County guide · South Dakota · SD WPAs

Waterfowl Production Areas & Public Hunting Land in Buffalo County, SD

Buffalo County has 1 named Waterfowl Production Area covering 919 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land.

WPAs here are managed by the Huron Wetland Management District, which sets any district-specific rules (vehicle access, blinds, nontoxic shot, closed areas).

The county covers about 487 square miles and has roughly 1,948 residents. WPAs make up about 0.3% of its land area.

County mapAll 1 WPAsDownload KML
1named WPAs
919acres of WPA land
919largest WPA (ac)
1refuges & districts

Map of WPAs in Buffalo 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
Take every tract with you:KML (Google Earth / onX)GPX waypoints

All Waterfowl Production Areas in Buffalo County

WPAAcresNearest townGPSGo
Mills WPA 919 47 mi W of Huron 44.19082, -99.12177 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 Buffalo 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 Buffalo 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.

  • Huron, SD54 mi — county center is W of town
  • Pierre, SD59 mi — county center is E of town
  • Mitchell, SD65 mi — county center is NW of town
  • Lake Andes, SD72 mi — county center is NW of town

Shooting hours in Buffalo County

Today at Buffalo 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

DateShooting lightSunriseSunsetDaylight
Tue, Sep 1, 20266:28 AM6:58 AM8:15 PM13h 17m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:44 AM7:14 AM7:49 PM12h 35m
Thu, Oct 1, 20267:02 AM7:32 AM7:19 PM11h 47m
Thu, Oct 15, 20267:19 AM7:49 AM6:55 PM11h 05m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:42 AM7:12 AM5:28 PM10h 16m
Sun, Nov 15, 20267:01 AM7:31 AM5:12 PM9h 41m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:21 AM7:51 AM5:01 PM9h 10m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:34 AM8:04 AM4:59 PM8h 55m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:41 AM8:11 AM5:07 PM8h 56m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:38 AM8:08 AM5:22 PM9h 14m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:25 AM7:55 AM5:44 PM9h 49m

Computed for 44.071, -99.232 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.

7-day forecast for Buffalo 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 Buffalo County

Huron WMD

Beadle County, SD

1 open1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

17.5K huntable acres

Neighboring counties with WPAs

Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest) and Esri county boundaries. Page updated October 28, 2026.