Lee MetcalfHunting and Fishing |
Hunting and Fishing at Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in Montana. Published by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS).
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U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Lee Metcalf
National Wildlife Refuge
Hunting and Fishing
Hunting Regulations Table
Hunting is allowed in accordance with Federal and State regulations. The following Refuge-specifc regulations
must be followed and are listed in the table below. Turkey hunting and fshing are allowed in accordance with State
regulations, but do not have any Refuge-specifc regulations.
Activity
Season Dates Other Regulations
Waterfowl Coots, ducks,
geese
State regulations Hunting must occur from within an established blind. The use of a portable
apply
ground blind within the immediate area around feld blind #13 is allowed.
The waterfowl hunting area is closed to waterfowl hunting on Mondays
and Thursdays.
Each hunter must set the appropriate blind selector (metal fip tag) before and
after hunting.
Attempting to “reserve” a blind for use later in the day by depositing a vehicle or
other equipment on the refuge is prohibited. A hunter must be physically present
in the hunting area in order to use a blind.
No more than four hunters or individuals may use a blind at one time.
All hunters must have a visible means of retrieving waterfowl, such as a foat
tube, waders, or a dog capable of retrieving.
Falconry hunting is prohibited.
Big Game
Archery White-tailed
deer
State regulations Archery hunting in the waterfowl hunting area is allowed in September, except
apply
during the youth waterfowl hunt weekend. Archery hunting is allowed on
Mondays and Thursdays in the waterfowl hunting area during waterfowl hunting
season.
Use of portable tree stands or ground blinds is allowed. A tag displaying the
owner’s Automated Licensing System (ALS) number must be attached to each
tree stand and/or ground blind you place on the refuge. Hunters must use or
remove blinds every 72 hours.
Use of nails, screws or bolts to attach a stand to a tree, or hunting from a tree
into which metal has been driven to support a hunter is prohibited.
Hunters may not enter or retrieve deer from closed areas of the refuge without
the consent of an authorized offcial (Refuge Manager (406-777-5552) or Refuge
Law Enforcement Offcer (406-214-6415).
Organized drives prohibited. A “drive” is defned as an organized or planned
effort to pursue, drive, chase, or otherwise frighten or cause game to move in
the direction of any person(s) who is part of the organized or planned hunt and
known to be waiting for the game.
The Blue Goose is a symbol of the National
Wildlife Refuge System, a network of lands
and waters managed for the beneft of
wildlife and people.
Welcome
Welcome to Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge.
The Refuge is located along the Bitterroot River in
western Montana’s scenic and historic Bitterroot
Valley, surrounded by the Bitterroot and Sapphire
Mountain Ranges. Established in 1963 to provide
habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife, the
Refuge’s 2,800 acres are home to 235 species of birds,
37 species of mammals, and 17 species of reptiles and
amphibians.
General Information
The Refuge is open from dawn to dusk. Refuge
headquarters is open, when staffed, Monday through
Friday between 8:00 am and 4:30 pm, and is closed on
Federal holidays.
An accessible restroom is available at Refuge
headquarters during staffed operating hours. An
accessible outhouse is available in the Wildlife
Viewing Area, Waterfowl Hunting Area, and in the
overfow parking area, near the Refuge headquarters.
Refuge Regulations
The following is a list of prohibited activities that
apply to all visitors to the Refuge. Additional
regulations apply to hunting on the Refuge (see the
Hunting Information Table in this brochure). Please
report all violations to the Refuge Law Enforcement
Offcer (406-214-6415) or 1-800-TIP-MONT.
• The Refuge is open from dawn to dusk, except that
hunters may enter the Refuge no more than 2 hours
before legal hunting hours and must exit the Refuge
no more than 2 hours after legal hunting hours.
• Wildlife observation, scouting, or loitering in
the hunt areas (Only hunters actively engaged in
hunting may use the hunt areas).
• Accessing the hunt areas from other than a
designated hunter parking area (Hunters must enter
and exit the hunt area from the designated hunter
parking area).
• Use of motorized and mechanized vehicles, to
include bicycles, except on Wildfowl Lane and the
designated parking areas.
• Boat launching or take-out of any kind.
• Littering, to include leaving spent shot shells.
• Camping, overnight parking, and open fres.
• Target shooting.
• The use of electronic or photographic monitoring
cameras, commonly known as game cameras.
• Trail marking, to include the use of paint, tape, or
refecting markers.
Safety
The Kenai Nature Trail extends northward from the
Refuge headquarters for 1¼ miles to a turn-around
point on the bench directly west of the South
Rathbun hunter access point. The trail is open to
visitors from dawn to dusk. Visitors must stay on the
trail. Please exercise caution when hunting in this
trail area.
Accessibility
Equal opportunity to participate in and beneft from
programs and activities of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service is available to all individuals regardless of
physical or mental ability. For more information,
please contact the Refuge or the U.S. Department of
the Interior, Offce of Equal Opportunity, https://www.
doi.gov/pmb/eeo/public-civil-rights.
• Collecting or attempting to collect natural objects,
to include antlers, feathers, plants, or mushrooms.
• Pets must be on a leash and under control at all
times; however, dogs used for waterfowl hunting
may be on a leash or under the immediate control of
the hunter at all times.
• Possession or use of alcohol or controlled
substances while hunting.
• Possession or consumption of alcohol by persons
under the age of 21 years.
• Possession of drug paraphernalia, including any
instrument that facilitates the consumption of a
controlled substance.
Firearms
Persons possessing, transporting, or carrying
frearms on National Wildlife Refuge System lands
must comply with all provisions of State and local
law. Persons may only use (discharge) frearms in
accordance with refuge regulations (50 CFR 27.42 and
specifc refuge regulations in 50 CFR Part 32.)
Lee Metcalf National
Wildlife Refuge
4567 Wildfowl Lane
Stevensville, MT 59870
406-777-5552
leemetcalf@fws.gov
http://www.fws.gov/refuge/
lee_metcalf
Emergency Contact: 911
After hours law enforcement
contact: Ravalli County Sheriff’s
Offce (406-363-3033)
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
http://www.fws.gov
For State Transfer Relay Service
TTY / Voice:711
For Refuge Information
1-800-344-WILD
August 2020
To Florence
(6 miles)
2
Kalispell
15
93
90
2
Great Falls
Missoula
Helena
Butte
Lee Metcalf
NWR
90
Miles City
Billings
Bozeman
15
Pond 13
94
90
Pond 12
To Missoula
(25 miles)
Pond 11
203
93
Kenai
Nature
Trail
Ri
ve
r
Pond 10
ro o
t
Rathbun Lane
ter
Bit
Lee Metcalf
Pond 8
National Wildlife Refuge
Refuge boundary
93
203
U.S. route
Other route
Wildfowl Lane (county road)
Pond 5
To Hamilton
(23 miles)
2
Trail
8
5
Golf
Course
(Private
Property)
Refuge road (non-public)
3
Railroad
Water
7
Turkey hunt area
6
Closed to hunting
Waterfowl hunt area
1
10
Archery White-tailed deer hunt area
(Entire Refuge open to archery
hunting except areas marked as closed)
9
Waterfowl hunting blinds
15
( 3, 6, 8, 9, 10 and 15 are pit blinds )
203
Pond 2
Refuge headquarters
Accessible restroom
Wildlife
Viewing
Area
13
Fishing allowed in
wildlife viewing area only
11
12
Hunter access parking
14
N
To Stevensville
(1.5 miles)
0
To Stevensville
(2.2 miles)
.25
0
Miles
.5
.5
Kilometers
1
1
Hunting and Fishing
The Refuge is open to waterfowl (coots, ducks and
geese), turkey, archery white-tailed deer hunting, and
fshing. Hunters and anglers may only hunt and fsh in
the designated areas shown on the map or listed in
this brochure.
access designated locations in the archery deer hunting area to hunt from ground blinds. To reserve a blind or access
these areas, hunters must contact Refuge headquarters in advance (406-777-5552).
Hunting and fshing are allowed in accordance with
Federal and State regulations. Federal regulations
governing public use on National Wildlife Refuges are
set forth in Title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
Refuge-specifc hunting and fshing regulations for Lee
Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge are found in Title 50
Part 32.45 of the Code of Federal Regulations and in
the Hunting Regulations Table in this brochure. These
Refuge-specifc regulations are necessary to protect
wildlife and theirs habitats, as well as provide for a
safe experience for hunters, anglers, and visitors.
Waterfowl Hunting (Coot, duck, goose)
The Refuge is open to hunting coots, ducks and geese in accordance with Federal and State regulations (see RefugeSpecifc Hunting Regulations Table). Coot, duck, and goose may be hunted only from the established blinds in the
designated Waterfowl Hunting Area (see map).
Hunter access to the Refuge is allowed 2 hours before
legal sunrise until 2 hours after legal sunset.
Waterfowl hunters with a documented mobility
disability may reserve blind 2 or 7. Archery deer
hunters with a documented mobility disability may
Hunters and anglers must possess their hunting or fshing license(s) and photo identifcation in their immediate
possession at all times while on the refuge. Upon request of a law enforcement offcer, a hunter or angler must provide
the required hunting or fshing license.
Big Game Hunting (Archery White-tailed Deer)
The Refuge is open to archery white-tailed deer hunting except in those areas marked as closed, in accordance with
Federal and State regulations (see the brochure map and the Refuge-specifc Hunting Regulations Table).
Upland Game Hunting (Turkey)
The Refuge is open to hunting turkey in accordance with Federal and State regulations. Turkey may be hunted only from
Refuge lands west of the main channel of the Bitterroot River (see map). Access to Refuge lands west of the Bitterroot
River is from the Bass Creek or Poker Joe Fishing Access Site or the Ruffatto Block Management Area.
Fishing
The Refuge is open to fshing in accordance with Federal and State regulations. Fishing is allowed along Burnt Fork
Creek and the Bitterroot River in the Refuge’s Wildlife Viewing Area (see map).