National Wildlife Refuge

Hunting Regulations

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Des Lacs

General Refuge Information

■ The Refuge is open daily from

5:00 am to 10:00 pm.

■ The Refuge office and visitor center is

open from 7:30 am to 4:00 pm, Monday

through Friday, except holidays.

■ Hunting hours follow those set in the

North Dakota State hunting

regulations.

General Hunting Regulations

■ All Federal and State hunting

regulations apply.

■ Hunters must possess all applicable

State and Federal licenses.

■ All shotgun hunters must use must

non-toxic shot.

■ Hunting on the Refuge is open only

for deer, turkey, and upland game.

■ Waterfowl hunting is not permitted not

on the Refuge. There is a 100-yard

retrieval zone into the Refuge, except

on the water. Hunters may not carry not

guns when retrieving waterfowl.

■ See map for areas closed to hunting.

■ Permanent tree stands are not

allowed on the Refuge. Temporary

tree stands are permitted on the

Refuge, but they cannot be left up cannot

over night.

■ Tree stands cannot injure the trees. cannot

Screw-in steps, bolts, nails, wire, or

other objects that penetrate the bark

of the tree cannot be used. cannot

■ Falconry is allowed on the Refuge

only during the upland game season.

State and Federal hunting regulations

apply.

■ Fishing is not allowed on the Refuge. not

■ Horses are not allowed on the Refuge not

for hunting.

■ Baiting of any kind is not allowed on not

the Refuge.

Deer Hunting on the Refuge

Archery

■ Archery hunting is permitted on the

Refuge in accordance with State

hunting regulations. Archery deer

season generally opens the first

Friday in September. Check State

hunting regulations for exact dates.

■ See map for areas closed to all

hunting.

Rifle

■ Rifle hunting is permitted on the

Refuge in accordance with State

hunting regulations. Rifle deer season

generally opens the first Friday in

November. Check State hunting

regulations for exact dates.

■ Rifle hunting on the Refuge is open in

State units 3A2 and 3A3. Hunters

must possess a State unit tag.

■ Retrieval roads are open from

6 pm to 8 pm on opening day, and

11 am to 2 pm during the remainder of

the season.

■ Retrieval roads on the Refuge are

posted and include Canada Goose

Trail, the Boat Dock Road north to

Hwy. 52, and the White-tailed Deer

Trail from Brickyard Hill to Baden.

All other Refuge roads and trails are

closed to motor vehicles.

■ See map for areas closed to deer

gun hunting.

Muzzleloader

■ Muzzleloader hunting is permitted on

the Refuge in accordance with State

regulations. Muzzleloader season

generally opens the first Friday after

the close of the rifle deer season.

Check State hunting regulations for

exact dates.

■ Muzzleloader hunters are required to

have a special State permit, which

may be obtained from the North

Dakota Game and Fish Department.

■ See map for areas closed to deer gun

hunting.

Youth Deer

■ Dates for youth gun deer hunting on

the Refuge are set by the North

Dakota Game and Fish Department.

The Refuge youth deer season closes

the day before the State waterfowl

season opens.

■ Youth hunters must follow all State

hunting regulations.

■ Youth hunters must check into the

Refuge office and visitor center before

hunting on the Refuge.

■ See map for areas closed to deer gun

hunting.

Turkey Hunting on the Refuge

■ Turkey hunting is permitted on the

Refuge in accordance with State

hunting regulations. Check State

hunting regulations for exact dates.

■ Turkey hunters must possess a State

unit tag.

■ Hunting on the Refuge with shotguns,

muzzleloaders, and archery equipment

is permitted.

■ See map for areas closed to upland

game hunting.

Upland Game Hunting on the Refuge

■ Special late season upland game

hunting opens on the first Monday

following the close of State rifle deer

season. Upland game hunting is

permitted on the Refuge in accordance

with State hunting regulations. Check

State hunting regulations for exact

dates.

■ Pheasant, gray partridge, and

sharp-tailed grouse may be hunted on

the Refuge until the end of the State

season.

■ Cottontail rabbit, jackrabbit,

snowshoe hare, and fox hunting

seasons on the Refuge are open until

March 31.

■ Dogs are allowed for upland game

hunting.

■ See map for areas closed to upland

game hunting.
 Legend

Refuge Office &

Visitor Center

Area closed to

all hunting

Area closed to

upland game

hunting and deer

gun hunting.

Area closed to

deer gun hunting.

Marsh area

Dike / Dam

Des Lacs NWR

boundary

Major highway

Paved road

Unpaved road

q

Accessibility Information

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service seeks

to provide persons with disabilities full

accessibility or reasonable accommodation.

Contact the staff at the Refuge office and

visitor center for information or to address

accessibility needs. For visitors using TTY,

contact the North Dakota Relay Service at

1 800 / 366 6888.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

http://www.fws.gov

Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge

PO Box 578 , Kenmare, ND 58746

701 / 385 4046

701 / 385 3214 fax

r6rw_dsl@fws.gov

http://deslacs.fws.gov

North Dakota Relay Service

Voice: 1 800 / 366 6889

TTY: 1 800 / 366 6888

For Refuge Information 1 800 / 344 WILD

June 2000

To

Minot

Kenmare Area

U.S. Hwy. 52

to Bowbells

U.S. & Canadian Border

Des Lacs

National

Wildlife

Refuge

KENMARE

!

"

N

5

52

Kilometers

0 Miles 1

0 1

Des Lacs

National Wildlife Refuge