County guide · North Dakota · ND WPAs

Waterfowl Production Areas & Public Hunting Land in Hettinger County, ND

Hettinger County has 1 named Waterfowl Production Area covering 1,214 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land.

WPAs here are managed by the Audubon Wetland Management District, which sets any district-specific rules (vehicle access, blinds, nontoxic shot, closed areas).

The county covers about 1,131 square miles and has roughly 2,489 residents. WPAs make up about 0.2% of its land area.

County mapAll 1 WPAsDownload KML
1named WPAs
1.2Kacres of WPA land
1,214largest WPA (ac)
1refuges & districts

Map of WPAs in Hettinger 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.

Loading interactive map…
Waterfowl Production Area (public)County lineRefuge / station Tip: switch to Satellite or USGS Topo in the layer menu · click the map for GPS coordinates
Take every tract with you:KML (Google Earth / onX)GPX waypoints

All Waterfowl Production Areas in Hettinger County

WPAAcresNearest townGPSGo
Hillview WPA
1,203 deeded ac		 1,214 25 mi SE of Dickinson 46.58009, -102.48892 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 Hettinger 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 Hettinger 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.

  • Dickinson, ND33 mi — county center is SE of town
  • Bismarck, ND85 mi — county center is W of town
  • Garrison, ND97 mi — county center is SW of town
  • Sidney, MT117 mi — county center is SE of town

Shooting hours in Hettinger County

Today at Hettinger 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

DateShooting lightSunriseSunsetDaylight
Tue, Sep 1, 20265:38 AM6:08 AM7:31 PM13h 23m
Tue, Sep 15, 20265:56 AM6:26 AM7:04 PM12h 38m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:16 AM6:46 AM6:32 PM11h 46m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:35 AM7:05 AM6:05 PM10h 60m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:00 AM6:30 AM4:37 PM10h 07m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:20 AM6:50 AM4:18 PM9h 28m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:42 AM7:12 AM4:05 PM8h 53m
Tue, Dec 15, 20266:56 AM7:26 AM4:03 PM8h 37m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:03 AM7:33 AM4:12 PM8h 39m
Fri, Jan 15, 20276:59 AM7:29 AM4:27 PM8h 58m
Mon, Feb 1, 20276:44 AM7:14 AM4:51 PM9h 37m

Computed for 46.457, -102.491 (MDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.

7-day forecast for Hettinger 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 Hettinger County

Audubon WMD

McLean County, ND

1 open1 special
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

26.2K huntable acres

Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest) and Esri county boundaries. Page updated October 28, 2026.