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A landscape photo of a spring day in the new acquisition. The sky is sunny and blue with shimmering, heavy, silver clouds. The ground has short grass and is shiny with mud from recent snow melt. The land hosts scattered sagebrush plants, a dense, white aspen stand, round, dark-green rocky mountain junipers, and tall, green conifer trees in the background.
Hunting at Grays Lake

With hunting season for big game right around the corner, we would like to share some information and hopefully answer some questions about the newly acquired property at Grays Lake National Wildlife Refuge. 

Last fall, the USFWS acquired nearly 2,500 acres of habitat on the northeast portion of Grays Lake thanks to generous support from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Naturally, we have been getting lots of questions about whether and when this unit will be open for big game hunting, and, unfortunately, it will not be open this fall. The current hunt plan for Grays Lake NWR covers hunting for ducks, geese, coots and mergansers, with all other wildlife being classified as protected. Hunting for these approved species is currently permitted on all refuge lands north of Bear Island, including 680 acres of the new property (west of Grays Lake Rd). With this recent acquisition, we plan to incorporate big game into a revised hunt plan, but this process will take time and will include a public comment period. We will continue to share updates until the new plan has been finalized and approved. 

Grays Lake National Wildlife Refuge is located in Southeast Idaho, 30 miles north of Soda Springs, Idaho. The Refuge was created to protect a portion of the historic Grays Lake, a high elevation 22,000 acre bulrush marsh that hosts the largest breeding population of sandhill cranes in North America.

Visit Us

Aerial view of a high elevation bulrush marsh, surrounded by forested hills.
Image Details

From photography to hiking, there are many wonderful adventures to experience at Grays Lake! The Refuge is a considerable distance from most amenities, and visitors should plan accordingly.

Location and Contact Information

      About Us

      11 sandhill cranes in flight with wings outstretched, with only the sky in the background. The cranes are all flying to the left and the sky is a mix of periwinkle blue and thin white clouds.
      Image Details

      The large expansive wetland habitats within this montane marsh attract numerous bird species, including waterfowl, shorebirds, and wading birds, including the largest breeding concentration of Sandhill cranes in North America. The Service has documented almost 250 species of birds on the Refuge, of which approximately 100 species known to nest within its boundaries. The Refuge provides significant habitat for breeding waterfowl in the late spring and early summer, and nesting habitat for colonial birds, including a large mixed colony of white-faced ibis and Franklin鈥檚 gulls.

      Our Species

      Cranes use Grays Lake as a stopover site during their migration and a segment of the Rocky Mountain Population nests and rears colts along the edges of the marsh. Refuge staff manage habitats to provide for the life requirements of these birds. 

      Get Involved

      National wildlife refuges provide many opportunities for you to help your community by doing what you love. National wildlife refuges partner with volunteers, youth groups, landowners, neighbors and residents of urban and coastal communities to make a lasting difference.