Madison WMD
Lake County, SD
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44K huntable acres
County guide · South Dakota · SD WPAs
Waterfowl Production Areas & Public Hunting Land in Hanson County, SD
Hanson County has 5 named Waterfowl Production Areas covering 888 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land. The largest is Boggs WPA at 475 acres; the average tract is about 178 acres, and 1 are smaller than 80 acres.
WPAs here are managed by the Madison Wetland Management District, which sets any district-specific rules (vehicle access, blinds, nontoxic shot, closed areas).
The county covers about 438 square miles and has roughly 3,461 residents. WPAs make up about 0.3% of its land area.
5named WPAs
888acres of WPA land
475largest WPA (ac)
1refuges & districts
Map of WPAs in Hanson 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 Hanson County
| WPA | Acres | Nearest town | GPS | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boggs WPA | 475 | 20 mi NE of Mitchell | 43.82201, -97.65371 |
Map · Directions |
| Welker WPA | 183 | 18 mi E of Mitchell | 43.66293, -97.67358 |
Map · Directions |
| Schneider WPA | 127 | 21 mi E of Mitchell | 43.80945, -97.63462 |
Map · Directions |
| Delger WPA 87 deeded ac |
81 | 21 mi E of Mitchell | 43.74031, -97.61240 |
Map · Directions |
| Kayser WPA | 22 | 13 mi SE of Mitchell | 43.63110, -97.80263 |
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 Hanson 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 Hanson 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, SD12 mi — county center is E of town
- Madison, SD41 mi — county center is SW of town
- Lake Andes, SD52 mi — county center is NE of town
- Huron, SD52 mi — county center is SE of town
Shooting hours in Hanson County
Today at Hanson 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 | 6:23 AM | 6:53 AM | 8:09 PM | 13h 16m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:39 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:43 PM | 12h 35m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 6:57 AM | 7:27 AM | 7:14 PM | 11h 47m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:13 AM | 7:43 AM | 6:49 PM | 11h 06m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:35 AM | 7:05 AM | 5:23 PM | 10h 18m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:54 AM | 7:24 AM | 5:07 PM | 9h 43m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:14 AM | 7:44 AM | 4:56 PM | 9h 12m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:27 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:54 PM | 8h 58m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:34 AM | 8:04 AM | 5:03 PM | 8h 59m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:31 AM | 8:01 AM | 5:17 PM | 9h 16m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:18 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:40 PM | 9h 51m |
Computed for 43.671, -97.789 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day forecast for Hanson 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 Hanson County
Neighboring counties with WPAs
- Davison County, SD 4 WPAs · 229 ac
- Hutchinson County, SD 5 WPAs · 784 ac
- McCook County, SD 27 WPAs · 3.4K ac
- Miner County, SD 18 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.