J. Clark Salyer NWR
McHenry County, ND
!3 special✕1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🐇🎣
58.9K huntable acres
County guide · North Dakota · ND WPAs
Waterfowl Production Areas & Public Hunting Land in Bottineau County, ND
Bottineau County has 16 named Waterfowl Production Areas covering 2,563 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land. The largest is Holsten WPA at 485 acres; the average tract is about 160 acres, and 7 are smaller than 80 acres.
WPAs here are managed by the J. Clark Salyer Wetland Management District, which sets any district-specific rules (vehicle access, blinds, nontoxic shot, closed areas).
The county covers about 1,679 square miles and has roughly 6,379 residents. WPAs make up about 0.2% of its land area.
16named WPAs
2.6Kacres of WPA land
485largest WPA (ac)
2refuges & districts
Map of WPAs in Bottineau 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 Bottineau County
| WPA | Acres | Nearest town | GPS | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holsten WPA 478 deeded ac |
485 | 15 mi W of Bottineau | 48.88460, -100.76122 |
Map · Directions |
| Beatty WPA | 480 | 32 mi N of Minot | 48.68315, -101.21459 |
Map · Directions |
| Foster WPA | 334 | 12 mi SE of Bottineau | 48.69736, -100.27323 |
Map · Directions |
| Sisk WPA | 233 | 33 mi W of Bottineau | 48.92616, -101.16323 |
Map · Directions |
| Boreson WPA | 201 | 7.1 mi W of Bottineau | 48.84636, -100.60465 |
Map · Directions |
| Weinrebe WPA | 160 | 31 mi W of Bottineau | 48.70130, -101.10862 |
Map · Directions |
| Zurcher WPA | 160 | 33 mi W of Bottineau | 48.70846, -101.15240 |
Map · Directions |
| Lansford WPA | 132 | 27 mi N of Minot | 48.61601, -101.36052 |
Map · Directions |
| Souris WPA | 80 | 18 mi W of Bottineau | 48.73745, -100.81574 |
Map · Directions |
| Lundy WPA | 80 | 5.8 mi N of Bottineau | 48.91297, -100.43086 |
Map · Directions |
| Hutton WPA | 58 | 28 mi E of Kenmare | 48.80334, -101.49450 |
Map · Directions |
| Johnson WPA | 45 | 5.8 mi N of Bottineau | 48.91422, -100.44012 |
Map · Directions |
| Haugo WPA | 40 | 8.0 mi N of Bottineau | 48.94563, -100.43331 |
Map · Directions |
| Thompson Lake WPA | 40 | 7.9 mi NE of Bottineau | 48.90902, -100.32362 |
Map · Directions |
| Kippen-Cote WPA | 29 | 7.8 mi SE of Bottineau | 48.74889, -100.32989 |
Map · Directions |
| Turtle Mountains WPA | 7.6 | 9.4 mi NE of Bottineau | 48.89233, -100.26730 |
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 Bottineau County: rules & tips
Typically allowed
- Hunting waterfowl, upland birds, deer and other game in season under North Dakota 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 Bottineau 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.
- Bottineau, ND18 mi — county center is W of town
- Minot, ND48 mi — county center is NE of town
- Rugby, ND52 mi — county center is NW of town
- Kenmare, ND58 mi — county center is E of town
Shooting hours in Bottineau County
Today at Bottineau 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 | 6:28 AM | 6:58 AM | 8:28 PM | 13h 30m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:48 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:59 PM | 12h 41m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 7:10 AM | 7:40 AM | 7:24 PM | 11h 44m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:31 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:56 PM | 10h 54m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:58 AM | 7:28 AM | 5:25 PM | 9h 56m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 7:21 AM | 7:51 AM | 5:04 PM | 9h 13m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:44 AM | 8:14 AM | 4:50 PM | 8h 35m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:59 AM | 8:29 AM | 4:47 PM | 8h 17m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 8:06 AM | 8:36 AM | 4:55 PM | 8h 19m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 8:01 AM | 8:31 AM | 5:12 PM | 8h 40m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:44 AM | 8:14 AM | 5:38 PM | 9h 24m |
Computed for 48.859, -100.843 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day forecast for Bottineau 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 Bottineau County
Refuge hunt units in Bottineau County
| Unit | Refuge | Status | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hunting Area 1 | J. Clark Salyer NWR | !Special regs | 3,510 |
| Hunting Area 3 | J. Clark Salyer NWR | !Special regs | 25,221 |
Neighboring counties with WPAs
- McHenry County, ND 29 WPAs · 5.8K ac
- Pierce County, ND 50 WPAs · 12.7K ac
- Renville County, ND 4 WPAs · 310 ac
- Rolette County, ND 28 WPAs · 6K ac
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest) and Esri county boundaries. Page updated October 28, 2026.