Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge

Refuge headquarters includes a visitor contact station and small exhibit.  The headquarters located on the Overton Bottoms North Unit.  

Located just three miles upstream on the Missouri River from the confluence of the Mississippi River the Cora Island Unit is the refuges eastern most unit. It occupies 1,265 acres mostly on a remnant island of the Missouri River. Side channels constructed in 2016 restrict access on the southern end of the unit without a boat.

Deer hunting is restricted to archery only. Other game can be hunted with shotgun with non-toxic shot only. Single projectile bullet firearms not allowed.

The Boone's Crossing Unit is located in northeastern St. Louis county. The unit contains two parcels, 442 acre Johnson Island and 130 acre parcel next to the Chesterfield Athletic Complex. These two parcels are separated by a side channel of the Missouri River. The 130 acre parcel allows archery hunting only. The island allows archery deer hunting and other game restricted to archery or shotgun only with non-toxic shot no larger than BB. No bullet firearms allowed for hunting.  People wanting to visit the 130 acre parcel must park in the paved parking lot of the Athletic Complex east of playing field A-3 and walk up and over the levee into the unit.   

Unit in Franklin County five miles east of Herman Missouri. . Most of the south parcel is forested with cottonwoods growing since the 1993 flood. North parcel contains two scour lakes and forested area along the river. Previous farmground south of the levee in various forbs and young trees.

This unit, located in northern Osage County in east central Missouri, contains 1,124 acres and is comprised of about 700 acres of bottomland and 400 acres of upland forests and old fields. The eastern portion is only accessible from the Missouri River by boat. Private lands surrounding this unit restricts access from public roads.

Acquired in 2015 Providence Bend open to hunting and fishing under statewide regulations. Posted and open to the public in spring 2018. Levee failed and repaired after 2019 flood, Flood created scour pond available for fishing.

The Overton Bottoms South Unit is the largest unit of the refuge with over 3,900 acres. The Unit consists of floodplain forest, temporary wetlands, scour lakes and some agriculture fields.
This unit was previously the Overton Bottoms Conservation Area managed by the Missouri Department of Conservation. Now that it is managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service the regulations have changed.

The Overton Bottoms North Unit is the most accessible unit of the refuge. This refuge unit consists of large areas of open fields with a mixture of native and exotic grasses and forbs. In addition there are large areas of dense young forests consisting primarily of cottonwood, silver maple, willow, and box elder. A narrow strip of mature cottonwood trees exists along the river. Open to hunting a fishing under statewide regulations.

The Jameson Island unit occupies a large bend of the Missouri River floodplain in Saline County, below the historic community of Arrow Rock. The unit consists of 1,871 acres of bottom land forest of cottonwood, willow, box elder, and other floodplain species. This unit is south of and across the river from the Lisbon unit. The two units are similar and combined provide 4,000 acres of public land for hunting, fishing, and exploring.

This unit occupies a large bend in the Missouri River floodplain totaling 2,013 acres and primarily consists of a young vigorous forest of cottonwood and willow. This unit is north and across the river from the Jameson Island Unit.

This unit located in northwestern Saline County and northeastern Lafayette County north of Grand Pass, Missouri. The unit consists of two parcels. The larger parcel, 745 acres, consists of open grassland areas and floodplain forests in various stages of maturity. Included in this parcel is a series of chutes or side channels of the Missouri River that form islands and restrict access without a boat.

The Baltimore Bottom Unit is located in Lafayette County approximately 3 miles west of Waverly, Missouri. The habitat of this unit consists of large open areas gradually reverting to wet prairie and floodplain forest.

The Cambridge Bend Unit of the refuge is in Saline and Chariton counties, just north of Glasgow, Missouri. The 300 acre western parcel acquired in 2012. The eastern parcel added in 2017. All standard refuge regulations apply. Both parcels of the Cambridge Bend unit only accessible to the public from the Missouri River by boat.

The Jackass Bend Unit is located in extreme southwestern Ray County and northeastern Jackson County. This unit, three miles west of Orrick off of Missouri Highway 210, consists of approximately 861 acres lying almost entirely within an old oxbow of the river.

Schmitt Unit located in eastern Chariton County near the town of Marceline. The 310 acre unit is bisected by East Yellow Creek. The unit contains wetlands, upland fields and bottomland forests habitats. The unit is open to hunting and fishing under statewide regulation. Non-toxic shot is required.

The West St. Clair unit located in St. Clair county and contains 250 acres. Area open to walk in hunting under statewide regulations.

The Moresi Unit added to the Refuge in 2016. The unit contains two parcels totaling 415 acres in Cedar and St. Clair counties. Unit open for hunting and fishing under statewide regulations. Both parcels along the Sac River with access to river by walk in only.

Located in Bates county the Panther Creek Unit contains 223 acres. The area is mostly forested with a small wetland north and east of the junction of Highway B and SE 7586 road. Area open to hunting and fishing under statewide regulations.

Howard Bend Unit is located in Maryland Heights, Missouri.   To access the unit, proceed down John Pellet Court.  The gates on this road should be open.  At approximately 3/4 a mile you will reach a large gravel parking lot at the base of a levee.  Park in the open gravel areas and walk over the levee into the unit below the levee.  Only hand carts are allowed.  No ATV's, bikes, or other mechanized vehicles.   Additional information at information kiosk on the east side of the parking lot.  Because this public hunting area is within the Maryland Heights city limits, all hunting must follow city ordinances which requires an annual permit from Chief of Police prior to hunting. Contact 314-298-8706 (Firearm Discharge Permit) For further details click this link . Then click on the question: Does the City of Maryland Heights allow hunting?

The Grand River Bend only accessible by boat on the Missouri River.  At approximately 268 acres the unit consists of floodplain forest and old crop fields.  The closest boat access to reach this unit is the Brunswick Access on the Grand River.  All refuge regulations apply.  

Bryan Island is a large island on the Missouri River northwest of St. Charles, Missouri.  The Refuge acquired approximately 650 acres of the island.  Posted with refuge signs in October 2023 the unit is open to public use.   The only public access to the island is by boat from the Missouri River.   The nearest public boat access approximately a mile and a half upstream at the Blanchette Public Access in the city of St. Charles.   Hunting is allowed and state and federal seasons apply.  No special restrictions at this time.  

De Witt Bend contains approximately 468 acres of bottomland forest.  There are few seasonal wetlands in an old side channel of the Missouri River and a more permanent scour pond on the southern end of the unit.   The unit is available for hunting but only accessible from the Missouri River at this time.   The nearest public boat access to reach this unit located in Miami, Missouri approximately 5.5 miles downstream of the unit.  Click here for map of access.