National Wildlife Refuge · Louisiana · FWS Region 4

Upper Ouachita National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Upper Ouachita National Wildlife Refuge lies in Morehouse Parish, Louisiana, with about 54,562 acres of land owned in fee by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For the 2026–2027 season the refuge has 3 mapped hunt units: 2 open with special regulations and 1 closed, covering about 43,755 huntable acres.

2 with special regs1 closedPermit requiredYouth hunts
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
3hunt units
43.8Khuntable acres
54.6KFWS-owned acres
7game categories

Upper Ouachita 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 Upper Ouachita NWR

Permitted hunting categories are big game, waterfowl, wild turkey, upland birds, migratory birds, small game, and feral & exotic, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules. Fishing is available — freshwater fishing. A refuge permit is required for at least some activities, in addition to your state license. Special youth hunting opportunities are offered.

Upper Ouachita National Wildlife Refuge, straddling the Ouachita River, offers classic duck hunting in the flooded timber created by a deep, overflowing swamp. The refuge is one of the few public hunting spots in the area.

Youth hunting

A youth season for ducks provides special opportunities for younger hunters.

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 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 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 Louisiana regulations plus refuge-specific rules.

Hunt units (3)

Acreage by status
Special regulations: 43,755 (80%)Closed: 10,807 (20%)43.8Khuntable acres
  • Special regulations43,755 ac 80%
  • Closed10,807 ac 20%
Units by size (acres)
Open Unit
38,926 ac
Closed Unit
10,807 ac
Closed to Waterfowl
4,829 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Closed to Waterfowl
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 4,829 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 All state and federal approved huntable and fishable species
🧒 A youth season for ducks provides special opportunities for younger hunters.
Open Unit
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 38,926 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 All state and federal approved huntable and fishable species
🧒 A youth season for ducks provides special opportunities for younger hunters.
Closed Unit
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 10,807 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 All state and federal approved huntable and fishable species
🧒 A youth season for ducks provides special opportunities for younger hunters.

Upper Ouachita NWR by the numbers

With about 43,755 huntable acres, Upper Ouachita NWR ranks #2 of 20 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Louisiana and #63 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 80% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is Open Unit (38,926 acres, special regulations), while the smallest, Closed to Waterfowl, covers 4,829 acres. Every huntable unit requires a refuge permit.

1 unit totaling 10,807 acres is closed to hunting (Closed Unit). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

Besides 54,562 acres of federally owned land, the station administers conservation easements on about 381 acres of private land. Easement land protects habitat but is not open to public hunting.

When to hunt Upper Ouachita NWR

Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. Louisiana 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, Feral & Exotic
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
🐗 Feral & Exotic
Feral hog (often year-round)

Permits & licenses

Refuge permit

Required

All state and federal approved huntable and fishable species

Type: Signed Brochure or Similar

How to get it:

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

You'll also need

  • A valid Louisiana hunting license and any required tags or stamps — Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
  • 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 Upper Ouachita NWR

  • 🐟 Freshwater fishing

Fishing opportunities include bait casting for bass, jig or shiners for crappie and cane pole fishing for bream. Fishing is allowed on the Ouachita River, Fish Lake, Harrell Lake and many other backwater lakes.

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

How to get to Upper Ouachita NWR

Navigate

Destination: Upper Ouachita National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
32.91826, -92.04497
DMS
32°55′05.7″N 92°02′41.9″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Monroe, LA29 mi N of town
  • El Dorado, AR41 mi SE of town
  • Greenville, MS66 mi SW of town
  • Vicksburg, MS78 mi NW of town

Closest airports

  • SHV Shreveport Regional109 mi
  • JAN Jackson–Evers122 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 Upper Ouachita 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, 20266:12 AM6:42 AM7:34 PM12h 53m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:20 AM6:50 AM7:16 PM12h 25m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:31 AM7:01 AM6:54 PM11h 53m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:41 AM7:11 AM6:36 PM11h 25m
Sun, Nov 1, 20265:55 AM6:25 AM5:18 PM10h 53m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:08 AM6:38 AM5:07 PM10h 30m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:22 AM6:52 AM5:02 PM10h 09m
Tue, Dec 15, 20266:33 AM7:03 AM5:03 PM9h 60m
Fri, Jan 1, 20276:40 AM7:10 AM5:11 PM10h 01m
Fri, Jan 15, 20276:40 AM7:10 AM5:22 PM10h 12m
Mon, Feb 1, 20276:33 AM7:03 AM5:38 PM10h 35m

Computed for 32.918, -92.045 (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 Upper Ouachita 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…

Upper Ouachita NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Upper Ouachita NWR?

Yes. Upper Ouachita National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 2 units (43,755 acres) during 2026–2027 for big game, waterfowl, wild turkey, upland birds, migratory birds, 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 Upper Ouachita NWR?

Yes — Upper Ouachita 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.

Can you fish at Upper Ouachita NWR?

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

Where is Upper Ouachita NWR located?

Upper Ouachita National Wildlife Refuge is in Morehouse Parish, Louisiana, about 29 miles N of Monroe, LA (straight-line). GPS: 32.91826, -92.04497.

What are legal shooting hours at Upper Ouachita 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

Felsenthal NWR

Union County, AR · 15 mi NW

2 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

77.3K huntable acres

Black Bayou Lake NWR

Ouachita Parish, LA · 22 mi S

2 special1 closed
🦌🦆🐦🕊️🐇🎣

3.8K huntable acres

Overflow NWR

Ashley County, AR · 24 mi NE

3 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗

13.4K huntable acres

D'Arbonne NWR

Ouachita Parish, LA · 25 mi SW

3 special
🦌🦆🕊️🐇🐗🎣

17.6K huntable acres

Tensas River NWR

Tensas Parish, LA · 64 mi SE

4 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🕊️🐇🐗🎣

75.1K huntable acres

Yazoo NWR

Washington County, MS · 64 mi E

3 special1 closed
🦌🦆🕊️🐇🐗🎣

12.8K huntable acres

All refuges in Louisiana →

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