Lake Andes WMD
Charles Mix County, SD
✓1 open✕1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣
15.1K huntable acres
County guide · South Dakota · SD WPAs
Waterfowl Production Areas & Public Hunting Land in Douglas County, SD
Douglas County has 16 named Waterfowl Production Areas covering 4,797 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land. The largest is Broken Arrow WPA at 1,657 acres; the average tract is about 300 acres, and 3 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 436 square miles and has roughly 2,835 residents. WPAs make up about 1.7% of its land area.
16named WPAs
4.8Kacres of WPA land
1,657largest WPA (ac)
1refuges & districts
Map of WPAs in Douglas 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 Douglas County
| WPA | Acres | Nearest town | GPS | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broken Arrow WPA 1,691 deeded ac |
1,657 | 23 mi N of Lake Andes | 43.47820, -98.69725 |
Map · Directions |
| New Holland WPA 583 deeded ac |
575 | 19 mi N of Lake Andes | 43.43464, -98.59651 |
Map · Directions |
| DeCook WPA 530 deeded ac |
522 | 22 mi N of Lake Andes | 43.47070, -98.45676 |
Map · Directions |
| Plooster WPA 160 deeded ac |
372 | 17 mi N of Lake Andes | 43.40265, -98.50255 |
Map · Directions |
| Star WPA 262 deeded ac |
320 | 16 mi N of Lake Andes | 43.39356, -98.58205 |
Map · Directions |
| DeVelder WPA 183 deeded ac |
229 | 15 mi N of Lake Andes | 43.37324, -98.56530 |
Map · Directions |
| Coler WPA | 228 | 13 mi N of Lake Andes | 43.34456, -98.47210 |
Map · Directions |
| King WPA 160 deeded ac |
171 | 12 mi N of Lake Andes | 43.32260, -98.48725 |
Map · Directions |
| Somek WPA 171 deeded ac |
165 | 18 mi NE of Lake Andes | 43.37318, -98.34277 |
Map · Directions |
| Denning WPA | 155 | 13 mi N of Lake Andes | 43.34452, -98.53430 |
Map · Directions |
| Kuil WPA | 89 | 20 mi NE of Lake Andes | 43.42518, -98.37358 |
Map · Directions |
| Van Zee WPA | 86 | 22 mi NW of Lake Andes | 43.45405, -98.71017 |
Map · Directions |
| Dubes WPA | 81 | 14 mi N of Lake Andes | 43.35136, -98.45010 |
Map · Directions |
| Huizenga WPA | 79 | 17 mi N of Lake Andes | 43.40429, -98.53264 |
Map · Directions |
| DeLange WPA | 38 | 18 mi N of Lake Andes | 43.41405, -98.49613 |
Map · Directions |
| Korevaar WPA | 29 | 14 mi N of Lake Andes | 43.35815, -98.51766 |
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 Douglas 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 Douglas 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.
- Lake Andes, SD17 mi — county center is NE of town
- Mitchell, SD31 mi — county center is S of town
- Huron, SD74 mi — county center is S of town
- Madison, SD76 mi — county center is SW of town
Shooting hours in Douglas County
Today at Douglas 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 | 8:10 PM | 13h 15m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:41 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:45 PM | 12h 34m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 6:58 AM | 7:28 AM | 7:16 PM | 11h 48m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:15 AM | 7:45 AM | 6:52 PM | 11h 07m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:36 AM | 7:06 AM | 5:26 PM | 10h 19m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:55 AM | 7:25 AM | 5:10 PM | 9h 45m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:15 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:59 PM | 9h 15m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:28 AM | 7:58 AM | 4:58 PM | 9h 00m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:35 AM | 8:05 AM | 5:06 PM | 9h 02m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:32 AM | 8:02 AM | 5:20 PM | 9h 18m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:19 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:42 PM | 9h 53m |
Computed for 43.286, -98.257 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day forecast for Douglas 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 Douglas County
Refuge hunt units in Douglas County
| Unit | Refuge | Status | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| WPA Open | Lake Andes WMD | ✓Open | 15,054 |
Neighboring counties with WPAs
- Aurora County, SD 16 WPAs · 4.9K ac
- Charles Mix County, SD 20 WPAs · 4.3K ac
- Davison County, SD 4 WPAs · 229 ac
- Hutchinson County, SD 5 WPAs · 784 ac
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest) and Esri county boundaries. Page updated October 28, 2026.