National Wildlife Refuge · North Dakota · FWS Region 6

White Lake National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

White Lake National Wildlife Refuge is located in Slope County, North Dakota, with about 1,037 acres of land owned in fee by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For the 2026–2027 season the refuge has 1 mapped hunt unit: 1 open with special regulations, covering about 1,037 huntable acres.

1 with special regs
View hunt map Directions Official website ↗
1hunt units
1Khuntable acres
1KFWS-owned acres
4game categories

White Lake 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 White Lake NWR

Permitted hunting categories are big game, wild turkey, upland birds, and small game, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules.

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 (1)

Acreage by status
Special regulations: 1,037 (100%)1Khuntable acres
  • Special regulations1,037 ac 100%
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Open
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 1,037 —

White Lake NWR by the numbers

With about 1,037 huntable acres, White Lake NWR ranks #26 of 28 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in North Dakota and #356 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 100% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is Open (1,037 acres, special regulations).

When to hunt White Lake 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 White Lake NWR

USFWS does not list fishing opportunities for White Lake NWR.

How to get to White Lake NWR

Navigate

Destination: White Lake National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
46.47556, -103.21322
DMS
46°28′32.0″N 103°12′47.6″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Dickinson, ND34 mi SW of town
  • Sidney, MT97 mi SE of town
  • Garrison, ND117 mi SW of town
  • Williston, ND117 mi S of town

Closest airports

  • BIS Bismarck Municipal119 mi
  • MOT Minot Intl153 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 White Lake NWR

Legal light*–
Sunrise–
Sunset–

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

Full season calculator →

2026–2027 season sun table

DateShooting lightSunriseSunsetDaylight
Tue, Sep 1, 20265:41 AM6:11 AM7:34 PM13h 23m
Tue, Sep 15, 20265:59 AM6:29 AM7:07 PM12h 38m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:19 AM6:49 AM6:35 PM11h 46m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:38 AM7:08 AM6:08 PM10h 60m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:03 AM6:33 AM4:39 PM10h 07m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:23 AM6:53 AM4:21 PM9h 28m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:45 AM7:15 AM4:08 PM8h 53m
Tue, Dec 15, 20266:59 AM7:29 AM4:06 PM8h 37m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:06 AM7:36 AM4:15 PM8h 39m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:02 AM7:32 AM4:30 PM8h 58m
Mon, Feb 1, 20276:47 AM7:17 AM4:54 PM9h 37m

Computed for 46.476, -103.213 (MDT / 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 White Lake 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…

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…

White Lake NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at White Lake NWR?

Yes. White Lake National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 1 unit (1,037 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 White Lake NWR?

FWS data does not list a separate refuge hunting permit for White Lake NWR. You still need a valid state license, any required state tags or stamps, and (for waterfowl hunters 16+) a Federal Duck Stamp.

Where is White Lake NWR located?

White Lake National Wildlife Refuge is in Slope County, North Dakota, about 34 miles SW of Dickinson, ND (straight-line). GPS: 46.47556, -103.21322.

What are legal shooting hours at White Lake 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

Stewart Lake NWR

Slope County, ND · 13 mi SW

1 special1 closed
🦌🦃🐦🐇

638 huntable acres

Lake Ilo NWR

Dunn County, ND · 65 mi NE

1 closed
🎣

Mclean NWR

McLean County, ND · 109 mi NE

1 special1 closed
🦌🦃🐦🐇

342 huntable acres

Audubon WMD

McLean County, ND · 120 mi NE

1 open1 special
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

26.2K huntable acres

Audubon NWR

McLean County, ND · 123 mi NE

1 special1 closed
🦌🦃🐦🐇🎣

3.2K huntable acres

Shell Lake NWR

Mountrail County, ND · 129 mi NE

1 closed
No hunting listed

All refuges in North Dakota →

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