National Wildlife Refuge

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Medicine Lake

Hunting Regulations

Welcome

Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge

(NWR) is located on the heavily glaciated

rolling plains of northeastern Montana,

between the Missouri River and the

Canadian border. The Refuge, established

in 1935, provides important breeding

grounds and stopover areas for a diverse

array of migratory birds. Managed by

the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the

Refuge is one of over 540 refuges in the

National Wildlife Refuge System — a

system of lands set aside to conserve

wildlife and habitat for people to enjoy

today and for generations to come.

Medicine Lake NWR encompasses

31,702 acres and consists of two separate

tracts. The 28,438-acre north tract

includes the 8,218-acre Medicine Lake

as well as 17 smaller water units. The

3,264-acre south tract includes the

1,280-acre Homestead Lake. Hunting

areas 1 and 2 are in the north tract,

while hunting area 3 is located in the

south tract (see map).

All hunting on the Refuge is in accordance

with Federal and State laws and

regulations. Hunters can enjoy a quality

hunting experience for upland game

birds, most waterfowl, mourning doves,

some big game, and mammalian predators.

Medicine Lake, its islands, and the

adjacent Sandhills Unit are included in

the 11,360-acre Medicine Lake

Wilderness Area, part of the National

Wilderness Preservation System. The

use of mechanical or motorized

equipment is prohibited within the

Wilderness area boundary.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

cooperates with the Montana Fish,

Wildlife and Parks to survey and

manage wildlife populations on the

Refuge and to enforce Federal and State

hunting regulations. Your support and

compliance with these regulations is

greatly appreciated.

Refuge Hunting Regulations

■ The Refuge is open from dawn until

dusk. Overnight camping and open

fires are prohibited

■ The use of non-toxic shot is required

for all shotgun hunting on the Refuge.

Field possession or use of lead shot is

illegal.

■ Vehicle traffic is restricted to graveled

roads, parking areas, and trails

marked for vehicle travel. Driving

off-road for any purpose is prohibited.

■ Vehicles must be parked at designated

parking areas, road approaches, or off

the road far enough to avoid

obstructing traffic.

■ The road heading east from Refuge

headquarters is closed to vehicles from

September 30 through January 1.

■ Marked retrieval roads (see map) are

open to vehicles from 11:00 am to dusk

the first 2 days of big game season

and from dawn to dusk for the

remainder of the season. Vehicles can

be used on retrieval roads only to

recover big game.

■ The use of dogs during regular game

bird seasons for hunting and retrieving

is allowed and encouraged.

■ Public hunting areas are identified by

public hunting area boundary signs.

All areas outside these boundaries

are closed to hunting.

■ Shooting into or retrieval of game from

areas closed to hunting is prohibited.

■ The islands in Medicine Lake are closed

to all uses, and it is unlawful to trespass

on them.

■ Predator hunting (coyote, badger, fox,

skunk, and raccoon) may be conducted

after obtaining a free permit, map, and

regulations from Refuge headquarters.

Hunting in Area 2:

■ Upland game birds, mourning doves,

ducks, geese, coots, jackrabbits, deer,

and pronghorn may be hunted on the

Refuge in Area 2 in accordance with

State seasons and bag limits

■ The hunting of swans, sandhill cranes,

elk, and all other animals not listed

above is prohibited.

■ Refuge waters in Area 2 are open to

non-mechanical boats (canoes, kayaks,

rowboats) used for hunting with the

exception of Medicine Lake, which is

closed to all boating after September 15.

■ Hunting is allowed in Area 2 along

the shoreline of Medicine Lake.

Decoys must be placed no further

than 50 yards from shore. All of the

Medicine Lake shoreline outside of

Area 2 is closed to hunting.

Hunting in Areas 1 and 3:

■ A late season hunt for upland game

birds, deer, and pronghorn in Areas 1

and 3 begins each year on November

15 and continues through the regular

State seasons.

Accessibility

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 / 789 2305 or the

U.S. Department of the Interior, Office

of Equal Opportunity, 1849 C Street,

NW, Washington, D.C. 20240.

This goose, designed by J.N. “Ding”

Darling, has become the symbol of the

National Wildlife Refuge System.
Medicine Lake

Medici

n

e

Lake

Area 

3

Area 2

Area 1

Big Island

Gaffney Lake

Lake Creek 

Flats

Lake

10

Lake

11

Lake

12

Tax Bay

North Bay

Sayer Bay

BridgermanPoint

Katy’s Lake

Longview Road

East Lake Highway

Big Lake Road

Lakeside Road

SHERIDAN COUNTY

ROOSEVELT COUNTY

Ten Mile Road

South Dagmar Road

Sandhills

Wilderness

Area

Homestead

Burlington Northern Railroad

Diversion Canal

Closed to Hunting

To

Dagmar

N

16

516

16

HomesteadLake

KnutsenBay

0 1 2 3 kilometers

0 1 2 3 miles

516

Gull Road

Sandhills Road

Griffen Road

Katy Lake Road

Public Hunting AreaArea ma

y be hunted as permitted b

y

Refuge regulations. Contact manager 

for regulations.

Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge

223 North Shore Road

Medicine Lake, MT 59247406 / 789 2305

406 / 789 2350 faxmedicinelake@fws.gov

http://medicinelake.fws.gov

For State transfer relay service

TTY / Voice: 711U.S. Fish 

& Wildlife Service

http://www.fws.govFor Refuge Information

1 800 / 344 WILD

August 2004

Refuge Boundary SignEnter the Refuge onl

y via designated 

access routes. Contact manager for details.

Medici

ne Lake

Nation

al Wildlife Refuge

State HighwayCounty RoadPaved RoadGravel RoadBig Game Retrieval RoadAccess Road

Refuge BoundaryRefuge HeadquartersParkingAccessible Rest RoomHunting Areas 1 and 3 Hunting Area 2 Closed to Hunting

16

516

16

16

5 5

516

258

405

405

344

CANADA

MONTANA

NORTH DAKOTA Redstone Navajo

Fort PeckIndian Reservation

Outlook

Raymond

Plentywood

Westby

Coalridge

Reserve

Medicine Lake

Dagmar

Homestead

Froid

Bainville

McCabe

Culbertson

Brockton

not to scale

Medici

ne Lake

National Wildlife Refuge

2