National Wildlife Refuge · South Dakota · FWS Region 6

Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Located in Brown County, South Dakota, Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with about 19,755 acres of land owned in fee by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For the 2026–2027 season the refuge has 3 mapped hunt units: 2 open with special regulations and 1 closed, covering about 19,546 huntable acres.

2 with special regs1 closedYouth hunts
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
3hunt units
19.5Khuntable acres
19.8KFWS-owned acres
2game categories

Sand Lake NWR hunt unit map

Hunt units are colored by 2026–2027 status. Toggle layers for FWS-owned land, the approved refuge boundary and private easements. Use satellite imagery to scout marshes, timber edges and access points.

Loading interactive map…
OpenSpecial regulationsClosedFWS-owned landWPA (public)Refuge boundaryEasement (private) Tip: switch to Satellite or USGS Topo in the layer menu · click the map for GPS coordinates
Take it into the field: KML (Google Earth / onX) GPX waypoints GeoJSON

Hunting at Sand Lake NWR

Hunters can pursue big game and upland birds here, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules. Fishing is available — freshwater fishing. Special youth hunting opportunities are offered.

Deer, ring-necked pheasant, sharp-tailed grouse, and gray partridge may be hunted on Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge in accordance with South Dakota state regulations.

Youth hunting

The refuge is open for a youth waterfowl hunt.

All refuges with youth hunts →
Big GameWhite-tailed and mule deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, bear and other large mammalsUpland BirdsPheasant, quail, grouse, prairie chicken and partridge

Categories are those listed by USFWS for this station; exact species, seasons and bag limits follow South Dakota regulations plus refuge-specific rules.

Hunt units (3)

Acreage by status
Special regulations: 19,546 (99%)Closed: 199 (1%)19.5Khuntable acres
  • Special regulations19,546 ac 99%
  • Closed199 ac 1%
Units by size (acres)
Restricted A
18,441 ac
Restricted B
1,105 ac
Black Shaded
199 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Restricted A
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 18,441 — 🧒 The refuge is open for a youth waterfowl hunt.
Restricted B
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 1,105 — 🧒 The refuge is open for a youth waterfowl hunt.
Black Shaded
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 199 — 🧒 The refuge is open for a youth waterfowl hunt.

Sand Lake NWR by the numbers

With about 19,546 huntable acres, Sand Lake NWR ranks #4 of 11 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in South Dakota and #118 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 99% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is Restricted A (18,441 acres, special regulations), while the smallest, Restricted B, covers 1,105 acres.

1 unit totaling 199 acres is closed to hunting (Black Shaded). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

Besides 19,755 acres of federally owned land, the station administers conservation easements on about 3,468 acres of private land. Easement land protects habitat but is not open to public hunting.

6 Waterfowl Production Areas lie within 35 miles; the closest is Heis WPA (33 acres, 7 miles NW).

When to hunt Sand Lake NWR

Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. South Dakota sets the exact dates, and refuges often open fewer days than the statewide season — use this to plan scouting, then confirm the 2026–2027 dates in the state regulations and the refuge hunt brochure.

Typical season windows — Big Game, Upland Birds
AugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun
🦌 Big Game
Archery deerFirearm deer
🐦 Upland Birds
Pheasant, quail, grouse

Permits & licenses

Refuge permit

Not listed

USFWS does not list a separate refuge permit for this station. Specific units or hunts (e.g. quota deer hunts) may still require one — check the hunt brochure.

You'll also need

  • A valid South Dakota hunting license and any required tags or stamps — South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks
  • Hunter education certification where your state requires it
  • The current refuge hunt brochure / regulations (often must be signed and carried)

Fishing at Sand Lake NWR

  • 🐟 Freshwater fishing

Sand Lake offers year-round fishing at five specified locations around the refuge. These include the Bridge Crossing Area; Hecla Day Use Area; Bridge Crossing Area on State Hwy. 10; Bridge Crossing Area; and the Bridge Crossing Area on Brown County Hwy.

State fishing licenses and regulations apply. Some waters close seasonally to protect wildlife.

How to get to Sand Lake NWR

Navigate

Destination: Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
45.78542, -98.24178
DMS
45°47′07.5″N 98°14′30.4″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Aberdeen, SD25 mi NE of town
  • Valley City, ND79 mi S of town
  • Jamestown, ND81 mi S of town
  • Watertown, SD82 mi NW of town

Closest airports

  • ABR Aberdeen Regional25 mi
  • FAR Fargo Hector Intl104 mi

Straight-line distances. Driving routes are longer; many refuge roads are gravel and may close seasonally.

The navigation point is the station reference location published by USFWS — often the headquarters or main entrance. For a specific hunt unit, open its page or click it on the map for coordinates and parking planning.

Sunrise, sunset & shooting hours

Today at Sand Lake NWR

Legal light*–
Sunrise–
Sunset–

*½ hour before sunrise — the standard federal shooting-hour start for migratory game birds. Times in Chicago local time.

Full season calculator →

2026–2027 season sun table

DateShooting lightSunriseSunsetDaylight
Tue, Sep 1, 20266:22 AM6:52 AM8:13 PM13h 21m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:39 AM7:09 AM7:46 PM12h 37m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:59 AM7:29 AM7:15 PM11h 46m
Thu, Oct 15, 20267:17 AM7:47 AM6:49 PM11h 01m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:41 AM7:11 AM5:21 PM10h 10m
Sun, Nov 15, 20267:01 AM7:31 AM5:03 PM9h 32m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:23 AM7:53 AM4:51 PM8h 58m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:36 AM8:06 AM4:49 PM8h 42m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:43 AM8:13 AM4:57 PM8h 44m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:40 AM8:10 AM5:12 PM9h 02m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:25 AM7:55 AM5:36 PM9h 41m

Computed for 45.785, -98.242 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.

7-day hunting weather

Loading National Weather Service forecast…

Forecast from the National Weather Service. Wind direction matters — plan your approach downwind of where game beds.

Guides for hunting Sand Lake NWR

Deer Hunting on National Wildlife Refuges: Quota Hunts, Archery Units and Stand Rules

How refuge deer hunts work — lotteries and quota permits, archery-only and muzzleloader units, tree-stand rules…

Pheasant and Upland Bird Hunting on Waterfowl Production Areas

Why WPAs are some of the best walk-in pheasant ground in the Midwest, how to hunt them early and late in the season…

Fishing National Wildlife Refuges: Licenses, Seasons, Boats and Where to Go

What to know before fishing a National Wildlife Refuge or fish hatchery — state licenses, seasonal closures that…

How to Read a Refuge Hunt Brochure (and Not Miss the Rule That Matters)

What's inside a National Wildlife Refuge hunt brochure, where to find it, how it relates to 50 CFR Part 32 and state…

Hunting Safety on Public Land: Cold Water, Tree Stands, Crowds and Weather

The safety habits that matter most on refuges and WPAs — firearm rules, blaze orange, tree-stand harnesses, cold-water…

Sand Lake NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Sand Lake NWR?

Yes. Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 2 units (19,546 acres) during 2026–2027 for big game and upland birds. Seasons follow state regulations plus refuge-specific rules in 50 CFR Part 32.

Do I need a permit to hunt Sand Lake NWR?

FWS data does not list a separate refuge hunting permit for Sand Lake NWR. You still need a valid state license, any required state tags or stamps, and (for waterfowl hunters 16+) a Federal Duck Stamp.

Can you fish at Sand Lake NWR?

Yes. Fishing is permitted (freshwater fishing). State fishing licenses and regulations apply along with refuge rules.

Where is Sand Lake NWR located?

Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge is in Brown County, South Dakota, about 25 miles NE of Aberdeen, SD (straight-line). GPS: 45.78542, -98.24178.

What are legal shooting hours at Sand Lake NWR?

Migratory game bird shooting hours are generally one-half hour before sunrise to sunset; big game and other seasons follow state rules. See the sunrise/sunset table on this page and confirm in the refuge hunt brochure.

Nearby refuges & public land

Sand Lake WMD

Brown County, SD · 5.1 mi SW

1 open
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

44.5K huntable acres

Tewaukon NWR

Sargent County, ND · 44 mi E

3 special1 closed
🦌🦃🐦🐇🎣

6.9K huntable acres

Tewaukon WMD

Sargent County, ND · 44 mi E

1 open
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

16K huntable acres

Kulm WMD

LaMoure County, ND · 49 mi NW

1 open
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

45.1K huntable acres

Waubay NWR

Day County, SD · 51 mi SE

1 open1 closed
🦌🎣

4.6K huntable acres

Waubay WMD

Day County, SD · 51 mi SE

1 open
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

41.1K huntable acres

Waterfowl Production Areas within 35 miles

All refuges in South Dakota →

Data: USFWS National Hunt Units 2026–2027, Hunting & Fishing Opportunities, Realty Boundaries & Tracts. Page updated October 28, 2026.