400 acres of marsh on Cedar Island NWR are open for waterfowl hunting. Ducks are constantly moving back and forth from the refuge to other waterfowl wintering areas on Pamlico Sound. This means that some days hunters on the refuge will see flocks of thousands of birds, and some days they won't see any. It all depends on the weather, and persistent hunters know the ducks will return sooner or later. When ducks are on the refuge, hunters can expect excellent gunning for scaup, bufflehead, black duck, pintail and other species. Two boat launches provide access to the public hunting area. Most hunters use boat blinds and large decoy spreads. Hunters are reminded that they must keep their shotguns unloaded and dismantled or encased while boating through "no hunting" areas.
Waterfowl hunting is permitted on the refuge in accordance with all state and federal regulations. Hunters should consult the North Carolina state hunting regulations. Special refuge hunting regulations also apply; refer to the refuge hunting brochure for more information.
