Huron WMD
Beadle County, SD
✓1 open✕1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣
17.5K huntable acres
County guide · South Dakota · SD WPAs
Waterfowl Production Areas & Public Hunting Land in Hughes County, SD
Hughes County has 2 named Waterfowl Production Areas covering 456 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land. The largest is Hyde WPA at 320 acres; the average tract is about 228 acres.
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 800 square miles and has roughly 17,765 residents. WPAs make up about 0.1% of its land area.
2named WPAs
456acres of WPA land
320largest WPA (ac)
1refuges & districts
Map of WPAs in Hughes 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.
Loading interactive map…
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 Hughes County
| WPA | Acres | Nearest town | GPS | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyde WPA | 320 | 4.7 mi N of Pierre | 44.43644, -100.32984 |
Map · Directions |
| Robbins WPA | 136 | 20 mi E of Pierre | 44.38517, -99.94162 |
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 Hughes 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 Hughes 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.
- Pierre, SD22 mi — county center is E of town
- Huron, SD84 mi — county center is W of town
- Mobridge, SD88 mi — county center is S of town
- Mitchell, SD103 mi — county center is NW of town
Shooting hours in Hughes County
Today at Hughes 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 | 6:31 AM | 7:01 AM | 8:18 PM | 13h 17m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:47 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:52 PM | 12h 36m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 7:05 AM | 7:35 AM | 7:22 PM | 11h 47m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:22 AM | 7:52 AM | 6:57 PM | 11h 05m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:45 AM | 7:15 AM | 5:31 PM | 10h 16m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 7:04 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:14 PM | 9h 40m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:24 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:02 PM | 9h 08m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:38 AM | 8:08 AM | 5:01 PM | 8h 53m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:45 AM | 8:15 AM | 5:09 PM | 8h 55m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:42 AM | 8:12 AM | 5:24 PM | 9h 12m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:28 AM | 7:58 AM | 5:46 PM | 9h 48m |
Computed for 44.323, -99.913 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day forecast for Hughes 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 Hughes County
Neighboring counties with WPAs
- Hyde County, SD 2 WPAs · 2.4K ac
- Sully County, SD 1 WPAs · 266 ac
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest) and Esri county boundaries. Page updated October 28, 2026.