Devils Lake WMD
Ramsey County, ND
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52.7K huntable acres
County guide · North Dakota · ND WPAs
Waterfowl Production Areas & Public Hunting Land in Nelson County, ND
Nelson County has 24 named Waterfowl Production Areas covering 3,350 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land. The largest is McHugh WPA at 396 acres; the average tract is about 140 acres, and 8 are smaller than 80 acres.
WPAs here are managed by the Devils Lake Wetland Management District, which sets any district-specific rules (vehicle access, blinds, nontoxic shot, closed areas).
The county covers about 1,005 square miles and has roughly 3,015 residents. WPAs make up about 0.5% of its land area.
24named WPAs
3.3Kacres of WPA land
396largest WPA (ac)
1refuges & districts
Map of WPAs in Nelson 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 Nelson County
| WPA | Acres | Nearest town | GPS | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McHugh WPA | 396 | 28 mi E of Devils Lake | 48.10091, -98.25339 |
Map · Directions |
| Boostrom WPA | 249 | 38 mi SE of Devils Lake | 47.82209, -98.17355 |
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| Goose Lake WPA | 234 | 45 mi W of Grand Forks | 47.82629, -97.98204 |
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| Menge WPA | 179 | 32 mi E of Devils Lake | 47.92992, -98.22717 |
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| Sateran WPA | 176 | 33 mi E of Devils Lake | 47.92478, -98.20772 |
Map · Directions |
| Michigan City WPA | 160 | 37 mi E of Devils Lake | 48.00187, -98.09179 |
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| Erickson WPA | 160 | 37 mi E of Devils Lake | 48.07541, -98.06018 |
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| Tuftland Lake WPA 163 deeded ac |
158 | 37 mi SE of Devils Lake | 47.69781, -98.37097 |
Map · Directions |
| Hjelseth WPA | 158 | 36 mi SE of Devils Lake | 47.85697, -98.17729 |
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| Sahl WPA | 153 | 25 mi E of Devils Lake | 48.16975, -98.34139 |
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| Gerhart WPA 156 deeded ac |
150 | 45 mi W of Grand Forks | 47.74100, -97.95209 |
Map · Directions |
| Bundy WPA | 150 | 36 mi SE of Devils Lake | 47.86782, -98.16923 |
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| Rose Lake WPA 134 deeded ac |
127 | 21 mi E of Devils Lake | 47.99477, -98.45445 |
Map · Directions |
| Pelto WPA | 127 | 28 mi E of Devils Lake | 48.15582, -98.26642 |
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| Morken WPA | 122 | 32 mi SE of Devils Lake | 47.84286, -98.30417 |
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| Rugh Lake WPA | 107 | 46 mi W of Grand Forks | 47.79733, -97.99528 |
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| Lambs Lake WPA | 80 | 39 mi E of Devils Lake | 47.93665, -98.07808 |
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| Hanson WPA | 80 | 37 mi SE of Devils Lake | 47.71411, -98.34113 |
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| Dahl WPA | 79 | 32 mi E of Devils Lake | 48.09712, -98.17091 |
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| Quam WPA | 79 | 36 mi SE of Devils Lake | 47.71230, -98.37322 |
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| Bothen WPA | 70 | 46 mi SE of Devils Lake | 47.78465, -98.01449 |
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| Lavanger WPA 72 deeded ac |
67 | 48 mi W of Grand Forks | 47.68901, -98.00303 |
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| Jacobson WPA | 50 | 27 mi E of Devils Lake | 48.13901, -98.29586 |
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| Goldhammer WPA | 39 | 23 mi SE of Devils Lake | 47.96037, -98.42124 |
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 Nelson 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 Nelson 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.
- Devils Lake, ND32 mi — county center is E of town
- Grand Forks, ND54 mi — county center is W of town
- Carrington, ND56 mi — county center is NE of town
- Valley City, ND73 mi — county center is N of town
Shooting hours in Nelson County
Today at Nelson 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 | 6:19 AM | 6:49 AM | 8:16 PM | 13h 27m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:38 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:48 PM | 12h 40m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 7:00 AM | 7:30 AM | 7:14 PM | 11h 45m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:20 AM | 7:50 AM | 6:46 PM | 10h 56m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:46 AM | 7:16 AM | 5:16 PM | 10h 00m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 7:08 AM | 7:38 AM | 4:57 PM | 9h 19m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:30 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:43 PM | 8h 42m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:45 AM | 8:15 AM | 4:40 PM | 8h 25m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:52 AM | 8:22 AM | 4:49 PM | 8h 27m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:47 AM | 8:17 AM | 5:04 PM | 8h 47m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:31 AM | 8:01 AM | 5:30 PM | 9h 29m |
Computed for 47.966, -98.204 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day forecast for Nelson 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 Nelson County
Neighboring counties with WPAs
- Benson County, ND 60 WPAs · 9.2K ac
- Eddy County, ND 20 WPAs · 4.8K ac
- Grand Forks County, ND 15 WPAs · 7.2K ac
- Griggs County, ND 17 WPAs · 4.4K ac
- Ramsey County, ND 42 WPAs · 9.6K ac
- Steele County, ND 10 WPAs · 2.9K ac
- Walsh County, ND 11 WPAs · 1.8K ac
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest) and Esri county boundaries. Page updated October 28, 2026.