Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge

The Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Complex announced their fall 2023 and winter 2024 hunt season for Tule Lake and Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuges.

At Tule Lake NWR, dry field waterfowl hunting begins with a youth-only hunt September 23-24, and continues with the general season from October 7 - January 17 from one half hour before sunrise and ending at 1pm PT daily.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Upland bird hunting for pheasant will also be permitted on dry field areas only at Tule Lake refuge from November 11 - December 24, 8am to 1pm PT each day.

Hunt area maps are currently being updated and will be posted on the Tule Lake NWR website and refuge social media pages prior to the youth waterfowl days.

There will be no waterfowl or upland bird hunting at Lower Klamath NWR for the entire 2023-2024 season.

Please see the news release below.

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Lower Klamath and Tule Lake refuges announce updates to 2023-24 hunt season 

Tulelake, California— The Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Complex is announcing the fall 2023 and winter 2024 waterfowl and upland game bird hunt plans for Tule Lake and Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuges.   

At Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge, public waterfowl hunting will be offered on dryland units for the 2023-2024 season. 

• A special youth-only hunt is scheduled for September 23 – 24. 
   
• The general waterfowl season begins October 7 and continues through January 17. Canada geese may be hunted from October 7 through January 14, and white geese (snow, white-fronted) season is from October 7 to December 3, and January 4 to January 17.  
• A late season white goose hunt may be available and will be announced after the first of the year.   
• Hunting for ducks and geese at Tule Lake Refuge will begin one half hour before sunrise until 1:00 p.m. PT each day. Hunters are cautioned that access to these fields is limited to walk-in only and may be difficult to strenuous in some areas. Hunters are advised to scout the area ahead of the hunt season, and plan accordingly.  
   
• Pheasant hunting will be allowed on dry field areas only at Tule Lake Refuge from November 11 through December 24, from 8:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. PT daily. For more details on pheasant season, please visit the California Department of Fish and Wildlife at: https://wildlife.ca.gov/Hunting/Upland-Game-Birds 

For more information, season dates and regulations for the northeastern California zone waterfowl hunt seasons please visit: https://www.eregulations.com/california/hunting/waterfowl-hunting-seasons 

On the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge, public waterfowl and upland game bird hunting will be closed during the entire fall 2023 and winter 2024 season.  

• This closure includes general seasons, special group waterfowl hunts (youth, veterans, women) and late season duck and goose hunts. 

While the decision to close or limit a hunt season on these refuges is difficult, it is made while considering what is best for an already stressed habitat and resources. The priority of the 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 system has always been wildlife conservation.  

Our decision to close both waterfowl and upland bird season on Lower Klamath and only offer a dryland waterfowl and pheasant hunt on Tule Lake for 2023-2024 was based on the fourth consecutive year of limited to no available water, resulting in lack of quality habitat necessary to provide both the required sanctuary for birds and to support hunting.  

For both Tule Lake and Lower Klamath, refuge managers will continue to evaluate conditions throughout the season and may use their discretion in adjusting the hunt plans based on winter precipitation, water availability and wildlife conservation goals. 

For the most current refuge information and 2023-2024 hunt area map please visit the refuge website at: www.fws.gov/refuge/tule-lake/visit-us/activities/hunting or on our social media page at: www.facebook.com/KlamathBasinRefuges 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service works with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. For more information about our work and the people who make it happen, visit https://www.fws.gov/cno/ or connect with us via Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Flickr.  

-FWS-