Valley City WMD
Barnes County, ND
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19.7K huntable acres
County guide · North Dakota · ND WPAs
Waterfowl Production Areas & Public Hunting Land in Traill County, ND
Traill County has 4 named Waterfowl Production Areas covering 716 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land. The largest is Thompson WPA at 275 acres; the average tract is about 179 acres.
WPAs here are managed by the Valley City Wetland Management District, which sets any district-specific rules (vehicle access, blinds, nontoxic shot, closed areas).
The county covers about 860 square miles and has roughly 7,997 residents. WPAs make up about 0.1% of its land area.
4named WPAs
716acres of WPA land
275largest WPA (ac)
1refuges & districts
Map of WPAs in Traill 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 Traill County
| WPA | Acres | Nearest town | GPS | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thompson WPA | 275 | 41 mi NE of Valley City | 47.38422, -97.46838 |
Map · Directions |
| Erickson WPA | 192 | 39 mi NE of Valley City | 47.33896, -97.43699 |
Map · Directions |
| Elken WPA | 169 | 41 mi NE of Valley City | 47.37169, -97.44785 |
Map · Directions |
| Groven WPA | 80 | 35 mi NE of Valley City | 47.24983, -97.42814 |
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 Traill 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 Traill 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.
- Grand Forks, ND34 mi — county center is S of town
- Fargo, ND43 mi — county center is NW of town
- Moorhead, MN44 mi — county center is NW of town
- Valley City, ND53 mi — county center is NE of town
Shooting hours in Traill County
Today at Traill 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 | 6:16 AM | 6:46 AM | 8:11 PM | 13h 26m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:34 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:43 PM | 12h 39m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 6:55 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:10 PM | 11h 45m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:15 AM | 7:45 AM | 6:43 PM | 10h 58m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:40 AM | 7:10 AM | 5:13 PM | 10h 03m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 7:02 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:54 PM | 9h 22m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:24 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:41 PM | 8h 46m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:39 AM | 8:09 AM | 4:38 PM | 8h 29m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:46 AM | 8:16 AM | 4:47 PM | 8h 31m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:41 AM | 8:11 AM | 5:02 PM | 8h 51m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:25 AM | 7:55 AM | 5:27 PM | 9h 32m |
Computed for 47.449, -97.169 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day forecast for Traill 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 Traill County
Neighboring counties with WPAs
- Cass County, ND 4 WPAs · 3.4K ac
- Grand Forks County, ND 15 WPAs · 7.2K ac
- Norman County, MN 5 WPAs · 1.6K ac
- Polk County, MN 40 WPAs · 13.4K ac
- Steele County, ND 10 WPAs · 2.9K ac
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest) and Esri county boundaries. Page updated October 28, 2026.