US LAWS, STATUTES & CODES ON-LINE

A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. We allow hunting of mourning dove, woodcock, common snipe, Canada and snow goose, coot, and waterfowl listed in 50 CFR 10.13 under DUCKS on designated areas of the refuge in accordance with State regulations subject to the following conditions:

1. The refuge is a day-use area only, with the exception of legal hunting/fishing activities.

2. We prohibit the use of motorized off-road vehicles (e.g., ATVs) on the refuge (see §27.31(f) of this chapter).

3. We prohibit target practice with any weapon or nonhunting discharge of firearms (see §27.42 of this chapter).

4. We prohibit the use of horses and mules on refuge property during the State muzzleloader and modern gun deer hunts. We allow horseback riding on refuge roads and portions of the abandoned railroad tracks owned by the refuge for access purposes while engaged in wildlife activities. We prohibit horses and mules off these secondary access routes for any reason.

5. You must possess and carry a valid refuge permit while hunting and/or fishing on the refuge.

6. To retrieve or track game from a posted closed area of the refuge, the hunter must first request permission from the refuge manager at 270–527–5770 or the law enforcement officer at 270–703–2836.

7. We prohibit the use of flagging tape, reflective tacks, or nonbiodegradable devices used to identify paths to and mark tree stands, blinds, and other areas.

8. We close those portions of abandoned railroad tracks within the refuge boundary to vehicle access (see §27.31 of this chapter).

9. We prohibit discharge of firearms or carrying loaded firearms on or within 100 feet (90 m) of any home, the abandoned railroad tracks, graveled roads, and hiking trails.

10. We prohibit possession and/or use of herbicides (see §27.51 of this chapter).

11. We prohibit possession or use of alcoholic beverages while hunting (see §32.2(j)).

12. We prohibit the use of electronic calls with the exception for taking crow during crow season.

13. An adult, age 21 or older, must supervise all youth hunters, age 15 and under. Youth hunters must remain in sight and normal voice contact with the adult. On small game hunts, the adult may supervise no more than two youths; on big game hunts, the adult may supervise no more than one youth.

14. All persons born after January 1, 1975 must possess a valid hunter education card while hunting.

15. Waterfowl hunters must pick up decoys and equipment (see §§27.93 and 27.94 of this chapter), unload firearms (see §27.42(b) of this chapter), and be out of the field by 2 p.m. daily during the State waterfowl season.

16. You may only use portable or temporary blinds that must be removed (see §§27.93 and 27.94 of this chapter) from the refuge daily.

17. We close, as posted, the Sharpe-Elva Water Management Unit from November 1 through March 15 to all entry with the exception of drawn permit holders and their guests.

18. We only allow waterfowl hunting on the Sharpe-Elva Water Management Unit on specified Saturdays and Sundays during the State waterfowl season. We only allow hunting by individuals in possession of a refuge draw permit and their guests. State regulations and the following conditions apply:

i. Application procedures and eligibility requirements are available from the refuge office.

ii. We allow permit holders and up to three guests to hunt their assigned provided blind on the designated date. We prohibit guests in the blind without the attendance of the permit holder.

iii. We prohibit selling, trading, or bartering of permits. This permit is nontransferable.

iv. You may place decoys out Saturday morning at the beginning of the hunt, and you must remove them by Sunday at the close of the hunt (see §§27.93 and 27.94 of this chapter).

v. We prohibit watercraft in the Sharpe-Elva Water Management Unit, except for drawn permit holders to access their assigned blinds and retrieve downed birds as needed.

B. Upland Game Hunting. We allow hunting of squirrel, rabbit, quail, raccoon, opossum, crow, and coyote on designated areas of the refuge in accordance with State regulations subject to the following conditions:

1. Conditions A1 through A14 apply.

2. We close squirrel, rabbit, and quail seasons during muzzleloader and modern gun deer hunts.

3. You may not kill or cripple a wild animal without making a reasonable effort to retrieve the animal and harvest a reasonable portion of that animal and include it in your daily bag limit.

4. You may use only rimfire rifles, pistols, shotguns, and legal archery equipment for taking upland game.

5. We prohibit possession and use of lead ammunition, except that you may use rimfire rifle and pistol lead ammunition no larger than .22 caliber for upland game hunting.

6. You may hunt coyote during any daytime refuge hunt with weapons and ammunition allowed for that hunt.

C. Big Game Hunting. We allow hunting of white-tailed deer and turkey on designated areas of the refuge in accordance with State regulations subject to the following conditions:

1. Conditions A1 through A15 and B3 apply.

2. We only allow the use of portable and climbing stands. You may place stands in the field no earlier than 2 weeks prior to the opening of deer season, and you must remove them from the field within 1 week after the season closes (see §§27.93 and 27.94 of this chapter). The hunter's name and address must appear on all stands left in the field.

3. You must use safety belts at all times when occupying the tree stands.

4. We prohibit organized deer drives of two or more hunters. We define “drive” as: the act of chasing, pursuing, disturbing, or otherwise directing deer so as to make animals more susceptible to harvest.

D. Sport Fishing. We allow fishing and frogging on designated areas of the refuge in accordance with State regulations subject to the following conditions:

1. Conditions A1 through A15 apply.

Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge

Refer to §32.68 West Virginia for regulations.

Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge

A. Migratory Game Bird Hunting. [Reserved]

B. Upland Game Hunting. We allow hunting of squirrel and raccoon on the refuge in accordance with State regulations subject to the following conditions:

1. The refuge is a day-use area only, with the exception of legal hunting/fishing activities.

2. We prohibit the use of motorized off-road vehicles (e.g., ATVs) on the refuge (see §27.31(f) of this chapter).

3. We set season dates and bag limits annually and publish them in the refuge public use regulations available at the refuge office.

4. You must possess and carry a valid refuge permit and report game taken as specified within the permit.

5. We allow hunters to access the refuge no more than 2 hours before legal sunrise and no more than 2 hours after legal sunset with the exception of raccoon hunters, who we will allow access from 7 p.m. to 12 a.m. (midnight).

6. All youth hunters age 15 and younger must remain within sight and normal voice contact of an adult age 21 or older, possessing a license. One adult hunter may supervise no more than two youth hunters.

C. Big Game Hunting. We allow hunting for white-tailed deer and turkey on the refuge in accordance with State regulations subject to the following conditions:

1. Conditions B1 through B6 apply.

2. You may only participate in the refuge firearms deer and turkey hunts with a special quota permit issued through random drawing. You may obtain information on permit applications at the refuge headquarters.

3. You may only possess approved nontoxic shot while turkey hunting on the refuge (see §32.2(k)).

4. We only allow the use of portable blinds and tree stands on the refuge. You must remove blinds, tree stands, and all other personal equipment from the refuge at the end of each day (see §27.93 of this chapter).

D. Sport Fishing. We allow fishing on the refuge in accordance with State regulations subject to the following conditions:

1. We allow access to the Long Point Unit (north of Upper Blue Basin) for fishing from March 16 through November 14, and the Grassy Island Unit (south of Upper Blue Basin) for fishing from February 1 through November 14.

2. We allow fishing on the refuge from legal sunrise to legal sunset.

3. We prohibit taking of frog or turtle on the refuge (see §27.21 of this chapter).

4. We prohibit airboats, hovercraft, or personal watercraft (Jet Skis) on any waters within the refuge boundary.