Benton Lake WMD
Cascade County, MT
✓2 open✕1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣
12.8K huntable acres
County guide · Montana · MT WPAs
Waterfowl Production Areas & Public Hunting Land in Hill County, MT
Hill County has 1 named Waterfowl Production Area covering 379 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land.
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 2,912 square miles and has roughly 16,309 residents. WPAs make up about 0.0% of its land area.
1named WPAs
379acres of WPA land
379largest WPA (ac)
3refuges & districts
Map of WPAs in Hill 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 Hill County
| WPA | Acres | Nearest town | GPS | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sands WPA | 379 | 3.5 mi W of Havre | 48.53392, -109.75334 |
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 Hill 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 Hill 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.
- Havre, MT20 mi — county center is W of town
- Great Falls, MT91 mi — county center is NE of town
- Malta, MT104 mi — county center is W of town
- Lewistown, MT108 mi — county center is N of town
Shooting hours in Hill County
Today at Hill 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 | 6:06 AM | 6:36 AM | 8:05 PM | 13h 29m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:25 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:36 PM | 12h 40m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 6:47 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:02 PM | 11h 44m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:08 AM | 7:38 AM | 6:33 PM | 10h 55m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:35 AM | 7:05 AM | 5:02 PM | 9h 58m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:57 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:43 PM | 9h 15m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:20 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:28 PM | 8h 38m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:35 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:25 PM | 8h 20m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:42 AM | 8:12 AM | 4:34 PM | 8h 22m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:37 AM | 8:07 AM | 4:50 PM | 8h 43m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:20 AM | 7:50 AM | 5:16 PM | 9h 26m |
Computed for 48.550, -110.127 (MDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day forecast for Hill 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 Hill County
Refuge hunt units in Hill County
| Unit | Refuge | Status | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Station | Creedman Coulee NWR | ✓Open | 84 |
| Station | Lake Thibadeau NWR | ✓Open | 24 |
Neighboring counties with WPAs
- Blaine County, MT 2 WPAs · 2.5K ac
- Chouteau County, MT 2 WPAs · 2.1K ac
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest) and Esri county boundaries. Page updated October 28, 2026.