U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Bowdoin

National Wildlife 

Refuge

Public Use Regulations

N
Welcome

This goose,

designed by J.N.

“Ding” Darling,

has become the

symbol of the

National Wildlife

Refuge System.

Visitor

Opportunities 

and Regulations

Visitors to Bowdoin National Wildlife

Refuge (NWR) are welcome to enjoy

wildlife-oriented recreation, which

includes wildlife observation and 

photography, sightseeing, hiking, 

and hunting. To learn more about the

Refuge, take a drive on the self-guided auto tour route that begins near

the Refuge headquarters. Be sure to

pick up an auto tour guide before 

heading out.

Except for the following Refuge-specific

regulations, public use is permitted in

accordance with all applicable State

and Federal regulations.

Q The Refuge is open for public use

from dawn to dusk, except during

hunting seasons when hunters 

are allowed reasonable time 

to access hunting areas when 

arriving before dawn and when 

leaving after dusk.

Q The Refuge headquarters is open

Monday through Friday from 

7:30 am to 4:00 pm.

Q Foot travel is allowed on all portions

of the Refuge except in the railroad

right-of-way or where otherwise

posted.

Q Motor vehicles are restricted to 

the auto tour route and designated

parking areas. Refuge roads other

than the auto tour route are closed 

to access by privately-owned 

vehicles. All terrain vehicles (ATVs)

must be street legal.

Q To avoid blocking traffic, please

park in a designated parking area 

or pull off to the side of the auto

tour route.

Bowdoin National

Wildlife Refuge is an

extraordinary place

for wildlife and people.

Because it is a wildlife

refuge, the needs of

wildlife and habitat

must come first.

Regulations have

been established to

provide wildlife and

their habitats with

adequate protection.

Please observe these 

regulations so that the

Refuge will continue

to be an extraordinary

place for both you and 

wildlife to enjoy.
Visitor

Opportunities and

Regulations

(continued)

Q ATVs must abide by all vehicle 

regulations.

Q Railroad lands within the Refuge

boundaries are managed as part 

of the Refuge. For visitor safety,

walking or driving along the 

railroad tracks or berm is 

prohibited.

Q Snowmobiles may not be operated

on the Refuge.

Q Boating is permitted only during

waterfowl hunting season.

Q Possession of firearms is prohibited

on the Refuge except during 

designated hunting seasons.

Q Be considerate of wildlife. Keep 

your distance when viewing or 

photographing them.

Q To protect wildlife and their young,

dogs must be kept on leash from

April 15 through August 15. At 

other times of the year, dogs must 

be under owner’s control when not

on a leash.

Q Removal of animals, plants, natural

objects, or historic artifacts is 

prohibited.

Q Please do not litter. Carry out all

trash and dispose of it properly

Q Overnight camping (including 

self-contained camper units)

is not allowed. Public camping 

areas are available in Malta and 

at Nelson Reservoir.

Q If you observe a violation of Refuge

regulations, please report it to a

Refuge law enforcement officer, 

a Refuge staff member, or a State

game warden.

Hunting

Regulations for

Bowdoin NWR

Q ALL hunters must register EACH

day upon arriving at the Refuge 

and when leaving. The hunter check

station is located in the parking lot 

at Refuge headquarters. Harvest

information and hunter use data 

are critical to the continuation 

of a quality hunting program at

Bowdoin NWR.

Q Waterfowl and upland game bird

hunting are permitted on those 

portions of Bowdoin NWR indicated

on the map. Steel, bismuth, 

tungsten, or other U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service-approved nontoxic

shot is required for all bird hunting 

on the Refuge.

Q Big game hunting is NOT 

permitted on the Refuge. Further,

the Refuge may not be used to

access adjoining land for big 

game hunting. Possession of a big

game animal on the Refuge, other

than while in transport on a public

road, is a violation. Using the 

Refuge to access adjoining 

land to retrieve a wounded big 

game animal is not allowed unless

approved and accompanied by a

Refuge employee or State game

warden.

Q All Refuge wildlife are protected,

except those species for which 

hunting is specifically authorized.

Q Firearms are prohibited in closed

areas. If you must retrieve a dead 

or injured game bird from a closed

area, do not carry your firearm 

with you.

Q Shooting from roads is prohibited.
Hunting

Regulations for

Satellite Refuges

There are four satellite refuges 

associated with Bowdoin NWR —

Black Coulee NWR, Creedman Coulee

NWR, Hewitt Lake NWR, and Lake

Thibadeau NWR. 

The following regulations apply 

to all four satellite refuges:

Q Waterfowl hunting is permitted 

on designated areas of the Refuge

subject to the following condition:

Air-thrust boats and boats with

motors greater than 10 horsepower

are not permitted.

Q Big game hunting and sport fishing

are prohibited.

The following regulation applies at

Creedman Coulee NWR, Hewitt Lake

NWR, and Lake Thibadeau NWR:

Q Upland game bird hunting is 

prohibited.

The following regulation applies at

Black Coulee NWR only:

Q Hunting of upland game birds 

is permitted on designated areas 

of the Refuge subject to the 

following condition: Hunters 

in the field will possess and use 

only nontoxic shot.

Hunting

Regulations 

for WPAs

Q Boating is allowed during waterfowl

hunting season only. Boat motors 

are limited to a maximum of 

10 horsepower to preserve aquatic

vegetation and reduce damage to

motors. A special use permit for

using a larger motor must be

obtained from the Refuge Manager.

Q Hunters may not use air thrust

boats.

Q Decoys and boats may not be left

unattended.

Q Please dispose of all waste when

cleaning birds. Not all Refuge 

visitors are hunters, and feather 

litter could be offensive to some.

Q Predator hunting on the Refuge

requires a Special Use Permit and

must be approved by the Refuge

Manager. Hunters must follow all

State predator hunting rules and

regulations. Consult the Refuge

Manager for current regulations.

Q Commercial outfitting is not 

permitted on Bowdoin NWR, 

Waterfowl Protection Areas, or

satellite refuges.

Hunting and trapping are allowed 

on all Waterfowl Protection Areas

(WPAs) associated with Bowdoin

NWR, except Holm WPA. However,

regulations for hunting and trapping

on WPAs vary. For regulations 

specific to a particular WPA, 

contact the Refuge Manager..
Accessibility

Information

An accessible hunting/bird watching Refuge Signs

blind on Pearce WPA was built

through a cooperative effort of the

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; the

Montana Department of Fish, 

Wildlife and Parks; and Malta Boy

Scout Troop 429. An accessible boat

dock/pier is located at the west boat

lauch on Bowdoin Lake. A 0.4-mile

accessible loop trail is located at the

Display Pond near the Refuge headquarters. The trail features a photo

blind, an overlook, and some tables

for conducting environmental 

education activities.

Equal opportunity to participate 

in and benefit from programs and 

activities of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service is available to all individuals

regardless of physical or mental ability. Dial 7-1-1 for a free connection to

the State transfer relay service for

TTY and voice calls to and from the

speech and hearing impaired. For

more information or to address 

accessibility needs, please contact the

Refuge staff at 406 / 654 2863 or the

U.S. Department of the Interior,

Office of Equal Opportunity, 1849 C

Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20240.

Please observe these signs and 

understand their meanings.

NO

HUNTING

ZONE

Refuge Boundary

No Hunting Zone –No

hunting is allowed in 

this area

Waterfowl Production

Area

Management Trail

NATIONAL

WILDLIFE

REFUGE

UNAUTHORIZED ENTRY

PROHIBITED

U. S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
CANADA

MONTANA Whitewate r Cr .

Frenchman Cr.

BeaverCr.

Malta

Dodson Saco Hinsdale

Glasgow

Bowdoin

NWR

2

191 Larb Cr.

Milk Ri.

2

Tables

Photo/ 

Observation 

Blind

Parking

Bench

Observation 

Deck

Display 

Pond

Refuge Entrance Road

Loafing and 

Nesting 

Islands 

Display Pond Trail 

Detail Map

To Malta

7 miles

To Saco 15 miles

and Beaver Creek WPA

 Strater 

 Pond

Black Coulee 

 Pond 

To 

Nelson 

Reservoir 

and McNeil 

Slough WPA

Burlington Northern R.R.

Display 

Pond

Old Highway 2

2

/

Bowdoin

National Wildlife Refuge

q

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co

Refuge Boundary

U.S. Route

Auto Tour Route

Accessible Trail

Pearce WPA

Closed to Hunting 

Refuge Headquarters

Parking

Accessible Rest Room

Accessible Hunting 

Photo Blind

Boat Ramp

Accessible Boat Ramp

c

cN

2

Lake

Bowdoin

Unit

Drum bo

Dry L a ke Unit

Lakeside Un it

Pelican

Islands

Woody 

 Island

Long 

Island

Big Island

Farm Ponds

Patrol 

 Road

 Pond

Goose Island 

Pond

0 miles 2

0 km 2

N

caq co

I

oI

Lakeside 

Extension

Io

Teal Ponds
Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge

HC 65, Box 5700

Malta, MT 59538

406 / 654 2863

406 / 654 2866 fax

bowdoin@fws.gov

http://bowdoin.fws.gov

For State transfer relay service

TTY / Voice: 711

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

http://www.fws.gov

For Refuge Information

1 800 / 344 WILD

September 2003