U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Lee Metcalf

National Wildlife

Refuge

Hunting and Fishing 

Regulations
This goose, 

designed by J.N. 

“Ding” Darling,

is the symbol 

of the National 

Wildife Refuge 

System

Welcome Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge 

(NWR) is located along the Bitterroot 

River in western Montana’s scenic 

and historic Bitterroot Valley. 

Surrounded by the Bitterroot and 

Sapphire Mountain Ranges, the 

Refuge offers spectacular viewing 

opportunities of both landscapes and 

wildlife.

Managed by the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service, Lee Metcalf NWR 

is one of over 550 refuges in the 

National Wildlife Refuge System – 

a system of lands set aside to 

conserve wildlife for the benefit of 

present and future generations of 

Americans. Established in 1963 to 

provide habitat for migratory birds 

and other wildlife, the Refuge’s 2,800 

acres are home to 235 species of birds, 

37 species of mammals, and 17 species 

of reptiles and amphibians.

Lee Metcalf NWR provides visitors 

with many opportunities to enjoy 

recreational activities compatible 

with its conservation mission and 

the National Wildlife Refuge System 

priority public uses: hunting, fishing, 

wildlife observation, photography, 

environmental education, and 

interpretation. All public use 

activities on Lee Metcalf NWR are 

governed by Federal and State law. 

Refuge visitors are responsible for 

compliance with all applicable laws 

and regulations related to public use 

and resource management.

This brochure details regulations for 

hunting and fishing on the Refuge. 

These regulations are enforced in 

addition to regulations promulgated 

under the Refuge Administration Act 

(16 USC§668dd-668ee), Title 50 of 

the Code of Federal Regulations, and 

other applicable wildlife and public 

use statutes.

General ■ The Refuge office is open Monday

Information and through Friday from 8:00 am to

Regulations 4:30 pm. The office is closed on 

Federal holidays. 

■ An accessible restroom is available 

in the Refuge office during 

operating hours. An accessible 

outhouse is available in the Wildlife 

Viewing Area during Refuge 

visitation hours of dawn to dusk.

■ The Refuge is open to waterfowl 

hunting, archery white-tailed deer 

hunting, and fishing.

■ Hunting is permitted on designated 

Refuge lands only. Areas open and 

closed to hunting are shown on the 

Refuge hunting map. 

■ The area surrounding the Refuge 

headquarters and areas marked 

with “Area Closed” signs are 

closed to hunting.

■ Current Federal and State hunting 

regulations apply. Consult the 

Montana State Hunting Regulations 

for a complete list of State 

regulations (available on-line at 

http://fwp.mt.gov).

■ All hunters and anglers on Lee 

Metcalf NWR must follow Federal 

and State of Montana licensing 

guidelines to hunt and fish on the 

Refuge. Hunters and anglers must 

possess their hunting or fishing 

license(s) and photo identification at 

all times while on the Refuge.

■ Overnight parking, camping, and 

open fires are not allowed on the 

Refuge.

■ All trash, including food products, 

animal parts, spent shotgun shell 

casings, and paper and plastic 

products, must be removed from the 

Refuge.

■ Hunters and anglers must enter the 

refuge at designated parking areas.

■ See the Refuge general information 

brochure for other recreational 

opportunities and regulations.
Fishing Fishing is allowed along the slough

Regulations and the river in the Refuge’s Wildlife 

Viewing Area in accordance with 

State of Montana regulations in effect 

on the Bitterroot River from Tucker 

Crossing to the Florence Bridge. 

No boat launching or take out of any 

kind is allowed on Refuge land.

Waterfowl Ducks, geese, and coots may be hunted

Hunting only from established numbered 

Regulations blinds in designated areas of the 

Refuge (see map). Hunting for 

ring-necked pheasants, swans, or 

any other wildlife species (except 

white-tailed deer as described here) 

is prohibited. In addition to current 

Federal regulations and State 

hunting regulations, Refuge-specific 

hunting regulations detailed in this 

publication and on Refuge signs must 

be followed. ■ Wildlife observation, scouting, and 

loitering during waterfowl hunting 

season are prohibited at the 

waterfowl hunting access parking 

area and on the Refuge road leading 

to the waterfowl hunting access 

parking area. 

■ All hunters must have visible means 

of retrieving waterfowl such as a 

float tube, waders, or a dog capable 

of retrieving.

■ Dogs must be on leash in the 

parking area, while traveling to 

your designated hunting blind, and 

when returning to your vehicle from 

the blind.

■ Hunters must enter and exit the 

waterfowl hunting area via hunter 

access parking areas only.

■ The use of mechanical decoys 

powered by battery or solar power 

is prohibited.

Seasons/Hours

■ Consult the State Migratory Game 

Bird hunting regulations for 

season dates.

■ A youth waterfowl hunt is 

traditionally held the weekend 

before the opener; check State 

hunting regulations for exact 

dates. 

■ The waterfowl hunting area 

is closed to waterfowl hunting 

on Mondays and Thursdays. 

■ Legal shooting hours are from 

one-half hour before sunrise to 

sunset daily. Sunrise/sunset 

tables are posted at the 

registration (hunter sign-in/

sign-out) box.

■ Legal entry time into a hunting 

area is no earlier than 2 hours 

before legal shooting hours. It is 

strictly prohibited to remain in 

the parking or hunting areas any 

longer than 2 hours after sunset.

Blinds

■ Established numbered blinds for 

waterfowl hunting are available 

on a first-come, first-served basis 

except for the opening weekend 

of waterfowl hunting season when 

blind use will be determined by 

a public drawing. 

■ No more than four people may use 

a blind at any one time.

■ Reserving blinds during any part 

of the waterfowl hunting season 

is restricted to hunters with 

disabilities.

■ Hunters must sign-in/sign-out 

at the registration box.

■ All hunting must be conducted 

from within the blind. 

■ Blinds 1, 2, 7, 14, and 15 do not 

have a decoy requirement; 

however, a minimum of six decoys 

are required for all other blinds. 

■ For blind 13, hunters may either 

use the blind or position a portable 

blind in the mowed area adjacent 

to the established blind. 

Accessible Hunters with disabilities may 

Waterfowl reserve blinds 2 or 7, which

Hunting are accessible, in advance of 

hunting by contacting a Refuge 

Law Enforcement Officer 

(406 / 777 5552 ext. 206). To qualify 

as a hunter with a disability, you 

must have a current year Resident 

with a Disability Conservation 

License issued by Montana Fish, 

Wildlife, and Parks (MFWP).

Firearms

■ Waterfowl hunting with a 

shotgun capable of holding more 

than three shells is prohibited. 

■ There is a limit of 25 shotgun 

shells per hunter per day. 

Non-toxic shot is required.

■ Persons possessing, transporting, 

or carrying firearms on National 

Wildlife Refuge System lands 

must comply with all provisions 

of State and local law. Persons 

may only use (discharge) 

firearms in accordance with 

refuge regulations (50 CFR 27.42 

and specific refuge regulations 

in 50 CFR Part 32).
N

0 .25 .5 1 

0 .5 1 

 Miles

Kilometers

Pond 13

Pond 12

Pond 11

Pond 10

Pond 8

Pond 5

Pond 2

Bitterroot R vi er

15

13 12

14

10

11

9

6

1

3 2

5 8

7

Golf

Course

(Private

Property) To Hamilton

(23 miles)

To Missoula

(25 miles)

To Florence

(6 miles)

To Stevensville

(1.5 miles)

WildlifeViewing Area

To Stevensville

(2.2 miles)

93

Ra

th

bun

Lane

Refuge boundaryU.S. RouteOther RouteWildfowl Lane (county road)Refuge road (non-public)TrailRailroadWaterClosed to huntingWaterfowl hunting areaEntire Refuge open to archery hunting except areas marked as closedWaterfowl hunting blinds( 3, 6, 8, 9, 10 and 15 are pit blinds )

Lee Metcalf

Refuge HeadquartersAccessible restroomFishing allowed in wildlife viewing area onlyHunter access parking

National Wildlife Refuge

203

203

Kenai Nature Trail

93

203
Archery Archery hunting for white-tailed deer

Deer Hunting only is permitted in designated areas

Regulations of the Refuge (see map). In addition 

to current Federal and State of 

Montana hunting regulations, 

Refuge-specific hunting regulations 

detailed in this publication and on 

Refuge signs must be followed.

■ Archery deer hunters are 

prohibited from using firearms 

(rifles, shotguns, muzzleloaders, 

crossbows, and handguns) during 

the archery hunt. Hunters may 

use only bows and arrows, in 

accordance with State law.

■ Mechanized vehicles (including 

bicycles) are not allowed in the 

archery deer hunting area.

■ Scouting for deer is not allowed on 

the Refuge.

■ The use of electronic means of 

tracking, and the installation and 

use of game cameras is prohibited.

■ Attempting to surround or drive 

deer is prohibited.

Seasons/Hours ■ Season dates are specified each year 

by MFWP. Consult State Hunting 

Regulations.

■ Legal hunting hours are one-half 

hour before sunrise to one-half 

hour after sunset. 

■ Hunters may enter the hunting area 

2 hours prior to legal hunting hours 

and shall exit no later than 2 hours 

after legal hunting hours. 

■ During the waterfowl hunting 

season, the waterfowl hunting area 

will be open to archery deer hunting 

on Mondays and Thursdays with the 

following exception — the area will 

be closed to archery hunting during 

the September Youth Waterfowl 

Hunt. 

Hunting Areas ■ The archery hunting area is 

defined by Refuge signs and 

the map in this brochure.

■ Hunters must enter and exit 

the Refuge through designated 

archery hunting access points 

(i.e., parking area – see map for 

parking/access points).

■ Hunters must obtain consent from 

Whitetail Golf Course staff before 

entering golf course property.

Hunter Hunters must register at an archery

Registration hunting access point (see map).

Tree Stands ■ Only portable tree stands and 

and Blinds portable ground blinds are permitted

on the Refuge for archery hunting.

■ All tree stands and ground blinds 

must be identified with a tag 

containing the owner’s name and 

ALS number (Montana archery 

license number).

■ If a tree stand will be left unoccupied 

for more than 72 hours, it must be 

removed. Hunters are encouraged 

to report tree stands left unused for 

longer than 72 hours.

■ The following are prohibited: use 

of screw-in tree steps or climbing 

spikes; cutting live trees, including 

branches or limbs; use of nails, 

wire, screws, or bolts to attach 

a stand to a tree; hunting from a 

tree into which a metal object has 

been driven to support a hunter; or 

marking any tree or other Refuge 

feature with flagging, paint, or 

other substance.

■ Hunters must obtain prior 

permission from the owner to use 

a tree stand or blind that does not 

belong to them.
Game Retrieval Hunters may not enter or retrieve 

downed deer from closed areas of 

the Refuge without approval from 

a Refuge Law Enforcement Officer 

or the Refuge Manager.

Accessible Hunters with disabilities will be

Archery Deer directed to specific locations in the

Hunting hunting area to hunt from ground 

blinds. To access these areas, hunters 

must contact the Refuge Manager 

at the Refuge headquarters because 

locations may vary from one season 

to the next. To qualify as a hunter 

with a disability, you must have 

a current year Resident with 

a Disability Conservation 

License issued by MFWP. 

Respect Other The Kenai Nature Trail extends

Visitors northward from the Refuge 

headquarters for 11⁄4 miles to a 

turn-around point on the bench 

directly west of the South Rathbun 

hunter access point. The trail is 

open to visitors from dawn to dusk. 

Visitors must stay on the trail. 

Please exercise caution when 

hunting in this trail area. 

Important The future of hunting on national

Message wildlife refuges requires responsible 

hunter behavior and compliance with 

regulations. Harming or needlessly 

disturbing any wildlife including 

birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, 

and plants is a violation of Refuge 

regulations.

Accessibility Equal opportunity to participate

Information 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 711 for a free connection 

to the State 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 / 777 5552, or the U.S. 

Department of the Interior, Office of 

Equal Opportunity, 1849 C Street, 

NW, Washington, D.C. 20240.
Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge

4567 Wildfowl Lane

Stevensville, MT 59870

406 / 777 5552

406 / 777 2498 fax

leemetcalf@fws.gov

http://www.fws.gov/leemetcalf

Please report all Refuge violations to the Refuge Law 

Enforcement Officer at 406/777 5552, or turn in a poacher 

at 1-800-TIP-MONT.

For State relay service

TTY / Voice: 711

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

http://www.fws.gov

For Refuge Information

1 800 / 344 WILD

November 2013