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McLean County, ND
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26.2K huntable acres
County guide · North Dakota · ND WPAs
Waterfowl Production Areas & Public Hunting Land in Wells County, ND
Wells County has 39 named Waterfowl Production Areas covering 11,084 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land. The largest is Indian Hills WPA at 1,392 acres; the average tract is about 284 acres, and 5 are smaller than 80 acres.
WPAs here are managed by the Chase Lake Prairie Project Wetland Management District, which sets any district-specific rules (vehicle access, blinds, nontoxic shot, closed areas).
The county covers about 1,285 square miles and has roughly 3,982 residents. WPAs make up about 1.3% of its land area.
39named WPAs
11.1Kacres of WPA land
1,392largest WPA (ac)
2refuges & districts
Map of WPAs in Wells 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 Wells County
| WPA | Acres | Nearest town | GPS | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indian Hills WPA 1,386 deeded ac |
1,392 | 42 mi W of Carrington | 47.54109, -100.01715 |
Map · Directions |
| Sweet Grass WPA | 682 | 22 mi W of Carrington | 47.33428, -99.57257 |
Map · Directions |
| Whipple WPA | 641 | 42 mi W of Carrington | 47.33450, -100.01215 |
Map · Directions |
| Bibow WPA | 639 | 34 mi W of Carrington | 47.42140, -99.85187 |
Map · Directions |
| Crystal Lake WPA | 639 | 41 mi W of Carrington | 47.58821, -99.97477 |
Map · Directions |
| Bremen Slough WPA 587 deeded ac |
564 | 25 mi NW of Carrington | 47.75586, -99.41537 |
Map · Directions |
| Carson WPA 537 deeded ac |
547 | 34 mi W of Carrington | 47.43588, -99.84662 |
Map · Directions |
| Kost WPA 320 deeded ac |
326 | 26 mi W of Carrington | 47.34533, -99.66052 |
Map · Directions |
| Faul WPA | 324 | 40 mi W of Carrington | 47.55191, -99.96403 |
Map · Directions |
| Silver Lake WPA | 321 | 31 mi W of Carrington | 47.37792, -99.79334 |
Map · Directions |
| Pohlman WPA | 320 | 34 mi W of Carrington | 47.34895, -99.83609 |
Map · Directions |
| Foley WPA | 315 | 38 mi W of Carrington | 47.39244, -99.93168 |
Map · Directions |
| Hoornaert WPA | 313 | 26 mi NW of Carrington | 47.59512, -99.63469 |
Map · Directions |
| Marzolf WPA | 311 | 42 mi S of Rugby | 47.76945, -100.05893 |
Map · Directions |
| Bjertness WPA 314 deeded ac |
309 | 27 mi N of Carrington | 47.80699, -99.34299 |
Map · Directions |
| Weisz WPA | 241 | 42 mi W of Carrington | 47.35445, -100.01713 |
Map · Directions |
| Pony Gulch WPA | 240 | 46 mi S of Rugby | 47.70449, -100.05352 |
Map · Directions |
| Valhalla WPA 240 deeded ac |
233 | 25 mi N of Carrington | 47.79253, -99.31060 |
Map · Directions |
| Sorenson WPA | 204 | 28 mi NW of Carrington | 47.81073, -99.40191 |
Map · Directions |
| Frederick WPA 160 deeded ac |
166 | 41 mi W of Carrington | 47.33093, -99.98558 |
Map · Directions |
| Fritchie WPA | 161 | 38 mi W of Carrington | 47.47492, -99.95322 |
Map · Directions |
| Ambers WPA | 161 | 28 mi NW of Carrington | 47.80513, -99.42061 |
Map · Directions |
| Weatherly WPA | 160 | 34 mi W of Carrington | 47.37790, -99.84400 |
Map · Directions |
| Hart WPA | 160 | 34 mi W of Carrington | 47.35983, -99.84669 |
Map · Directions |
| Cromwell WPA | 159 | 42 mi W of Carrington | 47.37436, -100.02777 |
Map · Directions |
| Johnson Lake WPA | 158 | 42 mi S of Rugby | 47.76400, -100.06700 |
Map · Directions |
| Pipestone WPA | 156 | 24 mi W of Carrington | 47.39615, -99.63425 |
Map · Directions |
| Schindler WPA | 155 | 25 mi NW of Carrington | 47.60611, -99.62358 |
Map · Directions |
| Heeren WPA | 154 | 34 mi W of Carrington | 47.45576, -99.85726 |
Map · Directions |
| Radtke WPA | 153 | 41 mi W of Carrington | 47.46002, -100.00660 |
Map · Directions |
| Ehni WPA | 151 | 29 mi W of Carrington | 47.57820, -99.71978 |
Map · Directions |
| Weber WPA | 148 | 43 mi W of Carrington | 47.59910, -100.02795 |
Map · Directions |
| Sidle WPA | 121 | 24 mi W of Carrington | 47.36502, -99.62482 |
Map · Directions |
| Frost WPA | 83 | 39 mi NW of Carrington | 47.74945, -99.84505 |
Map · Directions |
| Berg WPA | 72 | 25 mi W of Carrington | 47.38115, -99.65003 |
Map · Directions |
| Bull Moose WPA | 70 | 37 mi W of Carrington | 47.47461, -99.91695 |
Map · Directions |
| Schaubert WPA | 70 | 24 mi W of Carrington | 47.37508, -99.62553 |
Map · Directions |
| Chaseley WPA | 43 | 33 mi W of Carrington | 47.45373, -99.83655 |
Map · Directions |
| Monk WPA | 20 | 24 mi W of Carrington | 47.56260, -99.60709 |
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 Wells 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 Wells 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.
- Carrington, ND27 mi — county center is NW of town
- Devils Lake, ND49 mi — county center is SW of town
- Rugby, ND53 mi — county center is S of town
- Jamestown, ND67 mi — county center is NW of town
Shooting hours in Wells County
Today at Wells 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 | 6:25 AM | 6:55 AM | 8:22 PM | 13h 26m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:44 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:53 PM | 12h 39m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 7:05 AM | 7:35 AM | 7:20 PM | 11h 45m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:25 AM | 7:55 AM | 6:52 PM | 10h 57m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:51 AM | 7:21 AM | 5:23 PM | 10h 02m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 7:12 AM | 7:42 AM | 5:03 PM | 9h 21m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:35 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:50 PM | 8h 45m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:49 AM | 8:19 AM | 4:47 PM | 8h 28m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:56 AM | 8:26 AM | 4:56 PM | 8h 30m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:52 AM | 8:22 AM | 5:11 PM | 8h 50m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:36 AM | 8:06 AM | 5:37 PM | 9h 31m |
Computed for 47.632, -99.653 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day forecast for Wells 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 Wells County
Neighboring counties with WPAs
- Benson County, ND 60 WPAs · 9.2K ac
- Eddy County, ND 20 WPAs · 4.8K ac
- Foster County, ND 8 WPAs · 1.4K ac
- Kidder County, ND 41 WPAs · 8.3K ac
- Pierce County, ND 50 WPAs · 12.7K ac
- Sheridan County, ND 45 WPAs · 12.6K ac
- Stutsman County, ND 96 WPAs · 28.6K ac
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest) and Esri county boundaries. Page updated October 28, 2026.