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Klamath Basin FEES | LICENSES & PERMITS | SPECIES | HOURS | SHOOTING HOURS BOATS | RETRIEVING ZONES | ACCESS ROUTES | REMOVAL OF PROPERTY | WEAPONS & AMMO | ALCOHOL | BLINDS | GUIDES | HIGH-SHOOTING | DISABLED HUNTERS |
Hunting Information
| Fees | A yearly hunt fee is required to hunt
Tule Lake and Lower Klamath Refuges. Hunters may pay in advance with a
credit card by phoning refuge headquarters (530)-667-2231; in person at
Refuge Headquarters (see hunt maps for locations).
Season Pass: $25.00 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 4c on Lower Klamath Refuge are motorless, or electric motors only areas until December 1st. Starting December 1st, units 4b and 4c are open to motorboat use. Boat launching is not permitted after 1:00 PM. State lighting requirements are enforced by refuge officers. |
| Retrieving 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:
Vehicle access is NOT permitted on dikes unless the dike is marked as 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 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. |
| High-Shooting | Hunters may not shoot at birds that are beyond normal effective range. Those who persist in shooting at out-of-range birds are subject to removal from the area. |
| 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.
Four spaced-blinds for users with permanent mobility impairments are located on Tule Lake Refuge. These goose hunting blinds are available in a drawing which will be conducted each morning prior to the regular spaced-blind drawing. Mobility impaired hunters with current disabled parking permits are eligible to use these blinds. 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. |
All
fees collected are kept at the Klamath Basin Refuges and are used to improve
the hunt program.