Rules and Policies
Safety is the top priority at the refuge and all visitors are required to attend a safety briefing, sign an acknowledgment of danger agreement and obtain a public access permit before entering the refuge. While some gathering of wild, edible plants and deer antlers for personal use is allowed at the refuge, a refuge permit is required, and certain rules apply. While you are welcome to visit the public use areas during a limited time of the year, there is no entry allowed in the rest of Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge. Searching for, picking up or removing and possessing any object of historical significance or unexploded ordnance is prohibited.
General Regulations
All visitors to Big Oaks are required to attend a safety briefing, sign an acknowledgment of danger agreement and obtain a public access permit before entering the refuge.
The following additional rules and policies apply during your visit to the refuge:
- All visitors must check into and out of the refuge in accordance with the provisions of their refuge permit.
- Entering unassigned or closed areas is not permitted. It is the responsibility of each person to know where they are at all times.
- Pets must be kept on a leash, except hunting dogs used during refuge squirrel hunting season in the public use area.
- All pets are required to wear a collar displaying the owner’s name, address and telephone number
- Searching for, removing or possessing objects of antiquity or historical significance or unexploded ordnance, munitions or any item(s) associated with the Army’s historical mission is prohibited
- Camping, fires, swimming, dumping, trapping, ATV's and littering are prohibited
- Vehicles and other modes of transportation are allowed only on designated roads; vehicles are prohibited off road
- Disturbing or collecting plants, animals or animal parts is prohibited. Wild edible food products, like mushrooms, nuts, wild asparagus and berries, as well as shed deer antlers, may be gathered for personal use during refuge public use season with a required refuge permit. Mushrooms must be collected in a mesh bag.
- Spotlighting wildlife, even without weapons, is prohibited
- Indiana hunting and fishing regulations generally apply to Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge, with some additional refuge regulations