Tensas River National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1980 to preserve one of the largest privately owned tracts of bottomland hardwoods remaining in the Mississippi Delta. The bottomland hardwood forest contains a diversity of plant and animal species. Over 400 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish can be found on the refuge.

Visit Us

Tensas River National Wildlife Refuge offers a wide variety of activities for visitors.  Thousands of people visit the refuge each year to take advantage of outdoor recreation opportunities such as hunting, wildlife photography and observation, and environmental education.  Please use the information throughout this website to plan your visit!

Location and Contact Information

      About Us

      Tensas River NWR conserves one of the largest remaining tracts of bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley.  A variety of plant species and over 400 different species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish can be found on the refuge.  This includes the state's largest population of the Louisiana black bear which was formerly on the endangered species list.

      What We Do

      Refuge staff manage and conserve habitat for wildlife while maintaining public access to various wildlife-dependent recreational activities including hunting, fishing, bird-watching, photography, and more.

      Our Library

      Tensas Recreation Brochure

      Welcome to Tensas River National Wildlife Refuge Tensas River National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1980 to conserve the largest privately-owned tract of bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the Mississippi River Valley. This rich forest land supports a wide variety of animals and...

      FWS Form 3-1384 Bid Sheet

      This form must be completed and submitted by applicants for the Cooperative Cropping Opportunity at Tensas River National Wildlife Refuge.