Detroit Lakes WMD
Becker County, MN
!1 special✕1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣
50.2K huntable acres
County guide · Minnesota · MN WPAs
Waterfowl Production Areas & Public Hunting Land in Norman County, MN
Norman County has 5 named Waterfowl Production Areas covering 1,577 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land. The largest is Christensen WPA at 640 acres; the average tract is about 315 acres.
WPAs here are managed by the Detroit Lakes Wetland Management District, which sets any district-specific rules (vehicle access, blinds, nontoxic shot, closed areas).
The county covers about 882 square miles and has roughly 6,441 residents. WPAs make up about 0.3% of its land area.
5named WPAs
1.6Kacres of WPA land
640largest WPA (ac)
2refuges & districts
Map of WPAs in Norman County
Gold outlines are fee-title Waterfowl Production Areas — federally owned public land. Land outside them is almost always private. Switch to satellite to check water conditions and cover, and click any tract for coordinates.
Loading interactive map…
Waterfowl Production Area (public)County lineRefuge / station
Tip: switch to Satellite or USGS Topo in the layer menu · click the map for GPS coordinates
All Waterfowl Production Areas in Norman County
| WPA | Acres | Nearest town | GPS | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christensen WPA | 640 | 36 mi NW of Detroit Lakes | 47.29244, -96.17590 |
Map · Directions |
| Pheasants Forever Inc. WPA | 464 | 39 mi NE of Fargo | 47.33818, -96.29867 |
Map · Directions |
| Slininger WPA | 202 | 33 mi NE of Fargo | 47.26014, -96.37205 |
Map · Directions |
| Lee WPA 160 deeded ac |
152 | 38 mi NE of Fargo | 47.34356, -96.36000 |
Map · Directions |
| Sundal WPA | 119 | 44 mi S of Thief River Falls | 47.47988, -96.20933 |
Map · Directions |
Acreage from USFWS realty GIS polygons. Coordinates are a point inside each tract — not necessarily a parking area. Look for designated parking and boundary signs on the ground.
Hunting WPAs in Norman County: rules & tips
Typically allowed
- Hunting waterfowl, upland birds, deer and other game in season under Minnesota regulations
- Walk-in access from roads and designated parking areas
- Fishing and trapping where state and district rules allow
- Wildlife watching, photography and dog training outside restricted periods
Common restrictions
- No camping, fires or overnight use on most tracts
- Motor vehicles only on designated roads and parking areas
- Blinds and portable stands usually removed at the end of each day
- Nontoxic shot required for waterfowl; many districts require it for all shotgun hunting
- Some tracts have closed areas, refuge-style rules or seasonal restrictions
Getting to Norman County
Distances below are straight-line from the center of the county. Most WPAs are reached by county and township gravel roads — download the GPX file and load it into your phone or GPS before you lose cell coverage.
- Fargo, ND35 mi — county center is NE of town
- Moorhead, MN35 mi — county center is NE of town
- Detroit Lakes, MN45 mi — county center is NW of town
- Grand Forks, ND49 mi — county center is SE of town
Shooting hours in Norman County
Today at Norman County
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
| Date | Shooting light | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, Sep 1, 2026 | 6:13 AM | 6:43 AM | 8:08 PM | 13h 25m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:31 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:40 PM | 12h 39m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 6:52 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:07 PM | 11h 45m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:12 AM | 7:42 AM | 6:40 PM | 10h 58m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:37 AM | 7:07 AM | 5:11 PM | 10h 03m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:59 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:52 PM | 9h 23m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:21 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:38 PM | 8h 47m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:35 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:35 PM | 8h 30m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:42 AM | 8:12 AM | 4:44 PM | 8h 32m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:38 AM | 8:08 AM | 5:00 PM | 8h 52m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:22 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:25 PM | 9h 33m |
Computed for 47.328, -96.457 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day forecast for Norman County
Loading National Weather Service forecast…
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Wind direction matters — plan your approach downwind of where game beds.
Refuges & districts with land in Norman County
Neighboring counties with WPAs
- Becker County, MN 57 WPAs · 14.4K ac
- Cass County, ND 4 WPAs · 3.4K ac
- Clay County, MN 59 WPAs · 13.5K ac
- Mahnomen County, MN 25 WPAs · 7.2K ac
- Polk County, MN 40 WPAs · 13.4K ac
- Traill County, ND 4 WPAs · 716 ac
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest) and Esri county boundaries. Page updated October 28, 2026.