This blue goose,

designed by J.N.

Ding Darling,

has become a

symbol of the

National Wildlife

Refuge System.

Located in Cameron

Parish in the southwest

corner of Louisiana,

Sabine National Wildlife

Refuge is one of over 500

refuges in the National

Wildlife Refuge System

administered by the

U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service.

The refuge was established in 1937

and is the largest coastal marsh

refuge on the Gulf. The primary

management objective is to preserve a

large area of coastal wetlands for

wintering and migrating waterfowl

from both the Mississippi and Central

Flyways. It is also a major nursery

area for many estuarine-dependent

marine species as well as being the

home for alligators and other reptiles,

mammals, and numerous wading,

water, and marsh birds.

The refuge contains 124,511 acres; its

marshes range in salinities from

fresh water to almost sea-strength.

USFWS

USFWS

Management Activities

The refuge habitat is for the use of all

wildlife, with special emphasis on

waterfowl. The management of this

124,511 acre refuge is not as intensive

as that found on smaller refuges.

Techniques used at Sabine include

water level and water quality

manipulation and burning. To

facilitate water management

activities the refuge has built ten

major water control structures and

over sixty-one miles of levees.

Because of many man-made and

natural factors, habitat losses have

occurred on an estimated 40,000

acres of the refuge. Major efforts are

being taken to restore marsh habitat

and to prevent further habitat loss.
Public Use – Where and When

Open year-round. Weekends: 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m. Weekdays: 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Open year-round. Weekdays only: 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Open year-round from sunrise

to sunset.

Open year-round to public use.

Roadside canal banks and parking

areas along Highway 27 are open

from sunrise to sunset.

(Refuge impoundments and canals),

open from March 15 to October 15;

all canals, bayous, boat ramps, and

impoundments are open from sunrise

to sunset.

Check hunting leaflet for exact

location of areas to hunt and special

refuge regulations. Access to hunting

units permitted from three hours

before legal shooting time until noon

on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday.

A Vital Productive Area

Between the Gulf ’s beach cheniers

(oak ridges) and the coastal prairie

lies a basin of wetlands that is one of

the most productive and fertile areas

of North America.

This is where the rivers fresh water

and the Gulf’s saline waters mix;

where the abundance of all wildlife is

dependent on the proportion of

vegetation to water, with the amount

of vegetation being the important

ingredient. This area could be called

an estuary, a marsh, a wetland; its

name is Sabine National Wildlife

Refuge.

Here waterfowl, water and shore

birds, furbearers, alligators, fresh

and salt water fishes, and other

marine species find a protective

haven with abundant food and water.

Some species are residents while

others are seasonal visitors, but all

need marshes for their existence.

Highway 27

Interior Areas

Duck Hunting

Units Visitor’s Center

Office Wetland Walkway

Larry W. Richardson

USFWS Diane Borden Billiot USFWS
Hackberry

Gulf of Mexico

82

27

27

82

Greens

Lake

Black Bayou

Three Bayous

Willow Bayou

Deep Bayou

Johnson's

Bayou

Johnson's

Bayou Hamilton

Lake

Old East 

Bayou Mud

Lake Oyster

Lake

Constance

Beach

Holly

Beach

North Bayou

Willow Bayou Canal Central Canal

Northline Canal

Southline Canal

Central Canal

Beach Canal

West Cove

Back

Ridge

Canal Hog

Island

Gully

Canal

Calcasieu

Lake

Burton

Canal

Gray's

Ditch

Sabine River

Five

Lakes

Old

Cameron Ferry

UNIT 5

UNIT 1

UNIT 7

UNIT 6 UNIT 4

UNIT 2

UNIT

1A

UNIT

1B

UNIT 3 Sabine

Lake

62

12 27 171 165

90

27

287 27

87

87

82

Port

Arthur

Beaumont Sulphur

TEX.

LA.

Lake Charles

Calcasieu

Lake

Gulf of Mexico

SABINE National Wildlife Refuge

Sabine

Lake

Refuge Boundary

Boat Access Routes

(Canals and Bayous)

Canals Closed to the Public

Freshwater Marsh

Headquarters Complex

(Office, Visitor Contact Station,

Maintenance Area, Boathouse)

Observation Tower

Wildlife Foot Trail

Boat Launching Ramp

Boat Access Lift

Water Control Structure

Parking Lots

Sabine

National Wildlife Refuge

N

0 Miles 2

0 Kilo 2
If you prefer

waterfowl

hunting...

Activities to Enjoy

Walk the Wetland Walkway: Located

four miles south of the visitor center

on the west side of Highway 27. This

trail is 1.5 miles long and is designed

for all visitor access. Insect repellent

may be needed.

Interpretative panels and four marsh

dioramas depict the various habitats

found on the refuge and provide

visitors with some insight into a

coastal marsh environment.

Wildlife Observation: During winter

months geese may usually be seen

between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.

from the Blue Goose Trail

Observation Tower. Many types

of wildlife may be seen year-round

from Highway 27, but best viewing is

from the Wetland Walkway.

Boating: Over 150 miles of refuge

canals, bayous, and waterways are

open to boat travel for your

investigation.

If you enjoy

trails or

learning about

wildlife...

Visitor’s Center

(Interpretative

Exhibits)

...or does

observing

wildlife give you

pleasure?

Do you like to

use boats?

Are you hooked

on fishing?

Many types are

possible on

Sabine...

CAUTION: Open marsh may be

entered only by paddling or pushpoling. The operation of trolling

motors is permitted. Visitor access by

boat may be restricted during some

seasons.

Fishing: Recreational only—no

commercial usage. See fishing leaflet

for specific regulations on all water

related activities. Canal usage by

visitors may be restricted during

some seasons.

Fresh water: Three impoundments

totaling 33,000 acres are open to the

public. Management Units 1A and 1B

are open to non-motorized boats only.

Boat and motor are needed to fish

Management Unit 3. Bass, crappie,

catfish, and bream may be taken.

Fishing license is required.

Salt water: Seasonally, flounder,

redfish, croaker, and speckled trout

(weakfish) may be caught in refuge

canals adjacent to Highway 27.

Fishing license required.

Crabbing: Blue crabs may be taken

year-round with cotton hand lines or

dropnets up to 24′′ outside diameter.

No license required for state

residents.

Shrimping: Castnetting—

recreational only—no commercial

usage. Brown and white shrimp are

seasonally available in refuge canals.

Special Cast Netting Permit and

license required.

Waterfowl hunting: During the teal

and regular duck seasons hunting is

permitted on 34,000 acres. Consult

hunt brochure for areas, times, and

specific regulations.

Ask if it is permitted before

Diane Borden Billiot

doing any activity not listed above.

Diane Borden Billiot

USFWS Diane Borden Billiot

USFWS Diane Borden Billiot USFWS
Restricted Activities

Camping is not allowed on

the refuge because of the

limited space available for

public use. Local camping

areas: Sam Houston Jones

State Park, north I-10, Westlake, Louisiana,

Intracoastal Park-Highway

27, and Holly Beach.

Help keep these marshes

beautiful by taking all your

litter home. You are saving

wildlife dollars.

A major danger to man

and wildlife; please help

preserve the refuge.

Do not light fires.

Do not gather or carry

away plants, flowers, shells,

etc., which make up the

natural beauty of the marsh.

Please leave them for others

to enjoy. Permits are issued

for special activities.

Except for duck hunters

during waterfowl season,

no weapons are permitted

on the refuge.

The refuge is home to all

wildlife; please help us

protect it by only looking.

The alligators on the refuge

are not tame. Please do not

feed or approach the

alligators.

If you do bring pets with

you, only those on leashes

are legal. Do not let pets run free. Beware: alligators

regard pets as food. Take pride in your refuge!

Protect and enjoy its

wildlife.

Camping

Littering

Fires

Collecting

Firearms

Harassing

Wildlife Pets

Diane Borden Billiot Diane Borden Billiot USFWS

wyRu
Sabine National Wildlife Refuge

3000 Holly Beach Highway

Hackberry, LA 70645

337/762 3816

r4rw_la.sbn@fws.gov

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

1 800/344 WILD

http://www.fws.gov

June 2002

USFWS