one observer).
McGuire
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 542 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 All hunting on the refuge. Need to sign the Hunting Regulation brochure.
🧒 A hunter selected in the lottery may bring two youths (or one youth and one observer).
Page
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 2,197 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 All hunting on the refuge. Need to sign the Hunting Regulation brochure.
🧒 A hunter selected in the lottery may bring two youths (or one youth and one observer).
Brockner
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 798 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 All hunting on the refuge. Need to sign the Hunting Regulation brochure.
🧒 A hunter selected in the lottery may bring two youths (or one youth and one observer).
Champion Lake South
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 1,282 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 All hunting on the refuge. Need to sign the Hunting Regulation brochure.
🧒 A hunter selected in the lottery may bring two youths (or one youth and one observer).
Closed
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 17,811 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 All hunting on the refuge. Need to sign the Hunting Regulation brochure.
🧒 A hunter selected in the lottery may bring two youths (or one youth and one observer).
Connor
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 551 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 All hunting on the refuge. Need to sign the Hunting Regulation brochure.
🧒 A hunter selected in the lottery may bring two youths (or one youth and one observer).
Silver Lake
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 259 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 All hunting on the refuge. Need to sign the Hunting Regulation brochure.
🧒 A hunter selected in the lottery may bring two youths (or one youth and one observer).

Trinity River NWR by the numbers

With about 8,765 huntable acres, Trinity River NWR ranks #10 of 16 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Texas and #210 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 30% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is Page (2,197 acres, special regulations), while the smallest, Butler, covers 243 acres. Every huntable unit requires a refuge permit.

5 units totaling 20,702 acres are closed to hunting (Brockner, Champion Lake South, Closed, Connor, and Silver Lake). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

Besides 29,468 acres of federally owned land, the station administers conservation easements on about 4.0 acres of private land. Easement land protects habitat but is not open to public hunting.

When to hunt Trinity River NWR

Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. Texas 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, Small Game, Feral & Exotic
AugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun
🦌 Big Game
Archery deerFirearm deer
🦆 Waterfowl
Early teal & gooseRegular duck & goose
🐇 Small Game
Squirrel & rabbit
🐗 Feral & Exotic
Feral hog (often year-round)

Permits & licenses

Refuge permit

Required

All hunting on the refuge. Need to sign the Hunting Regulation brochure.

Type: Signed Brochure or Similar

How to get it:

  • 📋 Other (see refuge)

You'll also need

  • A valid Texas hunting license and any required tags or stamps — Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
  • 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 Trinity River NWR

  • 🐟 Freshwater fishing
  • 🦀 Shellfishing & crabbing

Champion Lake is the refuge's largest and most popular year-round fishing spot. The most common species are largemouth bass, catfish, crappie and blue crab.

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

How to get to Trinity River NWR

Navigate

Destination: Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
30.34217, -94.83261
DMS
30°20′31.8″N 94°49′57.4″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Beaumont, TX46 mi NW of town
  • Houston, TX51 mi NE of town
  • Port Arthur, TX62 mi NW of town
  • Galveston, TX72 mi N of town

Closest airports

  • IAH Houston Bush Intercontinental39 mi
  • SHV Shreveport Regional157 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 Trinity River 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, 20266:25 AM6:55 AM7:43 PM12h 48m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:32 AM7:02 AM7:26 PM12h 23m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:41 AM7:11 AM7:06 PM11h 54m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:50 AM7:20 AM6:49 PM11h 29m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:02 AM6:32 AM5:32 PM10h 60m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:14 AM6:44 AM5:23 PM10h 39m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:28 AM6:58 AM5:19 PM10h 21m
Tue, Dec 15, 20266:38 AM7:08 AM5:20 PM10h 12m
Fri, Jan 1, 20276:45 AM7:15 AM5:28 PM10h 13m
Fri, Jan 15, 20276:46 AM7:16 AM5:39 PM10h 23m
Mon, Feb 1, 20276:40 AM7:10 AM5:54 PM10h 44m

Computed for 30.342, -94.833 (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 Trinity River 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…

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…

Feral Hog Hunting on National Wildlife Refuges

Why many refuges allow — and encourage — feral hog hunting, how refuge rules handle hogs, safe shot placement, disease…

Trinity River NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Trinity River NWR?

Yes. Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 7 units (8,765 acres) during 2026–2027 for big game, waterfowl, small game, and feral & exotic. Seasons follow state regulations plus refuge-specific rules in 50 CFR Part 32.

Do I need a permit to hunt Trinity River NWR?

Yes — Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge requires a refuge permit for some or all hunting. Permit type: Signed Brochure or Similar. Permits can be obtained other. You also need the appropriate state hunting license and, for waterfowl, a Federal Duck Stamp.

Can you fish at Trinity River NWR?

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

Where is Trinity River NWR located?

Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge is in Liberty County, Texas, about 46 miles NW of Beaumont, TX (straight-line). GPS: 30.34217, -94.83261.

What are legal shooting hours at Trinity River 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

Jocelyn Nungaray NWR

Chambers County, TX · 56 mi SE

3 open1 closed
🦆🎣

12.9K huntable acres

McFaddin NWR

Jefferson County, TX · 61 mi SE

4 special1 closed
🦆🎣

21.6K huntable acres

Texas Point NWR

Jefferson County, TX · 72 mi SE

1 open1 closed
🦆🎣

3.6K huntable acres

Sabine NWR

Cameron Parish, LA · 81 mi E

1 special1 closed
🦆🎣

34.1K huntable acres

Brazoria NWR

Brazoria County, TX · 85 mi S

5 open1 special1 closed
🦆🕊️🎣

10.9K huntable acres

Attwater Prairie Chicken NWR

Colorado County, TX · 98 mi SW

1 closed
No hunting listed

All refuges in Texas →

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