Lake Andes WMD
Charles Mix County, SD
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15.1K huntable acres
County guide · South Dakota · SD WPAs
Waterfowl Production Areas & Public Hunting Land in Aurora County, SD
Aurora County has 16 named Waterfowl Production Areas covering 4,907 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land. The largest is Maine WPA at 811 acres; the average tract is about 307 acres, and 2 are smaller than 80 acres.
WPAs here are managed by the Lake Andes Wetland Management District, which sets any district-specific rules (vehicle access, blinds, nontoxic shot, closed areas).
The county covers about 704 square miles and has roughly 2,747 residents. WPAs make up about 1.1% of its land area.
16named WPAs
4.9Kacres of WPA land
811largest WPA (ac)
1refuges & districts
Map of WPAs in Aurora 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 Aurora County
| WPA | Acres | Nearest town | GPS | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maine WPA 800 deeded ac |
811 | 28 mi W of Mitchell | 43.68494, -98.58424 |
Map · Directions |
| Crystal Lake WPA 789 deeded ac |
801 | 27 mi W of Mitchell | 43.64648, -98.56930 |
Map · Directions |
| Humphrey WPA 666 deeded ac |
678 | 35 mi W of Mitchell | 43.78616, -98.72546 |
Map · Directions |
| Sorenson WPA 613 deeded ac |
587 | 26 mi W of Mitchell | 43.65048, -98.54518 |
Map · Directions |
| Nielsen WPA | 482 | 32 mi W of Mitchell | 43.80576, -98.65567 |
Map · Directions |
| Stanley WPA 250 deeded ac |
259 | 31 mi W of Mitchell | 43.74683, -98.63976 |
Map · Directions |
| Scott WPA | 182 | 23 mi NW of Mitchell | 43.85349, -98.43801 |
Map · Directions |
| Lutz WPA 1,160 deeded ac |
161 | 30 mi W of Mitchell | 43.73400, -98.63017 |
Map · Directions |
| Krell WPA | 161 | 31 mi W of Mitchell | 43.66149, -98.64963 |
Map · Directions |
| Foster WPA | 158 | 30 mi N of Lake Andes | 43.57518, -98.70931 |
Map · Directions |
| Schute WPA | 152 | 31 mi W of Mitchell | 43.70491, -98.65990 |
Map · Directions |
| Althen WPA 160 deeded ac |
149 | 25 mi W of Mitchell | 43.65414, -98.52251 |
Map · Directions |
| Overweg WPA | 137 | 29 mi W of Mitchell | 43.65160, -98.59762 |
Map · Directions |
| Koch WPA | 99 | 30 mi W of Mitchell | 43.68479, -98.62675 |
Map · Directions |
| Miller WPA | 59 | 21 mi W of Mitchell | 43.70308, -98.45003 |
Map · Directions |
| White Lake WPA | 30 | 36 mi W of Mitchell | 43.72893, -98.74688 |
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 Aurora County: rules & tips
Typically allowed
- Hunting waterfowl, upland birds, deer and other game in season under South 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 Aurora 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.
- Mitchell, SD27 mi — county center is W of town
- Lake Andes, SD35 mi — county center is N of town
- Huron, SD51 mi — county center is S of town
- Madison, SD76 mi — county center is W of town
Shooting hours in Aurora County
Today at Aurora 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 | 6:26 AM | 6:56 AM | 8:12 PM | 13h 16m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:42 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:47 PM | 12h 35m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 7:00 AM | 7:30 AM | 7:17 PM | 11h 47m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:16 AM | 7:46 AM | 6:52 PM | 11h 06m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:38 AM | 7:08 AM | 5:26 PM | 10h 18m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:57 AM | 7:27 AM | 5:10 PM | 9h 43m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:17 AM | 7:47 AM | 4:59 PM | 9h 12m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:30 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:58 PM | 8h 58m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:37 AM | 8:07 AM | 5:06 PM | 8h 59m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:34 AM | 8:04 AM | 5:20 PM | 9h 16m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:21 AM | 7:51 AM | 5:43 PM | 9h 51m |
Computed for 43.672, -98.565 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day forecast for Aurora 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 Aurora County
Neighboring counties with WPAs
- Brule County, SD 3 WPAs · 1.1K ac
- Charles Mix County, SD 20 WPAs · 4.3K ac
- Davison County, SD 4 WPAs · 229 ac
- Douglas County, SD 16 WPAs · 4.8K ac
- Jerauld County, SD 9 WPAs · 1.8K ac
- Sanborn County, SD 1 WPAs · 52 ac
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest) and Esri county boundaries. Page updated October 28, 2026.