Hunt Area Admission
for Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex

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Hunting is permitted on Sat, Sun and Wed only, during waterfowl season. Entry to the hunt areas is through the hunter check stations. Permits may be obtained by reservation, lottery, or first-come-first-serve. 


*This webpage is specific for Sacramento, Delevan, Colusa and Sutter NWRs*.  Click here to find information about hunting at the Sacramento River NWR

Before you Arrive....

Check Stations DO NOT SELL any license items, validations, or passes!
Hunters must purchase any of the following necessary licenses, validations and passes prior to arrival at the Check Station:

  • California Hunting License
  • Prepaid Type A Pass (not required for junior hunters or non-hunters) - Type A One-day, Two-day or Season Pass (this is like an entry day-pass)
  • Harvest Information Program (HIP) Validation (if hunting ducks, geese, coots or snipe)
  • California Duck Validation Stamp (not required for junior hunters; not required if only hunting pheasants)
  • Federal Duck Stamp (required for all hunters age 16 or older; not required if only hunting pheasants)
  • Upland Game Bird Validation (required if hunting pheasants/turkey; not required for junior hunters)

Licenses, validations and passes may be purchased from:

  1. CDFW license sales office
  2. license agent
  3. online 

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Admission Methods:

There are 3 methods of admission to the hunt areas of Sacramento, Delevan, Colusa and Sutter NWRs:

  1. RESERVATION
  2. LOTTERY
    • You may enter a lottery drawing at the check station between 6:00-8:00 pm the night before you want to hunt;  Up to 4 people may put their names on lottery entry
    • Results will be posted at the check station after 8:00 pm; need not be present for drawing
    • Lottery number holders will be admitted after reservation holders the morning of the hunt; Numbers will be purged at 8:00 am
  3. FIRST-COME FIRST-SERVED (aka "Sweat-Line")
    • You may wait in the "sweat-line" and will be allowed admission that morning after all reservations and lottery holders are admitted 


View Details:  MOBILITY-IMPAIRED HUNTER ADMISSIONS

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Daily Admission Process:

A. Reservation Procedures:

  • Reservation holders are encouraged to pre-register to speed up the processing.
  • Mobility Impaired (MI) reservation hunters will be processed before other reservation hunters in numerical sequence when the check station opens.
  • Processing begins 2½ hours before waterfowl shoot time on Sacramento and Delevan, and 2 hours before waterfowl shoot time on Colusa and Sutter NWRs.
  • If a reservation card holder is not present when card number is called, he/she will be allowed to enter UPON ARRIVAL, or until the end of the reservation period.
  • Reservations must be presented at the check station no later than 1½ hours before waterfowl shoot time on Sacramento and Delevan and 1 hour before waterfowl shoot time on Colusa and Sutter. Once the reservation period has expired, the reservation will be invalid – NO EXCEPTIONS!
  • A MI reservation holder may choose any available MI blind site or enter free-roam. If both options are refused, the MI hunter may be placed on a "MI waiting list" in order to remain eligible to hunt.
  • A non MI reservation holder may choose any available regular (non-MI) blind site or enter free roam. If both options are refused, the hunter may be placed on a "waiting list" in order to remain eligible to hunt.
  • MI and non MI reservation holders who wish to be put on a waiting list will be added to the list in numerical order (reservation card number) and will have priority over lottery and first-come, first-served list.
  • A reservation holder selecting a hunting site, assigned pond, or free-roam may take up to three additional people of his/her choice, including no more than two juniors or nonhunters, for a total of four people. Once formed, the party cannot add or substitute other individuals. The party may not split between blinds and free-roam.
  • If the reservation holder chooses a blind site or assigned pond and he has a guest who has not arrived yet, he/she may request to have this person join him/her at his assigned blind site or assigned pond. The name must be given at the time of processing. This does not affect the quota.
  • If the reservation holder chooses free roam, all hunters in his/her group must be present at the time of processing. Once the group (free-roam) has been processed and the next reservation number is called, additional hunters will not be added to the card. Adding additional hunters will affect free-roam quota. If the hunter truly has a partner who will be arriving late, he will be advised to choose a blind site. Hunters may not split between blinds and free-roam.

B. Lottery Draw Procedures:

  • Hunters obtain a lottery card at the check station and fill out both halves.
  1. Only one hunter’s name may appear on the front of a card.
  2. Hunting license number and vehicle license number must be written on the front.
  3. MI hunters wishing to use the MI blind sites or ponds must mark the MI box.
  4. A maximum of three additional names may be placed on the back of the card. This includes adult hunters, junior hunters (no more than two juniors per adult) and non-hunters.
  5. Hunter’s names and hunting license numbers are required on the back of the card. Hunters on the back of the card do not have to be present during the lottery. 
  6. Hunters who want to sign up other hunters on his/her card but do not have their license number at the time may add license numbers any time before the draw.
  7. Any names recorded without hunting license numbers at time of the draw will not be eligible to hunt.
     
  • A hunter’s name may be placed on the front or back of only one lottery card for each shoot day per refuge. Hunters may only apply to one refuge's lottery per day.
  • A card number will be assigned to each card in top right corner. It will take the place of individuals’ name for the purpose of assigning lottery numbers.
  • The right half of the lottery card will be filed at the check station. The hunter will keep the left half.
  • Hunters may leave the area once the lottery card is filled out and turned in. They do not have to be present during the draw
  • On Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m., the total number of cards that have been issued are entered into a computer program. The computer will randomly select the order of each lottery card number.
  1. The card numbers (plastic tokens) are placed on a large numbered board in the check station.
  2. The position of each card number (plastic token) determines the lottery number.
  3. The spaces between each card number are determined by the additional number of hunters that have been entered on the cards.
  4. Lottery numbers determine the order that the hunters will be called the next morning. Only one lottery number will be issued per party. All names on a card must enter as a party. Once a party is formed, the party must hunt together. No splitting between blinds and free-roam.
  5. It is the hunter’s responsibility to check the board to determine what their lottery number is before lottery numbers are called.
  6. Hunters should write their assigned LOTTERY NUMBER (drawing results) to the left of the CARD NUMBER on their portion of the lottery card.
  7. Hunters will be called by their lottery number.
     
  • If a lottery cardholder does not show on the morning of the hunt, the other hunters on the back of the card are eligible to hunt.
  • At Sacramento and Delevan, lottery numbers will be called 1 ½ hours before shoot time. At Colusa and Sutter, lottery numbers will be called 1 hour before shoot time. Hunters must be present when their number is called and will be eliminated from the list if they are not present.
  • A lottery purge will occur at 8:00 a.m. Names of hunters that are not present will be removed from the list.

C. First-Come, First-Served:

  • Hunters arriving after the 8:00 p.m. (lottery draw) will be issued a first-come, firstserved number which will begin after the last number on the lottery list.
  • Unlike the lottery, each hunter must be physically present to sign up.

D. Filling Vacancies:

  • Vacancies occurring from no-show reservation hunters and from hunters leaving the area are filled in accordance with current CDFW procedures. If you do not get drawn for a reservation, you may enter a lottery the evening before the hunt. Non-reservation hunters may enter the lottery drawing for all of the following: Sacramento, Delevan, Colusa and Sutter Refuges, on any hunt date. After all reservation and lottery number holders have been processed, hunters may enter on a first-come, first-served system.

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Check Stations: 

Hours: the check station hours at Sacramento, Delevan, Colusa and Sutter during waterfowl season are:

  •    6:00 pm Tuesday until 1.5 hours after shoot time ends Wednesday
  •    6:00 pm Friday until 1.5 hours after shoot time ends Sunday  

Overnight parking: is allowed in the check station parking lots. You must stay inside your vehicle/RV - trailers are allowed, but tents are not allowed. No open flames are permitted, but you can have a portable gas stove.

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Admissions Summary: 

Admissions Summary for Sacramento, Delevan, Colusa, and Sutter NWRs 
InformationSacramento NWRDelevan NWRColusa NWRSutter NWR
Reservation4 individuals per reservation4 individuals per reservation4 individuals per reservation4 individuals per reservation
Lottery4 people per card4 people per card4 people per card4 people per card
First-come, 
first-serve
Each person has to be present to receive a number. However, adults can get a number for a junior hunter. Each person has to be present to receive a number. However, adults can get a number for a junior hunter. Each person has to be present to receive a number. However, adults can get a number for a junior hunter. Each person has to be present to receive a number. However, adults can get a number for a junior hunter. 
Adult to 
Junior ratio
No more than 2 junior hunters or
2 non-shooters or 1 of each per adult.
No more than 2 junior hunters or
2 non-shooters or 1 of each per adult.
No more than 2 junior hunters or
2 non-shooters or 1 of each per adult.
No more than 2 junior hunters or
2 non-shooters or 1 of each per adult.
What time
is the
Lottery?
6-8 pm the night before6-8 pm the night before6-8 pm the night before6-8 pm the night before
What time does 
Check Station 
begin calling 
reservations?
2.5 hours before shoot time2.5 hours before shoot time2 hours before shoot time2 hours before shoot time
What time does
Check Station
begin calling
lottery #s?
1½ hours before shoot time1½ hours before shoot time1 hour before shoot time1 hour before shoot time
# of Reservations 
drawn (when fully flooded)
 59 + 4 mobility-impaired39 + 3 mobility-impaired23 + 2 mobility-impaired17 + 1 mobility-impaired
# Assigned Blinds (when fully flooded)26 + 3 mobility-impaired
 
15 + 3 mobility-impaired 
 
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# Assigned Ponds (when fully flooded)20 + 1 mobility-impaired (has a blind)10 + 1 junior10 + 2 mobility-impaired (have blinds) + 1 junior11 + 1 mobility-impaired (has a blind)
Free roam hunting
quotas (when 
fully flooded)
5425 west
25 east
14 west
34 east
25

Still Have Questions? 

Visit the Frequently Asked Questions page for lots more information.