Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge: hunting and access
Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge is 9,041 acres open to public hunting in Pike and Gibson counties, next to Winslow, managed by the DNR's Division of Fish and Wildlife. Hunters took 1,482 deer in Pike County in 2025.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: the DNR's DNR property open to hunting data, read 2026-10. Harvest: Indiana DNR deer reports, 2021 to 2025.
Properties open to public hunting (DNR map)National wildlife refugesOther DNR landCounty, city and regional landPatoka River National Wildlife RefugeCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 9,041 acres in 33 pieces |
|---|---|
| Counties | Pike County and Gibson County |
| Deer harvest unit | Pike County, Gibson County |
| DNR lists for hunting | Duck, Dove, Quail, Pheasant, Rabbit, Squirrel, Deer, Turkey, Woodcock, Fox, Coyote and Raccoon |
| Managed by | the DNR's Division of Fish and Wildlife |
| DNR contact | Patoka River NWR 812-749-3199 |
| Nearest towns | Winslow (next to it), Velpen (next to it) and Glezen (next to it) |
What can you hunt on Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge?
In the DNR's words: Duck, geese, coot, rail, snipe, dove, quail, pheasant, rabbit, squirrel, deer, turkey, woodcock. Permit required for fox, coyote, raccoon and opossum.
What are the rules on Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge?
Antlerless deer may not be taken with a firearm during the firearms season on DNR Fish and Wildlife properties and at Mississinewa, Patoka and Salamonie lakes (DNR).
Indiana's statewide bag limit is 1 antlered and 6 antlerless deer, within each county's antlerless limit (DNR).
How many deer are taken around Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge?
Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge lies in 2 counties. Hunters took 1,482 deer in Pike County in 2025, against 1,477 in 2024.
| County | Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pike County | 6,115 | 1,482 | 1,477 | 1,590 |
| Gibson County | 2,926 | 1,273 | 1,287 | 1,246 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the property alone: Indiana DNR White-tailed Deer Reports (2021 to 2025 seasons, Table 3-4).
How do you get to Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge?
Nearest towns: Winslow (next to it), Velpen (next to it), Glezen (next to it) and Oakland City (next to it). Highways within 5 miles: I-69.
What other public land is near Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge?
Properties open to public hunting within 10 miles:
- Pike State Forest: 5,033 acres, next to it
- Sugar Ridge Fish and Wildlife Area: 8,907 acres, next to it
- Interlake Off-Road State Recreation Area: 3,652 acres, 5.9 miles away
- Barnes-Seng Wetland Conservation Area: 179 acres, 8 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge
Counting Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge itself, 19,384 of the 129,872 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (14.9%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's public hunting property boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| Properties open to public hunting (DNR map) | 18,552 |
| National wildlife refuges | 690 |
| County, city and regional land | 76 |
| Other DNR land | 66 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge?
In Pike and Gibson counties, next to Winslow.
What can you hunt on Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge?
The DNR lists: Duck, geese, coot, rail, snipe, dove, quail, pheasant, rabbit, squirrel, deer, turkey, woodcock. Permit required for fox, coyote, raccoon and opossum.
How much public land is around Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge?
19,384 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's public hunting property boundaries. The closest other public hunting property is Pike State Forest (next to it).
Get a Indiana hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Indiana are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Indiana included.
Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: Indiana DNR properties with public hunting (managed lands layer).
- Boundary and acres: the DNR's map layer above. Surrounding public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public) and the DNR's public hunting property boundaries.
- Deer harvest: Indiana DNR White-tailed Deer Reports (2021 to 2025 seasons, Table 3-4).
FilledTag is not part of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Check the DNR's rules and posted signs before you go.