Plum Tree Island National Wildlife Refuge
Drawn from a named source but not independently confirmed. Double-check before relying on it.
Access structure (3 blinds, Cow Island only, boat access only, no scouting) is a direct quote/paraphrase from a live WebFetch of the refuge's own hunting page. Marked 'unverified' rather than 'verified' specifically because the season dates that page states are dated for 2025-2026, not this project's standard 2026-2027 season year — the access rules themselves are current, but the exact current-season dates need reconfirming directly with the refuge before relying on them. This is Poquoson's first seeded waterfowl-hunting area, closing a real municipality gap identified in WATERFOWL_COMPLETION_PLAN.md's audit.
Important closure/boundary detail: Directly confirmed via USFWS's own refuge hunting page: hunting is permitted only from 3 designated stationary blinds on the Cow Island tract; harvestable species are duck, coot, merganser, brant, dark goose, and light goose. General land access for scouting is not authorized — hunters may only access their assigned blind. No hunting during the September Teal season or the early-October season segments. The dates directly fetched from the refuge's own page (November 19-30, 2025 and Dec. 19, 2025-January 31, 2026) are for the 2025-2026 season, not yet confirmed updated for 2026-2027 — reconfirm current dates directly before planning a hunt.
- Managing authority
- Plum Tree Island National Wildlife Refuge (USFWS)
- City / county
- Poquoson
- Location precision
- A specific named place, as published by the source below — not a precise coordinate.
- Blind program
- Licensed stationary blinds
- Boat access only
- Yes, for at least part of the area
Habitat & species context
A former Air Force gunnery/bombing range on the York River/Chesapeake Bay near Poquoson, now managed as a refuge. Waterfowl hunting is confined entirely to the 211-acre Cow Island unit — the only part of the refuge open to hunters — via three designated stationary blinds, per USFWS's own refuge hunting page.
Major restrictions
- Only 3 designated stationary blinds on the Cow Island unit are open to hunting — the remainder of the refuge, a former bombing range, is closed to entry and may still contain unexploded ordnance.
- Hunters may only access their assigned blind location; general refuge scouting or land access is not authorized.
- Boat access only — no walk-in access to Cow Island.
Last reviewed 2026-08-10.
Boundaries, permit systems, and closures can change. Confirm current rules directly at the managing authority's own page before hunting, and see Licensing & Regulations →