Hunting - Refuge Regs - Hunt Results - Accessibility - Maps - Waterfowl Surveys
Hunter in marsh, photo: USFWS
Hunting Program
Public hunting is permitted on portions of Sacramento, Delevan, Colusa, Sutter, and Sacramento River NWRs (Complex). The hunting program is administered by the Service, in cooperation with the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG), on all refuges except Sacramento River NWR. If your questions aren't answered below, see our frequently asked hunting questions (pdf, 11 KB). Also, there are written driving directions (pdf, 10 KB) to the Complex hunter check stations available.
You can also use Your Guide to Hunting on National Wildlife Refuges to plan your hunting adventures to refuges across the nation. Then work on your waterfowl identification using the Ducks Unlimited - Know Your Waterfowl flier (pdf, 253 KB).
Current Hunting Program Status
Hunting Maps
Hunting Maps for all four refuges are available.
Refuge Flooded Areas and Quotas - As of November 6
Sacramento: fully flooded, except T31 (90 acres), FR quota 71, all blinds and assigned ponds available
Delevan: fully flooded, FR 58, all hunt sites and assigned ponds available
Colusa: fully flooded, FR 14 westside/30 eastside, all assigned ponds available
Sutter:
only T11.1, T12.1-4, T14.1, T14.2 flooded; FR Quota is 18
Assigned Ponds: only assigned ponds 15 (3 parties), 16 (3 parties) and 17 (1 party) are flooded.
Hunting season and bag limits 2009
The Sacramento NWR Complex's Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) has been approved and we are now putting our 15-year plan into action. This has resulted in a number of changes to the hunting program. Please refer to the changes and highlights (pdf, 11 KB) for more information.
Visit the CDFG Web site for information on the 2009-10 waterfowl and upland game bird hunting regulation booklet (pdf, 2.5 MB), waterfowl reservation system and hunting seasons and bag limits for California.
The following link will provide the hunting season dates and bag limits for the Sacramento NWR Complex (pdf, 33 KB).
Find out why white-fronted goose (speckle-belly) hunting regulations are more restrictive in the western Sacramento Valley - Special Management Area. ***Please note that the season dates for white-front geese on this poster reflect the 2008-09 season. The 2009-10 white-front hunting season in the Special Mangement Area, which includes Sacramento, Delevan and Colusa NWRs, is from October 24 through December 14. See the "Special Area, Sacramento Valley" section of the CDFG Season Summary for further details
Sacramento, Delevan, Colusa and Sutter NWRs 2009
The hunting areas on Sacramento and Delevan NWRs are divided into two portions -- a spaced hunting area and a free roaming area. Colusa and Sutter NWRs are divided into two portions -- an assigned pond area and a free roaming area.
The spaced hunting sites on Sacramento NWR (including assigned ponds - pdf, 142 KB) and Delevan NWR (pdf, 117 KB), provide an opportunity to hunt with little interference or competition from other hunters. This allows for the maximum effectiveness of decoys and calls.
The free roaming area on Sacramento NWR (pdf, 105 KB), Delevan NWR (pdf, 93KB), Colusa NWR (including assigned ponds - pdf, 83 KB) and Sutter NWR (including assigned ponds - pdf, 88 KB), allows for unrestricted hunter movement.
Junior Waterfowl Hunts
Junior Waterfowl Hunts are planned for Saturday, December 12, 2009 at Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and Saturday, December 19, 2009 at Delevan NWR. Please refer to flier for more information.
What To Bring and Take Out
Cover for the blinds and hunt sites becomes very sparse late in the season due to the high use. It is recommended that hunters bring and take out additional camo material. Cut tules/cattails to cover blinds and islands may be available for hunters at the Sacramento NWR check station. Note when considering bringing in vegetation for cover that according to Title 50 Code of Federal Regulations 27.52 it is unlawful to bring nonnative plants on to a refuge (for example: arundo, bamboo, etc). To make it more comfortable and successful to hide in the vegetation around the hunt site islands on Delevan NWR and the free roam areas, tule stools are highly recommended.
Sacramento River NWR 2009
The units on Sacramento River NWR that are open to public access offer wildlife viewing, photography, interpretation, and educational opportunities. In addition, hunting and fishing is allowed on selected units of the Refuge. As in the past, gravel bars will continue to be open for hunting and fishing. Refer to the Refuge specific hunting and fishing regulations (pdf, 18 KB) and Refuge hunting season dates and bag limits (pdf, 33 KB) for details.
Visitor Services maps offer general unit locations and current public use. The maps divide the Refuge into four sections north to south, along a 77-mile stretch of the Sacramento River: North (pdf, 1.2 MB), North Central (pdf, 1.1 MB), South Central (pdf, 1.1 MB) and South (pdf, 834 KB).
Refuge unit maps give more detailed unit locations and regulations on hunts where hunting is allowed:
- North: LaBarranca and Todd Island (pdf, 2.1 MB), Mooney and Ohm (pdf, 1.8 MB), and Heron Island (pdf, 1.7 MB)
- North Central: Rio Vista (pdf, 2 MB) and Foster Island (pdf, 1.1 MB)
- South Central: Pine Creek (pdf, 1.8 MB), Capay and Phelan Island (pdf, 2.5 MB), Jacinto and Dead Man's Reach (pdf, 1.7 MB), and South Ord (pdf, 1.8 MB)
- South: Llano Seco Island 1and 2 (pdf, 2.6 MB), Sul Norte (pdf, 2.8 MB), and Afton, Drumheller North and Drumheller Slough (pdf, 635 KB)
Weather
The Sacramento Valley during hunt season can often experience dense fog or high winds. Please check your local news station to determine what to expect before you come. You can also check The Weather Channel's homepage or the National Weather Service's Sacramento weather forecast.
