Creston NFH
Flathead County, MT
✕1 closed
No hunting listed
County guide · Montana · MT WPAs
Waterfowl Production Areas & Public Hunting Land in Flathead County, MT
Flathead County has 7 named Waterfowl Production Areas covering 7,953 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land. The largest is Prongua WPA at 2,465 acres; the average tract is about 1,136 acres.
WPAs here are managed by the Northwest Montana Wetland Management District-Flathead County, which sets any district-specific rules (vehicle access, blinds, nontoxic shot, closed areas).
The county covers about 5,244 square miles and has roughly 104,357 residents. WPAs make up about 0.2% of its land area.
7named WPAs
8Kacres of WPA land
2,465largest WPA (ac)
3refuges & districts
Map of WPAs in Flathead 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 Flathead County
| WPA | Acres | Nearest town | GPS | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prongua WPA 2,440 deeded ac |
2,465 | 31 mi W of Kalispell | 48.17371, -114.99267 |
Map · Directions |
| Lazy N Ranch WPA 1,884 deeded ac |
1,931 | 9.8 mi SE of Kalispell | 48.08112, -114.19504 |
Map · Directions |
| Smith Lake WPA 1,507 deeded ac |
1,583 | 10 mi SW of Kalispell | 48.10263, -114.47388 |
Map · Directions |
| McGregor Meadows WPA 807 deeded ac |
826 | 25 mi SW of Kalispell | 48.02242, -114.78805 |
Map · Directions |
| Trust for Public Land WPA | 536 | 7.9 mi SE of Kalispell | 48.11175, -114.20171 |
Map · Directions |
| Batavia WPA 510 deeded ac |
531 | 5.0 mi W of Kalispell | 48.17319, -114.41043 |
Map · Directions |
| Lost Trail WPA | 82 | 28 mi W of Kalispell | 48.18633, -114.91548 |
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 Flathead 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 Flathead 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.
- Kalispell, MT12 mi — county center is NE of town
- Missoula, MT100 mi — county center is N of town
- Bonners Ferry, ID104 mi — county center is E of town
- Stevensville, MT124 mi — county center is N of town
Shooting hours in Flathead County
Today at Flathead 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 | 6:22 AM | 6:52 AM | 8:20 PM | 13h 28m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:41 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:51 PM | 12h 40m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 7:03 AM | 7:33 AM | 7:18 PM | 11h 44m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:24 AM | 7:54 AM | 6:49 PM | 10h 56m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:50 AM | 7:20 AM | 5:19 PM | 9h 59m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 7:12 AM | 7:42 AM | 4:59 PM | 9h 17m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:35 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:45 PM | 8h 40m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:50 AM | 8:20 AM | 4:42 PM | 8h 22m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:57 AM | 8:27 AM | 4:51 PM | 8h 24m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:52 AM | 8:22 AM | 5:07 PM | 8h 45m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:36 AM | 8:06 AM | 5:33 PM | 9h 27m |
Computed for 48.310, -114.113 (MDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day forecast for Flathead 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 Flathead County
Refuge hunt units in Flathead County
| Unit | Refuge | Status | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Station | Creston NFH | ✕Closed | 95 |
| Light Green | Lost Trail NWR | ✓Open | 3,244 |
| Dark Green | Lost Trail NWR | ✕Closed | 4,652 |
| WPA No Rifle | Northwest Montana WMD-Flathead County | !Special regs | 3,945 |
| WPA Open | Northwest Montana WMD-Flathead County | !Special regs | 3,274 |
| WPA Closed | Northwest Montana WMD-Flathead County | ✕Closed | 82 |
Neighboring counties with WPAs
- Glacier County, MT 1 WPAs · 95 ac
- Lake County, MT 9 WPAs · 3.7K ac
- Pondera County, MT 1 WPAs · 661 ac
- Powell County, MT 4 WPAs · 5.1K 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.