Bogue Chitto National Wildlife Refuge

Upland game, deer, squirrel, rabbit, raccoon, opossum, waterfowl, and hog hunting are allowed subject to State approved season and regulation. Hunters must review and abide by state regulations for the state in which they hunt. All hunters must read, sign, and have in their possession a copy of...

Largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill and catfish are the primary species caught in the refuge's oxbow and overflow lakes, the East and West Pearl Rivers, and the Bogue Chitto River. Sloughs along the Bogue Chitto can provide excellent fishing for catfish and gar. ...

Public boat launches are available in Louisiana at Lock 1, Fisherman’s Landing Road, Lock 3, and Poole’s Bluff. In Mississippi public launches are at Walkiah Bluff Water Park, and northwest of Picayune MS at the Dan Tabberer boat launch, located where Burnt Bridge Rd. crosses Hobochitto Creek....

Paddling the refuge is an adventurous undertaking. Most of the refuge can flood during winter and spring high river periods, creating a labyrinth of sloughs, bayous and lakes. Boaters should have a GPS when travelling beyond the...

The refuge is primarily accessed by watercraft. On the Louisiana side, there are two locations where short hikes may be taken. The Pearl River Turnaround Fishing Pond has a short interpretive boardwalk trail, and the Holmes Bayou Trail has a 1.4 mile-long out and back hike. 

Primitive camping is permitted within 100 feet of either bank of the Bogue Chitto River, Wilson Slough, West Pearl River south of Wilson Slough, and refuge lands along the East Pearl River and Holmes Bayou. No campsite can be left unattended longer than 24 hours or used longer than 14...

The refuge provides nesting, wintering, and breeding habitat for nearly 200 species of birds. Neotropical birds (birds that nest in North America but winter in the tropics) bring a flash of color and song in the spring. Listen for the song of prothonotary, northern parula, and yellow-throated...