Hunters will find healthy deer and squirrel populations on 13,000 acres of the cypress swamp and bottomland hardwood forest that make up Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge. There are 9,796 acres open to hunting.
Squirrel is a popular local quarry, The bottomland hardwood forest has many oak and hickory trees which provide nuts that support a healthy squirrel population. Hunters often report harvesting a bag limit within 30 minutes due to the abundance of squirrels on the refuge. During any open hunting season, hunters may hunt beaver, raccoon and feral pig, but no special season has been set for these species.
The refuge floods seasonally, and all hunting (except waterfowl) may be closed because of high water. Before visiting, check the website for closures. When the refuge does flood, ducks use the flooded timber, and a hunter with a boat can experience good opportunities.
