National Wildlife Refuge · Georgia · FWS Region 4

Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge is located in Chatham County, Georgia, with about 10,228 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 2,146 huntable acres.

1 with special regs1 closedPermit required
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
2hunt units
2.1Khuntable acres
10.2KFWS-owned acres
2game categories

Wassaw 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 Wassaw NWR

Hunting opportunities include big game and feral & exotic, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules. Fishing is available — tidal / saltwater fishing and shellfishing & crabbing. A refuge permit is required for at least some activities, in addition to your state license.

Unlike many of Georgia's coastal islands, Wassaw Island has not been altered by development. The 10,053-acre Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge includes beaches with rolling dunes, maritime forest and vast salt marshes.

Big GameWhite-tailed and mule deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, bear and other large 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 Georgia regulations plus refuge-specific rules.

Hunt units (2)

Acreage by status
Special regulations: 2,146 (21%)Closed: 8,082 (79%)2.1Khuntable acres
  • Special regulations2,146 ac 21%
  • Closed8,082 ac 79%
Units by size (acres)
Closed Area
8,082 ac
Open Area
2,146 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Open Area
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 2,146 Required
Other		 All hunters must have annual hunt permit.
Closed Area
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 8,082 Required
Other		 All hunters must have annual hunt permit.

Wassaw NWR by the numbers

With about 2,146 huntable acres, Wassaw NWR ranks #6 of 6 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Georgia and #323 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 21% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is Open Area (2,146 acres, special regulations). Every huntable unit requires a refuge permit.

1 unit totaling 8,082 acres is closed to hunting (Closed Area). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

When to hunt Wassaw NWR

Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. Georgia 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, Feral & Exotic
AugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun
🦌 Big Game
Archery deerFirearm deer
🐗 Feral & Exotic
Feral hog (often year-round)

Permits & licenses

Refuge permit

Required

All hunters must have annual hunt permit.

Type: Other

How to get it:

  • 💻 Online (e.g. Recreation.gov)

You'll also need

  • A valid Georgia hunting license and any required tags or stamps — Georgia Wildlife Resources Division
  • Hunter education certification where your state requires it
  • The current refuge hunt brochure / regulations (often must be signed and carried)

Fishing at Wassaw NWR

  • 🌊 Tidal / saltwater fishing
  • 🦀 Shellfishing & crabbing

Saltwater fishing is permitted year-round in the estuarine waters adjacent to the refuge. Bank/beach fishing into estuarine waters is permitted only from sunrise to sunset.

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

How to get to Wassaw NWR

Navigate

Destination: Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
31.89916, -80.98231
DMS
31°53′57.0″N 80°58′56.3″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Savannah, GA14 mi SE of town
  • Beaufort, SC41 mi SW of town
  • Brunswick, GA60 mi NE of town
  • Charleston, SC86 mi SW of town

Closest airports

  • SAV Savannah/Hilton Head20 mi
  • CHS Charleston Intl88 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 Wassaw NWR

Legal light*–
Sunrise–
Sunset–

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

Full season calculator →

2026–2027 season sun table

DateShooting lightSunriseSunsetDaylight
Tue, Sep 1, 20266:28 AM6:58 AM7:49 PM12h 51m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:37 AM7:07 AM7:31 PM12h 25m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:46 AM7:16 AM7:10 PM11h 54m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:56 AM7:26 AM6:52 PM11h 27m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:09 AM6:39 AM5:35 PM10h 56m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:22 AM6:52 AM5:25 PM10h 33m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:36 AM7:06 AM5:20 PM10h 14m
Tue, Dec 15, 20266:46 AM7:16 AM5:21 PM10h 05m
Fri, Jan 1, 20276:53 AM7:23 AM5:29 PM10h 06m
Fri, Jan 15, 20276:54 AM7:24 AM5:40 PM10h 16m
Mon, Feb 1, 20276:47 AM7:17 AM5:56 PM10h 39m

Computed for 31.899, -80.982 (EDT / 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 Wassaw 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…

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…

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…

Refuge Hunting Permits: Types, Lotteries & How to Apply

Signed brochures, quota permits, special use permits and where to get them — online, kiosk, mail or visitor center.

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…

Hunting Safety on Public Land: Cold Water, Tree Stands, Crowds and Weather

The safety habits that matter most on refuges and WPAs — firearm rules, blaze orange, tree-stand harnesses, cold-water…

Wassaw NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Wassaw NWR?

Yes. Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 1 unit (2,146 acres) during 2026–2027 for big game and feral & exotic. Seasons follow state regulations plus refuge-specific rules in 50 CFR Part 32.

Do I need a permit to hunt Wassaw NWR?

Yes — Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge requires a refuge permit for some or all hunting. Permit type: Other. Permits can be obtained online (e.g. recreation.gov). You also need the appropriate state hunting license and, for waterfowl, a Federal Duck Stamp.

Can you fish at Wassaw NWR?

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

Where is Wassaw NWR located?

Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge is in Chatham County, Georgia, about 14 miles SE of Savannah, GA (straight-line). GPS: 31.89916, -80.98231.

What are legal shooting hours at Wassaw 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

Tybee NWR

SC · 11 mi NE

1 closed
No hunting listed

Savannah NWR

Jasper County, SC · 21 mi N

9 special2 closed
🦌🦆🦃🕊️🐇🐗🎣

29.8K huntable acres

Harris Neck NWR

McIntosh County, GA · 25 mi SW

1 special1 closed
🦌🦃🐇🐗🎣

2.5K huntable acres

Pinckney Island NWR

Beaufort County, SC · 27 mi NE

1 special1 closed
🦌🎣

2.4K huntable acres

Blackbeard Island NWR

McIntosh County, GA · 30 mi SW

1 special1 closed
🦌🐗🎣

4.6K huntable acres

Wolf Island NWR

McIntosh County, GA · 43 mi SW

1 closed
🎣

All refuges in Georgia →

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