Attention Waterfowl Hunters

As a result of damage from recent hurricanes, access to some hunt areas will be affected.

Hunt Area 1 (Quota): Hunters will need to use Peacocks Pocket Road, or East Gator Creek Road to access boat ramps in the Peacocks Pocket, Gator Creek and Catfish Creek impoundments. Please note that Peacocks Pocket levee road will be closed. Hunters should be alert to heavy equipment on these roads.

Hunt Areas 2 & 3: The entirety of Biolab Road will be closed at least through the first phase of the waterfowl hunt season (November 19-27). Waterfowl hunters wishing to access Biolab and Max Hoeck impoundments will be permitted to haul boats (no crossing under power) over the levee to access hunt areas until the Biolab Road is re-opened. Please note the closest available boat ramp is the Biolab Boat Ramp. Hunters wishing to hunt Mosquito Lagoon in Hunt Areas 2 & 3 will need to utilize refuge boat ramps, as the Canaveral National Seashore is closed.  

Hunt Area 4 (Quota): While the levees in these areas have experienced some damage from hurricanes Ian and Nicole, hunter access is not affected. However, hunters may encounter obstacles (vegetation, sediment) within perimeter ditches. Please report any debris or blockages encountered in perimeter ditches.

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, located along Florida’s coast about 60 miles east of the city of Orlando, was established by agreement as an overlay of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s John F. Kennedy Space Center. The refuge lies within one of the most productive estuaries in the country.
Refuge Passes available on Recreation.gov

A Refuge Pass is required to enter the Black Point Wildlife Drive and Bio Lab Road, and to launch a boat at Bairs Cove, Beacon 42, and Bio Lab boat ramps. A variety of passes can be purchased in-person at the Visitor Center. Merritt Island Annual, Daily, and Foot/Bicycle passes can be purchased online at Recreation.gov. Fees collected are used to directly assist with providing safe and meaningful experiences to refuge visitors.

Learn more about Refuge Passes on our Visit Us page. 

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Visit Us

A bus with birders tours Black Point Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge
Image Details

National wildlife refuges offer us all a chance to unplug from the stresses of daily life and reconnect with our natural surroundings. Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge offers a wide diversity of recreational and educational opportunities. From bird watching and nature study, to fishing and seasonal hunting, you are sure to find an activity to satisfy your passion. 

Location and Contact Information

      About Us

      Scrub habitat.
      Image Details

      Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge was established as an overlay of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s John F. Kennedy Space Center. According to the agreement with NASA, the lands and waters of the Kennedy Space Center are primarily to serve the space program and secondarily to serve as a wildlife refuge or park.

      What We Do

      Wildlife conservation is at the heart of the National Wildlife Refuge System. It drives everything on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lands and waters managed within the Refuge System, from the purposes for which a national wildlife refuge national wildlife refuge
      A national wildlife refuge is typically a contiguous area of land and water managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service  for the conservation and, where appropriate, restoration of fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.

      Learn more about national wildlife refuge       is established to the recreational activities offered to the resource management tools used.

      Our Species

      A close-up of a green sea turtle
      Image Details

      Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1963 for the protection of migratory birds.  Consisting of 140,000 acres, the refuge provides a wide variety of habitats: coastal dunes, saltwater marshes, managed impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks. These habitats provide habitat for more than 1,500 species of plants and animals and 15 federally listed species. 

      Our Library

      Visit our digital library to view our brochures and publications all in one convenient location.

      Merritt Island NWR Hunt Impoundment Conditions Nov 2022
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      Merritt Island NWR Hunt Impoundment Conditions Nov 2022

      A summary of Merritt Island NWR hunt impoundment conditions for the 2022-23 waterfowl hunt season.

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      Stan Howarter

      Merritt Island Boat and Fish Regs Brochure 2022-23
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      Merritt Island Boat and Fish Regs Brochure 2022-23
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      Merritt Island NWR Waterfowl Hunt Brochure 2022-23
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      Merritt Island NWR Waterfowl Hunt Brochure 2022-23
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      Merritt Island NWR Big Game Hunt Brochure 2022-23
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      Merritt Island NWR Big Game Hunt Brochure 2022-23
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