Grasslands Wildlife Management Area was established in 1979 and is located in western Merced County, California, within the San Joaquin River basin. Unlike typical national wildlife refuges, the Grasslands WMA is composed mostly of privately-owned lands on which perpetual conservation easements for the benefit of wildlife have been established between landowners and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Grasslands WMA consists of 94,576 acres of perpetual conservation easements on private lands. Of this total acreage, 11,150.6 acres of Service-owned fee-title land are managed as part of the San Luis National Wildlife Refuge, and 4,497.7 acres are managed as part of the Merced National Wildlife Refuge. The Grasslands WMA is the largest concentrated easement program for wildlife in the State of California. Information about the Service-owned fee-title refuge units (shown on the map) can be found on the San Luis NWR website (for West Bear Creek, East Bear Creek, and Blue Goose units) and the Merced NWR website (for Arena Plains and Snobird units).
Accepting Public Comments on Proposed Hunt Program Changes

The refuge is seeking public review and comment on a proposed hunting plan that would formally open waterfowl hunting and other migratory and upland game bird hunting on 3,102 acres. The public is invited to review the draft documents, including the draft hunt plan, compatibility determination as appropriate, and NEPA compliance documentation. . 

The comment period will stay open for 45-days from May 15 through June 30, 2025.  Please submit your comments directly through the . 

Location and Contact Information

      About Us

      A male northern shoveler duck preening.
      Image Details
      The northern shoveler is one of the most abundant species of ducks in the Grasslands. 漏 Gary R. Zahm

      Grasslands Wildlife Management Area (WMA) was established in 1979 and is located in western Merced County, California within the San Joaquin River basin. Unlike typical national wildlife refuges, Grasslands WMA is comprised mostly of privately-owned lands on which perpetual conservation easements for the benefit of wildlife have been established between landowners and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The wildlife management area wildlife management area
      For practical purposes, a wildlife management area is synonymous with a national wildlife refuge or a game preserve. There are nine wildlife management areas and one game preserve in the National Wildlife Refuge System.

      Learn more about wildlife management area       consists mostly of individual private lands and as these lands are privately-held, there is no public access onto them. Grasslands WMA includes several fee-title refuge units shown on the map; information about those units can be found on the San Luis National Wildlife Refuge website (for West Bear Creek, East Bear Creek, Blue Goose units) and the Merced National Wildlife Refuge website (for Arena Plains, Snobird units).For public visitation opportunities, please explore the San Luis NWR, Merced NWR, and San Joaquin River NWR.