| Fees |
A yearly hunt fee is required to hunt
Tule Lake and Lower Klamath Refuges. Hunters may pay in person at
Refuge Headquarters or in advance with a
credit card by phoning refuge headquarters (530)-667-2231.
All
fees collected are kept at the Klamath Basin Refuges and are used to improve
the hunt program.
Annual Recreation Pass: $25.00 NOTE: Pass must be carried at all times in the field
Golden
Age and Golden Access Passport holders: ½ off
Student Pass (full time 21 &
under): ½ off
15 years & under: FREE
|
| Licenses
& Permits |
All hunters must carry valid state
hunting licenses and all required state and federal stamps and permits.
During the first two days of waterfowl season, all hunters 16
years of age or older must carry a valid entry permit for the controlled unit in which
they are hunting. Hunters under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a permitted adult.
Permits are issued in advance of waterfowl season to applicants
selected by a lottery draw. |
| Huntable
Species |
Only geese, ducks (including mergansers), coots,
moorhens, snipe, and pheasants may be hunted on the Refuges. All other wildlife
species are protected! |
| Refuge
Hours |
The public is allowed on the refuges only during the
times posted at refuge entrances. Camping and overnight parking are not permitted on the
refuges. However, several campground/trailer parks are located
nearby. |
| Shooting Hours |
Hunting is permitted 7 days per week during the normal
season. Legal waterfowl shooting hours end at 1:00 PM on the Tule Lake Refuge and the
California portion of Lower Klamath Refuge. Waterfowl shooting hours for the Oregon
portion of Lower Klamath correspond to state regulations. Pheasant hunting hours on all
refuge areas correspond to state regulations. Beginning Dec. 15, waterfowl hunting will be permitted all day on Wednesdays and Saturdays. |
| Boats |
Boats may be used on all areas open to waterfowl
hunting. Air-thrust and inboard water-thrust (jet) boats are prohibited. Units 4B and 6B-1
on Lower Klamath Refuge are motorless, or electric motors only areas until December 1st.
Starting December 1st, unit 4B will be open to motorboat use. Boat launching is not
permitted after 1:00 PM. State lighting requirements are enforced by refuge officers. |
| Retrieving
Zones |
Retrieval zones are NO hunt zones. Possession of firearms in retrieving zones is
prohibited, except unloaded firearms may be taken through the zones when necessary to
reach hunting areas. Decoys may not be set in retrieving zones. Restrictions apply to both
waterfowl and pheasant hunting. |
| Access
Routes |
It is illegal to shoot from or across any access route
or parking area. Motor vehicles are allowed only on designated access routes. It is
illegal for hunters to carry loaded firearms on hunter access routes open to motor
vehicles. These roads may be closed during parts of the season.
Exceptions:
Waterfowl hunters may drive off access routes only
to set out or pick up decoys in field units of The League of Nations,
the Panhandle, and all Spaced -blinds
on Tule Lake Refuge, and Sheepy East, Sheepy West, Miller
Lake, the Orem/Sterns Units, Unit 4G, Unit
9D and the Oregon Straits sections of Lower Klamath Refuge. Due to the variety in habitat and weather conditions, driving off access routes is at your own risk. The Refuge takes no responsibility for damage to vehicles or equipment.
Vehicle access is NOT permitted on dikes unless the dike is marked open to vehicle traffic. |
| Personal
Property |
All decoys, boats, and other personal property must be
removed from waterfowl hunt areas by 2:30 PM and from the refuges at the close of each
day. Hunters are responsible for removing all trash including
shot shell hulls when leaving hunting areas. |
| Accidents |
All accidents and injuries
occuring on the refuges must be immediately reported to the refuge manager:
Klamath Basin NWR's, 4009 Hill Road, Tulelake, CA 96134. Phone (530)-667-2231 |
| Weapons
and Ammunition |
No person may possess any weapon or
ammunition in the field that may not be legally used for taking waterfowl or pheasants on these refuges.
Nontoxic (steel) shot must be used to hunt ALL huntable species including ducks, geese,
coots, moorhens, snipe, and pheasant on the Klamath Basin Refuges. |
| Alcohol |
Use or possesion of alcoholic beverages
while hunting is prohibited. |
| Hunter-made
Blinds |
Only portable blinds and temporary
blinds built of natural vegetation are permitted. Digging or pit blind construction in
fields is not permiteed. |
| Guides |
The refuges has a list of commercial hunting guides authorized by permit to conduct guided
hunts on the Refuges. No other guides are allowed to conduct commercial business on
the Refuges. |
| Mobility Impaired Hunters |
Two duck hunting blinds
for users with permanent mobility impairments are located in marsh units of Lower Klamath Refuge.
For more information or to reserve one of these blinds, call the Refuge
office. Mobility impaired hunters with current disabled parking permits
are eligible to use these blinds which are available on a first-come, first-served
basis.
On the Tule Lake NWR all field hunt areas including the Spaced-blinds are vehicle accessible, allowing accessibility for those hunters with mobility impairments.
The Refuges cover a variety of habitats which
include rough, uneven terrain, deep waters, dense stands of bulrushes (tules), stubble
fields, ditches, and others. Rainfall can make roads and fields muddy and slippery, making
them more difficult to negotiate. Hunting difficulty varies by area and hunters should
examine their own abilities and limitations before using the refuges. Disabled persons
should hunt with a partner. Consult the refuge manager for suggestions for hunting the
area safely. |
