Tewaukon WMD
Sargent County, ND
✓1 open
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16K huntable acres
County guide · North Dakota · ND WPAs
Waterfowl Production Areas & Public Hunting Land in Ransom County, ND
Ransom County has 25 named Waterfowl Production Areas covering 4,314 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land. The largest is Smith WPA at 655 acres; the average tract is about 173 acres, and 9 are smaller than 80 acres.
WPAs here are managed by the Tewaukon Wetland Management District, which sets any district-specific rules (vehicle access, blinds, nontoxic shot, closed areas).
The county covers about 864 square miles and has roughly 5,703 residents. WPAs make up about 0.8% of its land area.
25named WPAs
4.3Kacres of WPA land
655largest WPA (ac)
1refuges & districts
Map of WPAs in Ransom 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 Ransom County
| WPA | Acres | Nearest town | GPS | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smith WPA 647 deeded ac |
655 | 39 mi S of Valley City | 46.36235, -97.99511 |
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| Kenyons WPA | 442 | 35 mi S of Valley City | 46.41854, -97.96392 |
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| Grinstead WPA | 381 | 35 mi S of Valley City | 46.40945, -97.95474 |
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| Dick WPA | 364 | 33 mi S of Valley City | 46.44743, -97.95615 |
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| Schiffner WPA | 328 | 37 mi S of Valley City | 46.38586, -97.94710 |
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| Magill WPA | 325 | 43 mi S of Valley City | 46.29605, -98.00863 |
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| Strander WPA | 280 | 30 mi S of Valley City | 46.48183, -97.94553 |
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| Witsel WPA 239 deeded ac |
226 | 36 mi SE of Valley City | 46.54040, -97.48463 |
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| Compson WPA | 162 | 35 mi SE of Valley City | 46.52915, -97.51862 |
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| Warner WPA | 159 | 36 mi SE of Valley City | 46.57594, -97.44300 |
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| Bilkre WPA | 107 | 25 mi S of Valley City | 46.56126, -97.98551 |
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| Bachman WPA | 100 | 35 mi S of Valley City | 46.41677, -98.00656 |
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| Boeder WPA | 100 | 34 mi SE of Valley City | 46.59711, -97.45999 |
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| Shelver WPA | 86 | 33 mi SE of Valley City | 46.54021, -97.57818 |
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| Reinke WPA | 85 | 36 mi S of Valley City | 46.39567, -98.01909 |
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| Triangle Bachman WPA | 84 | 34 mi S of Valley City | 46.42581, -98.00632 |
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| Weaver WPA 69 deeded ac |
75 | 37 mi S of Valley City | 46.38112, -97.93109 |
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| Bueling,L WPA | 56 | 36 mi SE of Valley City | 46.55871, -97.45126 |
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| Kaspari WPA | 55 | 37 mi SE of Valley City | 46.54129, -97.45901 |
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| Bueling,A WPA | 55 | 36 mi SE of Valley City | 46.54870, -97.46121 |
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| Metzer WPA | 52 | 41 mi W of Wahpeton | 46.28838, -97.47412 |
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| Carlson WPA | 44 | 46 mi SE of Valley City | 46.30649, -97.59901 |
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| Arneson WPA | 40 | 22 mi S of Valley City | 46.59651, -98.01102 |
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| Lone Goose WPA | 32 | 42 mi S of Valley City | 46.31334, -97.88020 |
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| Chose WPA | 22 | 25 mi S of Valley City | 46.55745, -97.97693 |
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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 Ransom 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 Ransom 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.
- Valley City, ND36 mi — county center is SE of town
- Fargo, ND51 mi — county center is SW of town
- Moorhead, MN51 mi — county center is SW of town
- Wahpeton, ND52 mi — county center is W of town
Shooting hours in Ransom County
Today at Ransom 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 | 8:12 PM | 13h 23m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:37 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:44 PM | 12h 38m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 6:57 AM | 7:27 AM | 7:12 PM | 11h 46m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:16 AM | 7:46 AM | 6:46 PM | 10h 60m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:40 AM | 7:10 AM | 5:17 PM | 10h 07m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 7:01 AM | 7:31 AM | 4:59 PM | 9h 28m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:23 AM | 7:53 AM | 4:46 PM | 8h 53m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:37 AM | 8:07 AM | 4:44 PM | 8h 37m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:44 AM | 8:14 AM | 4:52 PM | 8h 39m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:40 AM | 8:10 AM | 5:08 PM | 8h 58m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:25 AM | 7:55 AM | 5:32 PM | 9h 37m |
Computed for 46.456, -97.662 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day forecast for Ransom 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 Ransom County
Refuge hunt units in Ransom County
| Unit | Refuge | Status | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| WPA Open | Tewaukon WMD | ✓Open | 15,988 |
Neighboring counties with WPAs
- Barnes County, ND 44 WPAs · 8.2K ac
- Cass County, ND 4 WPAs · 3.4K ac
- Dickey County, ND 43 WPAs · 10.2K ac
- LaMoure County, ND 38 WPAs · 5.5K ac
- Richland County, ND 22 WPAs · 6.5K ac
- Sargent County, ND 18 WPAs · 5.2K ac
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest) and Esri county boundaries. Page updated October 28, 2026.