National Wildlife Refuge · North Dakota · FWS Region 6

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

Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge is located in Renville County, North Dakota, with about 31,551 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 32,026 huntable acres.

3 with special regs1 closed
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
4hunt units
32Khuntable acres
31.6KFWS-owned acres
4game categories

Upper Souris 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 Souris NWR

Hunting opportunities include big game, wild turkey, upland birds, and small game, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules. Fishing is available — freshwater fishing.

While deer and upland game bird hunting can be quite good near Minot, one of North Dakota's largest cities, opportunities on public lands can be hard to find.

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: 32,026 (99%)Closed: 189 (1%)32Khuntable acres
  • Special regulations32,026 ac 99%
  • Closed189 ac 1%
Units by size (acres)
Unit II
19,728 ac
Unit South of Dam
6,838 ac
Unit I
5,461 ac
Closed Unit
189 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Unit I
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 5,461 —
Unit II
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 19,728 —
Unit South of Dam
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 6,838 —
Closed Unit
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 189 —

Upper Souris NWR by the numbers

With about 32,026 huntable acres, Upper Souris NWR ranks #6 of 28 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in North Dakota and #82 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 99% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is Unit II (19,728 acres, special regulations), while the smallest, Unit I, covers 5,461 acres.

1 unit totaling 189 acres is closed to hunting (Closed Unit). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

6 Waterfowl Production Areas lie within 35 miles; the closest is Renville County WPA (75 acres, 7 miles NW).

When to hunt Upper Souris 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 Upper Souris NWR

  • 🐟 Freshwater fishing

Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge has one of the best year-round fisheries in north-central North Dakota. Anglers may fish for walleyes, northern pike, yellow perch and smallmouth bass in Lake Darling and the Souris River.

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

How to get to Upper Souris NWR

Navigate

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

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
48.55350, -101.59312
DMS
48°33′12.6″N 101°35′35.2″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Kenmare, ND24 mi E of town
  • Minot, ND26 mi NW of town
  • Bottineau, ND56 mi W of town
  • Garrison, ND63 mi N of town

Closest airports

  • MOT Minot Intl25 mi
  • BIS Bismarck Municipal129 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 Souris 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, 20266:32 AM7:02 AM8:31 PM13h 29m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:51 AM7:21 AM8:01 PM12h 40m
Thu, Oct 1, 20267:13 AM7:43 AM7:27 PM11h 44m
Thu, Oct 15, 20267:34 AM8:04 AM6:59 PM10h 55m
Sun, Nov 1, 20267:01 AM7:31 AM5:28 PM9h 58m
Sun, Nov 15, 20267:23 AM7:53 AM5:08 PM9h 15m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:46 AM8:16 AM4:54 PM8h 38m
Tue, Dec 15, 20268:01 AM8:31 AM4:51 PM8h 20m
Fri, Jan 1, 20278:08 AM8:38 AM5:00 PM8h 22m
Fri, Jan 15, 20278:03 AM8:33 AM5:16 PM8h 43m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:46 AM8:16 AM5:42 PM9h 26m

Computed for 48.553, -101.593 (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 Souris 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…

Upper Souris NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Upper Souris NWR?

Yes. Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 3 units (32,026 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 Upper Souris NWR?

FWS data does not list a separate refuge hunting permit for Upper Souris 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 Upper Souris NWR?

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

Where is Upper Souris NWR located?

Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge is in Renville County, North Dakota, about 24 miles E of Kenmare, ND (straight-line). GPS: 48.55350, -101.59312.

What are legal shooting hours at Upper Souris 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

Shell Lake NWR

Mountrail County, ND · 35 mi SW

1 closed
No hunting listed

Lostwood WMD

Burke County, ND · 38 mi W

1 open
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

11K huntable acres

Des Lacs NWR

Burke County, ND · 39 mi NW

3 special1 closed
🦌🦃🐦🐇

14K huntable acres

Lostwood NWR

Burke County, ND · 39 mi W

1 special1 closed
🦌🦃🐦🐇

26.2K huntable acres

J. Clark Salyer WMD

McHenry County, ND · 40 mi E

1 open
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

34K huntable acres

J. Clark Salyer NWR

McHenry County, ND · 42 mi E

3 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🐇🎣

58.9K 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.