Rules and Policies

We welcome you to visit Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge year-round to learn about the tallgrass prairie and to recreate. We ask that you follow our specific public use regulations and reach out to our refuge manager if you have questions.

General Restrictions

Access to the refuge is open from sunrise to sunset, unless otherwise posted or stated in hunting regulations.

Prohibited Activities

• Possession of alcoholic beverages or any illegal drug or drug paraphernalia.
• Camping and fires.
• Night hunting activities.
• Overnight parking, parking in front of gates, water access points, water control structures, or on bridges.
• All types of motorized vehicles on all refuge land and closed roads - to include frozen bodies of water - except on designated parking areas and public roads.
• Target shooting, shooting from or over roads, from road right-of ways or parking areas.
• Training pets and allowing pets off leash.
• Destroying or removing any natural items such as antlers, bison skulls, plants, historic, and archaeological features, which are protected by Federal law.
• Marking or flagging any tree or other Refuge feature with reflectors, paint, or other substance.
• Introducing, liberating or placing plants or animals, or their parts taken elsewhere, on refuge lands or waters.
• Abandoning or disposing of personal property, animal carcasses, trash, refuse, rocks, wood or other debris.
• Cutting, mowing, sawing, digging, collecting, injuring or removing vegetation.
• Permanent tree stands, nails, screw-in steps, or other items that penetrate the outer bark of a tree.
• Leaving up blinds or ice fishing equipment overnight.
• Use of electronic or photographic trail monitoring devices.
• Use of any aircraft, drones, and other unmanned aerial vehicles on the refuge - for either recreational or commercial purposes.
• Distribution of feed or bait, or hunting over bait.
• Commercial enterprise without a special use permit.
• Access to the Refuge from private property.

Hunting and Fishing

Hunting and fishing regulations are designed to provide safe recreational opportunities through wise use of renewable wildlife resources. Hunting and fishing are permitted in accordance with Federal regulations governing public use on National Wildlife Refuges as set forth in Title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Hunters and anglers are required to hold all applicable state and federal licenses, endorsements, and stamps.

Hunting and fishing will be in accordance with applicable State of Minnesota regulations subject to the conditions stated in the hunting brochure. Brochures may be obtained by mail, at the refuge headquarters, or from the refuge website.

Refuge hunting hours follow those set by the State of Minnesota hunting regulations, except where noted. Hunters and anglers must park in designated parking areas, as identified on the map, to access the Refuge for hunting. It is illegal to retrieve game from areas closed to hunting. Access to the Refuge from private property is prohibited. 

Migratory bird hunting is restricted to Hunt Unit B on the map.

Hunting

Game species include all state-listed migratory game birds (except sandhill cranes), all state-listed fur-bearers, small game including wild turkey, and unprotected animals except coyotes and gophers on designated areas of the refuge. Hunting hours for these species are one-half (1/2) hour before sunrise to sunset. Refuge is closed to coyote hunting and the Conservation Light Goose and March crow seasons.

• Hunters must wear an article of blaze orange or pink consistent with state regulations.
• We prohibit the use or possession of alcoholic beverages while hunting.
• Non-toxic shot is required for all small game, including wild turkey, and waterfowl.
• Hunting dogs must be under the immediate control of the hunter. Hunting dog use is prohibited for bears and raccoons.
• We prohibit constructing or occupying permanent stands or blinds. We also prohibit the use of nails, wire, screws or bolts to attach a stand to a tree or hunting from a tree, into which a metal object has been driven to support a hunter. Bringing vegetation onto the refuge is prohibited. 
• Portable hunting stands must be set up and removed each day. 
• Skunk hunting is only permitted from the 1^st to the last day of February ½ hour before legal sunrise to sunset.
• Badger, fox, opossum, raccoon, and weasel hunting is permitted September 1^st day of state season to the last day of February ½ hour before legal sunrise to sunset.
• Entry to the refuge for deer hunting is prohibited earlier than two hours before legal shooting hours.
• We prohibit distribution of feed or bait or hunting over bait. This includes salts and minerals.
• Migratory bird hunting is only permitted in hunting Unit B 1 hour before legal sunrise until 1 hour after legal sunset. The refuge is closed to sandhill crane hunting, the March crow season, and the Conservation Light Goose order.
• Waterfowl taken outside the refuge boundary may be retrieved up to 100 yards (90m) inside areas of the refuge that are open to all other hunting. Waterfowl may not be retrieved from areas closed to hunting.
• The refuge is CLOSED to coyote hunting.
• Shooting from or over roads and parking areas is prohibited.
• It is illegal to retrieve game from areas closed to hunting.
• Hunting is not permitted within 200 yards of any building.

Fishing

• All refuge waters are open during daylight hours to sport and ice fishing for all game species except mussels (clams), crayfish, leech, frog, toad, salamander, snake, lizard, turtle and other non-fish species.
• State limits for game species and state creel and length limits for fishing apply.
• We prohibit all types of motorized vehicles on frozen water bodies.
• Ice fishing shelters and equipment must be removed at the end of each day.

Artificial Lights

• You may not use a spotlight, headlight or other artificial light to spot, locate or take any wild animal in a refuge.

Boats and Watercraft

• Boats using electric motors are permitted only in the Minnesota River channel. Other non-motorized boats are allowed in the Minnesota River, East Pool, and West Pool. No other motorized boats are allowed on the Refuge.
• West Pool is closed to all watercraft during the migratory waterfowl hunting season. 
• All boats must be invasive species free.

Trapping

• Trapping is permitted by special use permit only. Contact refuge manager for details and information.

Additional Information

• The above information is a partial list of rules and regulations. Consult the Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge Public Use Brochure for more details.
• Special-use permits may be issued for compatible secondary uses upon approval of the refuge manager. Contact the refuge office for application information at 320-273-2191.