Sacramento NWR Complex - Hunting - Mobility Impaired Opportunities

Hunting Opportunities for Hunters with Mobility Impairments

at Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex

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A "mobility impaired hunter” is defined as a person who has been issued one of the following:

A Department of Motor Vehicles Mobility Impaired License Plate
A Permanent Parking Placard Identification Card
A “Mobility Impaired Veteran” License Plate
A valid “Mobility Impaired Persons Motor Vehicle Hunting License” (FG Form 1460).

**The blue plastic “Mobility Impaired Parking Placard” may not be substituted for the required identification which bears the name of the mobility impaired person. Mobility impaired hunters must provide the registration certificate for DMV issued mobility impaired license plates.

Find More Information on:

Waterfowl Hunting Mobility Impaired Procedures for waterfowl hunting on Sacramento, Delevan, Colusa, and Sutter NWRs
Sacramento River NWR's Mobility Impaired Reservation Application for mobility impaired access for hunting on the Sacramento River NWR's Rio Vista and Sul Norte blinds
Information, Eligibility and Applications for Mobility Impaired Hunters for type-A areas in California (link to CDFW site)

Waterfowl Hunting Opportunities:

Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge

...has two spaced blind sites, one assigned pond, and one Xfowler moveable blind designated for hunters with disabilities (5D, 23D, 27D, 9D)

5D and 23D have concrete pads with wire fencing that are camouflaged with fast grass and tule bundles. Each blind location has two 2-man blinds with two chairs in each. 27D is an assigned pond with a boat launch to allow hunters the opportunity to hunt outside of the blind. The blind has bike track flooring with wire fencing camouflaged with fast grass, tule bundles, and willow branches. There is one 2-man blind at 27D. Access to all three blind sites is hard-packed gravel. The sites may be accessed by motor vehicle or ATV (see the disabled hunting page for specific information on using an ATV). 5D has vehicle access right to the blind location. 23D has a 90 yard walk and 27D has a 140 yard walk from the loading and unloading area to the blind site. See photos below.

Boat Accessibility: Two boat launches are available for disabled hunters. Boats can be used at AP 27D and free roam T38:1 from parking lot C. Electric motors or manual boats are required. No gas motors are permitted.

mobility impaired blind covered in tule bundles with tule reeds surrounding blind — Blind 27D

road leading to mobility impaired blind. two brown fences. brown sign reads "car top boat launch only no vehicles" — Blind 27D entrance to walkway

Mobility impaired blind in background very small. gravel road leading to blind with vegetation on both sides and water on both sides — Blind 23D graveled walkway

hunting blind with door open. blind covered in tule bundles with tules and other vegetation on either side — Blind 23D interior of blind

mobility impaired blind covered in tule bundles with water in background — Blind 5D

Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge (continued)

Blind 9D (Xfowler): Access to the 9D hunting location is by a floating XFowler hunting blind designed to meet ADA accessibility standards. The blind is 8’x10’, designed to float in very shallow water, and can be pulled easily across the pond by an able-bodied hunting partner.

Hunters will drive from parking lot D to the west (following signs to blind 9D) to the loading and unloading area. At this location, the hunting party may drop off hunting gear and the hunter with the disability but then must return the vehicle to parking lot D. From the loading and unloading area, a 132 yard hard packed gravel trail will lead hunters to the floating blind docking station. At the floating blind, fold down the ramp from the floating blind and load your hunting gear and the hunter with a disability. Once you have everything loaded, a member of the hunting party can pull the blind 130 yards to the assigned hunting location at an island. Access to the assigned hunting tule island will have an underwater gravel path lined with guide stakes leading to the hunting location. The 4-man concrete pit blind will remain at the old blind 9 location permitting hunters to use either blind.

When hunters choose blind 9D through the reservation, lottery, or first-come first-serve process they will be given a combination to the lock on the floating blind at the docking station. They will be responsible for locking the floating blind at the docking station after they have finished hunting for the day. There will be two folding chairs on the blind.

xfowler moveable blind in water with person inside blind and other person pushing blind. blind is covered in tule bundles — Xfowler blind 9D

person pulling xfowler blind in water, another person inside the blind. blind covered in tule bundles — A hunter can easily pull the blind while walking to the tule island.

xfowler blind in water and surrounded by tule reeds with tule bundles around the blind — Blind parked at the designated hunting location.

Delevan National Wildlife Refuge

...has three spaced blind sites designated for hunters with disabilities: 13D, 29D, and 30D

13D and 29D have one 2-man blind. 30D has two 2- man blinds. All blinds have bike track flooring with wire fencing camouflaged with fast grass and tule bundles. Access to all three sites is packed gravel. Sites may be accessed by motor vehicle or ATV (see the disabled hunting page for specific information on using an ATV). From the loading and unloading area to the blind site, 13D is 100 yards, 29D is 37 yards, and 30D is 80 yards. Each blind includes two folding chairs.

Boat Accessibility: Two boat launches are available for disabled hunters in free roam. Access is from parking lot C and can access T34.3 and T33. Electric motors or manual boats are required. No gas motors are permitted.

view from inside hunt blind showing view of wetland — View from 13D

hunt blind covered in tule bundles with tule reeds on either side of the blind — Blind 13D

hunt blind view from inside showing a door for dogs to retrieve birds. tule bundles covering blind on outside. water and tule reeds in background — Blind 30D

mobility impaired blind showing bike track flooring inside the blind. — Blind 30D Showing the bike track flooring

graveled road leading to mobility impaired blind. tule reeds on both sides of gravel road — Blind 29D walkway to blind

two hunt blinds covered in tule bundles. water in background. vegetation in background — Blind 30D: Two 2-man Blinds

Colusa National Wildlife Refuge

...has two assigned ponds designated for hunters with disabilities: P2A (options include an Xfowler moveable blind or a 2-man island blind) and P2B (options includes a 2-man blind)

P2A has a moveable Xfowler blind and a 2-man blind constructed on an island. The floating Xfowler blind is anchored at the boat launch in the parking lot to access P2A. Hunters are permitted to move the floating blind anywhere within the assigned pond boundary and must return it to the parking lot when their hunt is completed. Access to the island-blind requires a 364 yard (0.2 mile) walk from the parking lot, of which 201 yards are on a gravel road and 163 yards are on a submerged packed gravel path through the water, marked with guides stakes and reflective tape. The island-blind itself has bike track flooring and wire fencing camouflaged with fast grass and tule bundles. There are two folding chairs in the blind.

P2B has one 2-man blind with bike track flooring with wire fencing camouflaged with fast grass and tule bundles. It has a hard-packed gravel 102 yard access route from the loading area.

Boat Accessibility: Disabled hunters may access P2A and P2B via boat. The boat launch is accessible from the disabled parking lot. Electric motors or manual boats are required. No gas motors are permitted.

hunt blind covered in tule bundles with tules reeds on both sides. water in foreground — Island blind on Pool 2A

photo shows part of the walkway to a hunt blind. water with two stake guides one on the left and one on the right in water. brown vegetation in background — Walkway to P2A is marked by stakes with reflective tape

hunt blind covered in tule bundles with green vegetation on either side. water in distant background — Pool 2B Blind

view of inside of hunt blind showing 2 plastic chairs — Interior of Pool 2B Blind

photo shows inside of hunt blind. tule bundles on sides of blind. photo mostly shows floor — Pool 2B Flooring

photo shows boat launch for mobility impaired hunters. blue and white mobility impaired sign on the left. gravel in foreground, water and vegetation in background — Boat launch P2A and P2B

Sutter National Wildlife Refuge

...has one assigned pond designated for hunters with disabilities, which includes a blind: 6D

6D has one 2-man blind with bike track flooring with wire fencing camouflaged with fast grass, tule bundles, and willow branches. Access to the pond is by boat or a hard packed gravel walkway. Hard-packed gravel access route is 150 yards from the loading area. There are two folding chairs in the blind. Since it is an assigned pond, hunters have the option to hunt anywhere within the assigned pond boundary.

Boat Accessibility: Disabled hunters may access the unit by using a boat with an electric motor or manual. To access assigned pond 6D by boat, hunters may use the boat launch in the disabled hunter parking lot. No gas motors are permitted.

view from inside hunt blind. blind covered with tule bundles and fastgrass. water in background with vegetation — Blind 6D from inside

hunt blind covered in tule bundles with two folding chairs in corner of blind. — Blind 6D interior

hunt blind covered in tule reeds and other vegetation — Blind 6D

Free roam areas on waterfowl refuge sites are accessed via walking, wheelchair, or by any other non-motorized conveyance. See above for details.

Standard entry procedures will be followed for disabled-accessible waterfowl blinds:

Hunters need to apply through the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) reservation system to reserve a blind or hunt site for the disabled at Sacramento, Delevan, Colusa, or Sutter NWR. If a hunter is not drawn for a reservation, he or she may still enter the lottery or the first-come, first-served line and will be processed in a separate line for the accessible blinds only. Click here to see the Waterfowl Hunting Mobility Impaired Procedures.

Turkey, Deer, and Feral Pig Hunting Opportunities:

Sacramento River NWR

Two accessible blinds are available on the Sacramento River NWR via reservation to hunt turkey, deer, and feral pig. The reservation form should be submitted at least three days in advance and is available on the website. Hunting is available on a first-come, first-reservation basis seven days a week during the appropriate season and hunters with disabilities must have an approved reservation form to use the blind. Approved hunters will receive a gate code permitting them to drive into the area to park near the blind. See the Unit maps for blind locations.

Rio Vista Unit (Tehama County) of the Sacramento River NWR: has a packed gravel trail with a hunting blind developed for turkey hunting. The pad and trail to the blind are packed gravel. The blind is constructed of wood and metal frame, hog wire siding and has camouflaged netting attached. There are four shooting slots cut into the siding and brush material for natural concealment on the outside. Hunting on Rio Vista for able-bodied hunters is by boat access only. Disabled hunters with a reservation will be able to drive in to access the blind. *This blind was not created for dove hunting (surrounded by trees).

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Exterior of Rio Vista blind

interior of hunt blind showing fastgrass covering blind and gravel inside blind — Interior of Rio Vista Blind

Sul Norte Unit (Glenn County) of the Sacramento River NWR: The pad and trail are packed gravel. The blind is constructed of wood and metal frame, hog wire siding, and it is brushed with natural material. There are four shooting slots cut into the siding and brush material for natural concealment.

exterior view of hunt blind covered in reeds and fastgrass. tree to the left of blind. vehicle in background to the left — Exterior of Sul Norte Blind

exterior view of hunt blind covered in fastgrass. tree to the left of blind. trees in background — Entryway of Sul Norte Blind

Reservation Process for Sacramento River NWR:

Please use this form to make a reservation to access either of the disabled blinds on the Sacramento River NWR. The form must be submitted at least 3 days prior to your reservation. The form can be emailed, faxed, mailed, or dropped of at the visitor center. Hunters must provide proper mobility impaired paperwork.

For additional access needs, please contact the refuge manager at 530-934-2801.

Visit the Sacramento River NWR hunting page.