Lake Mason National Wildlife Refuge

Access

• Please park in either the designated parking areas or along the access road.

• Access into Willow Creek Unit and North Unit is by foot only.

• Access into Lake Unit is by foot or non-motorized boat only. Road ends at waterline. Boats must be hand-carried to the lake.

• Lake Unit - the north half of this unit is set aside as refugia for wildlife and thus closed to all public access. The south half of this unit is open to hunting, wildlife observation, and photography.

Hours

• Hunting hours follow State regulations. 

Authorized Public Uses 

• With the exception of the north half of the Lake Unit, which is designated as refugia for wildlife and thus closed to all public entry, all units of this Refuge are open to hunting, wildlife observation, and photography.

General Regulations
• Stock (horses, mules, donkeys) use is permitted in the North Unit only. Certified weed free hay is required.

Hunting Regulations

• Hunting for waterfowl, upland game birds, pronghorn, deer, and elk in compliance with all applicable State hunting regulations is permitted on this Refuge.

• Steel or other non-toxic shot must be used to harvest waterfowl and upland game birds. Possession of lead shot in the field is prohibited.

• Non-motorized boats are allowed on Lake Mason for hunting, but they must be hand-carried to the lake. 

• Decoys may not be placed or set earlier than three hours before legal shooting time on the day of the hunt and must be removed no later than three hours after legal shooting time. 

• Portable blinds, tree stands, and other personal property, such as decoys, must be removed each day.

Prohibited Activities

• Shooting prairie dogs.

• Predator hunting.

• Trapping.

• The use of trail or game cameras. 

• Offroad and shoreline mechanized travel. 

• Drone use.

• Camping, to include vehicle or tent, and fires, except that camping is permitted in the North Unit parking area only.

• Bird dog training using game birds - wild and/or captive-reared.

• Geocaching.

• Collecting or removal of any wildlife, parts thereof, nests, natural and cultural items.

• Fireworks and/or their possession.

• Target shooting - archery or firearm.

Firearms

Persons possessing, transporting, or carrying firearms on National Wildlife Refuge System lands must comply with all provisions of State and local law. Persons may only use (discharge) firearms in accordance with refuge regulations (50 CFR 27.42 and specific refuge regulations in 50 CFR Part 32). 

Firearms may only be fired in conjunction with a legal hunt for which the hunter is licensed.

We ask that you please help make a difference and help protect Refuge lands and your wildlife resources. Please report wildlife violations and suspicious activity any time you see them to an officer. Every set of eyes and tips are helpful to officers. To report a violation, please email NWR_TIPs@fws.gov 24 hours a day or call:

NWR Violation Reporting Hotline: 1-844-FWS-TIPS (397-8477)
State hunting and fishing violations: 1-800-TIP-MONT (847-6668) 

In non-emergency events or for general law enforcement questions, contact the CMR Headquarters (406)-538-8706 and ask to be directed to the officer who works in the area where you have questions. Please be advised that our officers are usually in the field, so leaving messages in their direct voicemail is often the best way to get in touch with one.