Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge

Access to the refuge trails and lands are open half an hour before sunrise until half an hour after sunset, unless otherwise posted. Do not enter areas are signed as closed.

To help meet the primary refuge purpose of providing valuable habitat for migratory waterfowl and other wildlife, the Louisa and Keithsburg divisions are closed September 15 to December 31. The Horseshoe Bend Division is closed September 15 to November 30.

• Bicycling is allowed on refuge roads, unless otherwise posted
• Hiking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are allowed on the refuge
• Canoeing and kayaking are allowed
• Mushroom and berry picking is allowed for personal consumption only - not for any commercial use

We prohibit:

• Target shooting
• Training pets and allowing pets off leash
• All types of motorized vehicles on all refuge land, including on frozen bodies of water, except on designated parking areas, access roads and public roads
• Off road vehicles
• Use of drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles, including taking off, landing and / or flying on or over refuge lands
• Launching, landing or disturbing of wildlife by aircraft, includes drones, on the refuge - this includes for recreational or commercial purposes
• All state and federal no wake regulations apply
• Camping, open fires and overnight parking and mooring
• Abandoning, discarding or otherwise leaving any personal property. All property brought onto a refuge must be removed at the end of each day. This includes all common items like vehicles, boats, decoys, trail cameras, blinds, geocaching items, photography equipment, portable stands, climbing equipment and ice fishing shelters.
• Destructing, defacing, disturbing or unauthorized removal of any natural object, artifact, cultural resource or government property with the exception of berries and mushrooms for personal consumption
• Introducing, liberating or placing plants or animals, or their parts, taken from lands or waters off the refuge and placing them on or in refuge lands or waters
• Disposing of animal carcasses, trash, refuse, rocks, wood or other debris
• Cutting, mowing, sawing, digging, collecting, injuring or removing vegetation
• Commercial enterprise without a special use permit
• Use or possession of any illegal drug or drug paraphernalia is prohibited

Big Timber Division

• White-tailed deer, migratory bird and spring turkey hunting are allowed in accordance with state seasons and regulations
• Upland game hunting, which includes small game, furbearers, turkey and game birds, except for migratory birds, is allowed in accordance with state seasons and regulations September 1 to February 28.

Horseshoe Bend Division

• Closed to all public access September 15 to November 30
• Big game hunting is allowed beginning December 1
• Upland game hunting which includes small game, furbearers, turkey and game birds, except for migratory birds, is allowed September 1 to September 14 and December 1 to February 28, in accordance with state seasons and regulations
• Spring turkey hunting is allowed in accordance with state seasons and regulations
• Closed to migratory bird hunting

Louisa Division

• Closed to hunting

Keithsburg Division

• Squirrel hunting is allowed from the beginning of the state season until September 15
• Closed to migratory bird and big game hunting

Iowa River Corridor

• White-tailed deer and migratory bird hunting are allowed in accordance with state seasons and regulations

General Hunting Regulations

• Where upland game hunting is approved on the refuge hunters using shotguns, including turkey hunters, are required to use and possess only non-toxic shot
• During the upland game and migratory bird seasons, hunting dogs must be under the immediate control of the hunter
• Hunters must wear the appropriate amount of blaze orange consistent with Iowa state regulations
• We prohibit constructing or occupying permanent stands or blinds. We also prohibit the use of nails, wire, screws or bolts to attach a stand to a tree or hunting from a tree, into which a metal object has been driven to support a hunter. Portable hunting stands must be set up and removed each day.
• We prohibit the use or possession of alcoholic beverages while hunting
• We prohibit distribution of feed or bait or hunting over bait - this includes salts and minerals
• Nighttime hunting of furbearers is not allowed
• You may not use a spotlight, headlight or other artificial light to spot, locate or take any wild animal in a national wildlife refuge national wildlife refuge
  A national wildlife refuge is typically a contiguous area of land and water managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service  for the conservation and, where appropriate, restoration of fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.
  
  Learn more about national wildlife refuge
• We encourage hunters to use non-toxic ammunition for all hunting

• Trapping is allowed only in the Iowa River Corridor according to state regulations
• Trapping on all other parts of the refuge is done for management purposes to remove nuisance beaver and is done by special use permit only

Big Timber Division and the Iowa River Corridor

• Sport fishing is allowed all year in accordance with state seasons and regulations except where otherwise posted

Horseshoe Bend Division

• Fishing is allowed December 1 to September 14, in accordance with state seasons and regulations
• Motor boats are allowed for fishing only during the periods when flood water enables access from the river over the levee

Louisa Division

• Fishing is allowed January 1 to September 14, with the exception of the boat ramp and fishing pier access at the inlet structure structure
  Something temporarily or permanently constructed, built, or placed; and constructed of natural or manufactured parts including, but not limited to, a building, shed, cabin, porch, bridge, walkway, stair steps, sign, landing, platform, dock, rack, fence, telecommunication device, antennae, fish cleaning table, satellite dish/mount, or well head.
  
  Learn more about structure , and is in accordance with state seasons and regulations

Keithsburg Division

• Fishing is allowed January 1 to September 15, with exception of the Spring Slough parking area which is open to fishing all year. A sign is present to designate the closed area boundary beyond the gate.

General Fishing Regulations

• We prohibit the taking of any mussels or clams, crayfishes, leeches, frogs, toads, salamanders, snakes, lizards, turtles and other non-fish species by any method on the refuge

• We prohibit all types of motorized vehicles on frozen water bodies