John H. Chafee National Wildlife Refuge Hunting plan as of summer 2020.

Hunting has historically occurred in the Narrow River Watershed. More recently it has become an effective ecological management tool. Privately held tracts of land within the Narrow River Watershed have allowed hunting on an individual property basis, U.S Fish. and Wildlife Service (USFWS) approved Hunting and Fishing within the John H. Chafee National Wildlife Refuge in 2020. All hunting, firearms and archery, is permitted in accordance with RIDEM Hunting Regulations. In addition, each town has their own ordnances for hunting and firearms, including written permission of the property owner or tenant to be countersigned by the Town chief of police.

Narrow River Preservation Association (NRPA) supports fair and respectful use of the land. We want to ensure that ALL patrons understand the rules and regulations as written. Please continue to educate yourselves on these restrictions so that we can ALL continue to protect and manage our precious natural resources for generations to come.

Hunting Regulations

Hunting requirements throughout the watershed, private property and the John H. Chafee National Wildlife Refuge are listed on the RIDEM Hunting and Trapping regulations website:
http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/bnatres/fishwild/pdf/huntabs.pdf

The Hunting Regulations include:

All Hunters must have a valid RI State Hunting License (RIDEM), which requires a hunter education course.
All archery hunters for deer, turkey, coyote and fox must have a state archery proficiency certification.
Firearms cannot be discharged within 500 feet of an occupied dwelling.
Archery shooting cannot be within 200 feet of an occupied dwelling.
Waterfowl hunting must be below the mean high tide line from foot, boat or duck blind.
Hunting is allowed ½ hour before sunrise and sunset, or ½ hour after sunset depending on the animal hunted.
Firearm hunting in RI is limited to shotgun and muzzle loaders.

RIDEM Hunting Regulations do not allow hunting within hunt safety zones. Hunters may not discharge weapons into, from, or within a hunt safety zone. Safety zones for archery hunting include areas within 200 feet of an occupied dwelling or public road. For firearms, all areas within 500 feet of an occupied dwelling or public road. Hunters may pass through safety zones on their way to hunt-able lands but must not have arrows knocked or firearms loaded within safety zones. Some, but not all safety zones are marked in the field. It is the hunter’s responsibility to know where safety zones are located.

RIDEM is responsible for the enforcement of the hunting regulations throughout the watershed. They staff a 24-hour hotline, 401-222-3070, to report violations of the state’s wide-ranging environmental laws, and any inappropriate activities should be reported there.

John H. Chafee National Wildlife Refuge

The US Fish and Wildlife Service approved Hunting and Fishing within the John H. Chafee National Wildlife Refuge within the Narrow River Watershed in September 2020. Over 500 acres within the refuge were opened to hunting. Hunting of migratory birds, white-tailed deer, wild turkey, coyote and fox are allowed between September 2020 and January 2021, per Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) State Regulations.

RI Hunting Licenses are required to hunt, and each hunter must download, sign and carry a refuge hunting brochure for each season to serve as written permission to access the refuge units for hunting. The hunting of white-tailed deer, wild turkey, coyote and fox is limited to archery in designated areas within the Refuge for the 2020 Hunting season.Waterfowl hunting with firearms is permitted in 2020. The approved U.S Fish and Wildlife Service Hunting and Fishing Plan will be assessed by USFWS annually and adjustments to the plan may be implemented and communicated to the public.

Fishing

Saltwater fishing is now permitted along ~1,600 feet of shoreline on the north bank of the Narrow River near the Sprague Bridge per the RIDEM Saltwater Recreational Fishing Regulations.