Wetland Management District · North Dakota · FWS Region 6

Tewaukon Wetland Management District Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Tewaukon Wetland Management District lies in Sargent County, North Dakota, with about 15,964 acres of land owned in fee by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For the 2026–2027 season the refuge has 1 mapped hunt unit: 1 open under general rules, covering about 15,988 huntable acres.

1 open unit
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
1hunt units
16Khuntable acres
16KFWS-owned acres
6game categories

Tewaukon WMD 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 Tewaukon WMD

Permitted hunting categories are big game, waterfowl, wild turkey, upland birds, migratory birds, and small game, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules. Fishing is available — freshwater fishing.

Big GameWhite-tailed and mule deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, bear and other large mammalsWaterfowlDucks, geese, brant, swans (where legal) and cootsWild TurkeySpring and fall wild turkeyUpland BirdsPheasant, quail, grouse, prairie chicken and partridgeMigratory BirdsMourning dove, woodcock, snipe, rails, gallinules and sandhill craneSmall GameSquirrel, rabbit, hare, raccoon, opossum and other small mammals

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

Hunt units (1)

Acreage by status
Open: 15,988 (100%)16Khuntable acres
  • Open15,988 ac 100%
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
WPA Open
Show on map · Directions		 Open 15,988 —

Tewaukon WMD by the numbers

With about 15,988 huntable acres, Tewaukon WMD ranks #13 of 28 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in North Dakota and #133 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 100% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is WPA Open (15,988 acres).

Besides 15,964 acres of federally owned land, the station administers conservation easements on about 62,883 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 Nickeson WPA (94 acres, 2 miles NW).

When to hunt Tewaukon WMD

Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. North 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, Waterfowl, Wild Turkey, Upland Birds, Migratory Birds, Small Game
AugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun
🦌 Big Game
Archery deerFirearm deer
🦆 Waterfowl
Early teal & gooseRegular duck & goose
🦃 Wild Turkey
Spring gobblerFall (some states)
🐦 Upland Birds
Pheasant, quail, grouse
🕊️ Migratory Birds
Dove (Sept. 1 opener)Woodcock & snipeLate dove split
🐇 Small Game
Squirrel & rabbit

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 North Dakota hunting license and any required tags or stamps — North Dakota Game and Fish Department
  • Federal Duck Stamp (waterfowl hunters 16+) and HIP certification for migratory birds
  • Non-toxic shot for waterfowl (federal requirement)
  • Hunter education certification where your state requires it
  • The current refuge hunt brochure / regulations (often must be signed and carried)

Fishing at Tewaukon WMD

  • 🐟 Freshwater fishing

Tewaukon Wetland Management District encompasses more than 13,000 acres of waterfowl production areas in three counties, Ransom, Sargent, and Richland.

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

How to get to Tewaukon WMD

Navigate

Destination: Tewaukon Wetland Management District (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
46.00108, -97.37243
DMS
46°00′03.9″N 97°22′20.7″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Wahpeton, ND41 mi SW of town
  • Fergus Falls, MN65 mi W of town
  • Aberdeen, SD66 mi NE of town
  • Moorhead, MN67 mi SW of town

Closest airports

  • ABR Aberdeen Regional63 mi
  • FAR Fargo Hector Intl69 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 Tewaukon WMD

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, 20266:19 AM6:49 AM8:10 PM13h 22m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:36 AM7:06 AM7:43 PM12h 37m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:56 AM7:26 AM7:11 PM11h 46m
Thu, Oct 15, 20267:14 AM7:44 AM6:45 PM11h 01m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:38 AM7:08 AM5:17 PM10h 09m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:59 AM7:29 AM4:59 PM9h 30m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:20 AM7:50 AM4:47 PM8h 57m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:34 AM8:04 AM4:44 PM8h 41m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:41 AM8:11 AM4:53 PM8h 42m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:37 AM8:07 AM5:08 PM9h 01m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:22 AM7:52 AM5:32 PM9h 40m

Computed for 46.001, -97.372 (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.

Waterfowl Production Areas managed by Tewaukon WMD

This district manages 65 named WPAs totaling 15,964 acres of walk-in public land. The largest are listed below; each links to its county guide with a satellite map and directions.

WPACountyAcres
Kraft Slough WPASargent County1,221
Hartleben WPARichland County1,212
Biggs WPARichland County1,086
Gainor WPASargent County842
Gunness WPARichland County659
Smith WPARansom County655
Palensky WPASargent County608
Wollitz WPARichland County511
Kenyons WPARansom County442
Podhola WPARichland County434
Klefstad WPASargent County390
Grinstead WPARansom County381
Dick WPARansom County364
Schiffner WPARansom County328
Magill WPARansom County325
Bauer WPASargent County325
Kuehn WPARichland County317
Aaser WPARichland County314
Strander WPARansom County280
Bladow WPARichland County252
Nechas WPARichland County237
Leack-Schuler WPARichland County237
Witsel WPARansom County226
Krause WPASargent County213
Smith WPARichland County213

Showing the 25 largest of 65. All tracts are on the map above and in the KML download.

Guides for hunting Tewaukon WMD

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…

Public-Land Duck Hunting on National Wildlife Refuges: Tactics That Work

How to find ducks, beat the crowds and set up on refuge marshes and WPAs — scouting, timing, small decoy spreads for…

Federal Duck Stamp Explained: Who Needs One, Where to Buy It and Where the Money Goes

Everything waterfowl hunters need to know about the Federal Duck Stamp — who must carry it, signing rules, the…

Nontoxic Shot Guide for Refuge and WPA Hunters

Why lead shot is banned for waterfowl, which nontoxic loads are approved, how steel, bismuth and tungsten compare, and…

Turkey Hunting on Wildlife Refuges: Lotteries, Pressured Birds and Safety

How spring and fall turkey hunts work on National Wildlife Refuges, how to scout and call public-land gobblers, and…

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…

Tewaukon WMD FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Tewaukon WMD?

Yes. Tewaukon Wetland Management District offers hunting in 1 unit (15,988 acres) during 2026–2027 for big game, waterfowl, wild turkey, upland birds, migratory birds, and small game. Seasons follow state regulations plus refuge-specific rules in 50 CFR Part 32.

Do I need a permit to hunt Tewaukon WMD?

FWS data does not list a separate refuge hunting permit for Tewaukon WMD. 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 Tewaukon WMD?

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

Where is Tewaukon WMD located?

Tewaukon Wetland Management District is in Sargent County, North Dakota, about 41 miles SW of Wahpeton, ND (straight-line). GPS: 46.00108, -97.37243.

What are legal shooting hours at Tewaukon WMD?

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

Tewaukon NWR

Sargent County, ND · 0.6 mi W

3 special1 closed
🦌🦃🐦🐇🎣

6.9K huntable acres

Waubay WMD

Day County, SD · 40 mi S

1 open
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

41.1K huntable acres

Waubay NWR

Day County, SD · 40 mi S

1 open1 closed
🦌🎣

4.6K huntable acres

Sand Lake NWR

Brown County, SD · 44 mi W

2 special1 closed
🦌🐦🎣

19.5K huntable acres

Sand Lake WMD

Brown County, SD · 49 mi SW

1 open
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

44.5K huntable acres

Fergus Falls WMD

Otter Tail County, MN · 66 mi E

1 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

49.4K huntable acres

Waterfowl Production Areas within 35 miles

All refuges in North Dakota →

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