Charles M. Russell NWR
Garfield County, MT
!1 special✕2 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣
931K huntable acres
County guide · Montana · MT WPAs
Waterfowl Production Areas & Public Hunting Land in Petroleum County, MT
Petroleum County has 1 named Waterfowl Production Area covering 41 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land.
WPAs here are managed by the Charles M. Russell Wetland Management District, which sets any district-specific rules (vehicle access, blinds, nontoxic shot, closed areas).
The county covers about 1,653 square miles and has roughly 496 residents. WPAs make up about 0.0% of its land area.
1named WPAs
41acres of WPA land
41largest WPA (ac)
4refuges & districts
Map of WPAs in Petroleum 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 Petroleum County
| WPA | Acres | Nearest town | GPS | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| War Horse WPA | 41 | 42 mi E of Lewistown | 47.11057, -108.54858 |
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 Petroleum 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 Petroleum 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.
- Lewistown, MT52 mi — county center is E of town
- Jordan, MT68 mi — county center is W of town
- Malta, MT85 mi — county center is S of town
- Billings, MT96 mi — county center is N of town
Shooting hours in Petroleum County
Today at Petroleum 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 | 6:01 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:56 PM | 13h 25m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:19 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:28 PM | 12h 39m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 6:40 AM | 7:10 AM | 6:55 PM | 11h 45m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 6:59 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:28 PM | 10h 58m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:25 AM | 6:55 AM | 4:58 PM | 10h 04m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:46 AM | 7:16 AM | 4:40 PM | 9h 24m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:08 AM | 7:38 AM | 4:26 PM | 8h 48m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:22 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:24 PM | 8h 31m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:29 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:32 PM | 8h 33m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:25 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:48 PM | 8h 53m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:09 AM | 7:39 AM | 5:13 PM | 9h 33m |
Computed for 47.167, -108.346 (MDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day forecast for Petroleum 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 Petroleum County
Refuge hunt units in Petroleum County
| Unit | Refuge | Status | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| War Horse Lake | War Horse NWR | ✓Open | 1,119 |
| Wild Horse Lake | War Horse NWR | ✓Open | 443 |
| Yellow Water | War Horse NWR | ✓Open | 1,291 |
Neighboring counties with WPAs
- Musselshell County, MT 1 WPAs · 557 ac
- Phillips County, MT 11 WPAs · 8.2K ac
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest) and Esri county boundaries. Page updated October 28, 2026.