Benton Lake NWR
Cascade County, MT
!4 special✕6 closed
🦆🐦🎣
5K huntable acres
County guide · Montana · MT WPAs
Waterfowl Production Areas & Public Hunting Land in Chouteau County, MT
Chouteau County has 2 named Waterfowl Production Areas covering 2,112 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land. The largest is Kingsbury Lake WPA at 1,883 acres; the average tract is about 1,056 acres.
WPAs here are managed by the Benton Lake Wetland Management District, which sets any district-specific rules (vehicle access, blinds, nontoxic shot, closed areas).
The county covers about 3,930 square miles and has roughly 5,895 residents. WPAs make up about 0.1% of its land area.
2named WPAs
2.1Kacres of WPA land
1,883largest WPA (ac)
2refuges & districts
Map of WPAs in Chouteau 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.
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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 Chouteau County
| WPA | Acres | Nearest town | GPS | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kingsbury Lake WPA 1,911 deeded ac |
1,883 | 45 mi E of Great Falls | 47.56987, -110.34574 |
Map · Directions |
| Big Sag WPA | 230 | 28 mi E of Great Falls | 47.60619, -110.72644 |
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 Chouteau County: rules & tips
Typically allowed
- Hunting waterfowl, upland birds, deer and other game in season under Montana 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 Chouteau 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.
- Great Falls, MT46 mi — county center is NE of town
- Havre, MT60 mi — county center is SW of town
- Lewistown, MT74 mi — county center is NW of town
- Helena, MT115 mi — county center is NE of town
Shooting hours in Chouteau County
Today at Chouteau County
Legal light*–
Sunrise–
Sunset–
*½ hour before sunrise — the standard federal shooting-hour start for migratory game birds. Times in Denver local time.
Full season calculator →2026–2027 season sun table
| Date | Shooting light | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, Sep 1, 2026 | 6:08 AM | 6:38 AM | 8:05 PM | 13h 27m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:27 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:37 PM | 12h 40m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 6:49 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:03 PM | 11h 45m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:09 AM | 7:39 AM | 6:35 PM | 10h 57m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:35 AM | 7:05 AM | 5:05 PM | 10h 01m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:56 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:46 PM | 9h 20m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:19 AM | 7:49 AM | 4:32 PM | 8h 43m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:34 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:29 PM | 8h 26m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:41 AM | 8:11 AM | 4:38 PM | 8h 28m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:36 AM | 8:06 AM | 4:54 PM | 8h 48m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:20 AM | 7:50 AM | 5:19 PM | 9h 30m |
Computed for 47.866, -110.482 (MDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day forecast for Chouteau County
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Forecast from the National Weather Service. Wind direction matters — plan your approach downwind of where game beds.
Refuges & districts with land in Chouteau County
Neighboring counties with WPAs
- Blaine County, MT 2 WPAs · 2.5K ac
- Cascade County, MT 2 WPAs · 749 ac
- Hill County, MT 1 WPAs · 379 ac
- Pondera County, MT 1 WPAs · 661 ac
- Teton County, MT 3 WPAs · 1.6K ac
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest) and Esri county boundaries. Page updated October 28, 2026.