Known locally as the “Shiawassee Flats,” the refuge lies within the Saginaw Bay watershed, historically one of the largest wetland areas in Michigan. Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge is designated as a United States Important Bird Area for its global significance to migratory waterfowl. Each fall migratory birds, including Canada geese and mallard ducks, are hunted through a high-quality lottery hunt. The refuge offers a multitude of scramble zones that are hunted four days of the week (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday). The refuge can accommodate 16 parties with up to 4 hunters each. The refuge also hosts a thriving deer population, making for a popular lottery hunt (archery, limited firearm and muzzleloader). The deer hunt offers opportunity hunts for youth and disabled hunters. Upland game hunting can be enjoyed at the refuge. The refuges offers hunting of turkey (spring only), small game (eastern fox squirrel, eastern cottontail, ring-necked pheasant, American woodcock, and American crow) and furbearers (raccoon, coyote and red fox) on designated areas, in accordance with State regulations. The refuge honors the heritage of hunting for current and future generations of Americans.
For more information on the 2024 Reserved Deer Hunt, please refer to the Michigan DNR website for RESERVED DEER HUNTS
For information on permits and lotteries, please refer to Michigan DNR eLicense
Open house days are an opportunity for ALL VISITORS to explore off trails and traditionally closed areas of the refuge. Hunters typically use this as a scouting weekend. You may access the refuge at any access point (including hunter parking lots). The following dates are open house days in 2024:
- Aug. 30th - Sept. 2nd
- Sept. 20th - Sept. 22nd
Dates for the 2024 Deer Hunting Season:
- Sept. 14-15th (Youth Hunt)
- Oct. 1-7th
- Nov. 1-7th
- Nov. 15-16th
- Nov. 17-18th
- Nov. 20-24th
- Nov. 25-30th
- Dec. 6-12th
- Dec. 20-26th
Hunters must follow all State of Michigan hunting regulations.
2024 Shiawassee Waterfowl Lottery Hunt (Click here for the full 2024 information sheet)
The 2024 Waterfowl hunt at Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is conducted through a self-registered lottery system and will occur during the State of Michigan regular waterfowl season for the southern zone (October 12th – December 8th). Hunts will be held on the mornings of Tuesday, Saturday, Sunday, and an afternoon starting at noon on Thursday. A maximum of 16 parties; parties may range from one to four hunters all of whom must be pre-registered will be selected for each hunt. A weekly draw will be conducted at each Wednesday for the upcoming Thursday afternoon, Saturday morning, Sunday morning, and Tuesday morning hunts. The first drawing will be held on October 9th and run through Wednesday December 4th, 2024. All applications must be received by 11:00 a.m., results will be available by 2:00 p.m. by calling 989-607-6056. To participate, all hunt parties must self-register through one of the following methods:
A) Register By Email: Hunters must complete a Shiawassee NWR waterfowl hunt registration form with information for all members of your hunting party and email the completed form to shiawassee_waterfowl@fws. gov. You must complete a form for each day that you are applying to hunt.
OR
B)Register on-site at the Waterfowl Hunt Registration Kiosk (Shiawassee Refuge Headquarters Office, 6975 Mower Road, Saginaw MI). The kiosk has a box labeled for each upcoming hunt day. A completed hunt registration form (forms available at the kiosk) must be placed in the box(es) representing the day(s) you are applying to hunt.
For Specific Hunting Rules and Policies
| Activity | Season/Access | Hunting Area | Special Regulations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deer Youth | State Regulations Access permitted 2 hours before/after legal hunting hours (See MI hunting Digest) | White-tailed Deer Hunting Area | Reserved hunt only. Lottery administered through MDNR. Hunters must possess the appropriate access permit AND appropriate deer license(s) to harvest deer in DMU 273.) |
| Deer Non-Ambulatory (Accessible Hunt) | State Regulations Access permitted 2 hours before/after legal hunting hours (See MI hunting Digest) | White-tailed Deer Hunting Area | Reserved hunt only. Lottery administered through MDNR. Hunters must possess the appropriate access permit AND appropriate deer license(s) to harvest deer in DMU 273.) Special hunt administered November 15-18th. |
| Archery Deer | State Regulations Access permitted 2 hours before/after legal hunting hours (See MI hunting Digest) | White-tailed Deer Hunting Area | Reserved hunt only. Lottery administered through MDNR. Hunters must possess the appropriate access permit AND appropriate deer license(s) to harvest deer in DMU 273.) |
| Muzzleloader Deer | State Regulations Access permitted 2 hours before/after legal hunting hours (See MI hunting Digest) | White-tailed Deer Hunting Area | Reserved hunt only. Lottery administered through MDNR. Hunters must possess the appropriate access permit AND appropriate deer license(s) to harvest deer in DMU 273.) |
| Limited Firearms Deer | State Regulations Access permitted 2 hours before/after legal hunting hours (See MI hunting Digest) | White-tailed Deer Hunting Area | Reserved hunt only. Lottery administered through MDNR. Hunters must possess the appropriate access permit AND appropriate deer license(s) to harvest deer in DMU 273.) |
| Migratory Bird | (Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday) during regular goose season after September 30th. Access permitted 2-hours before legal shooting time. Legal shooting time starts ½-hour before sunrise. | Waterfowl Hunting Areas | Self-registered reserved hunt, by lottery only. You may possess no more than 25 shotgun shells while hunting migratory birds. Must possess and use only non-toxic shot. We allow hunting with dogs |
| Small Game and Furbearers | ½-hour before legal sunrise to ½-hour after legal sunset | Small Game and Furbearer Hunting Areas | We allow hunting with dogs in accordance with State regulations. Training of dogs is not allowed. For raccon hunting dogs must wear GPS or radio collars |
| Turkey Hunting | State spring season Only 2-hour before legal shooting time | Spring Turkey Hunt Area | Must possess and carry a State of Michigan license. No refuge permit is required. |
| Fishing(boat) | State Regulations | Navigable waterways (boat) | Must possess and carry a State of Michigan license. |
| Fishing (bank) | ) State Regulations Legal sunrise to legal sunset only | Tittabawassee and Cass Rivers - designated areas | Must possess and carry a State of Michigan license. |
