Huron WMD
Beadle County, SD
✓1 open✕1 closed
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17.5K huntable acres
County guide · South Dakota · SD WPAs
Waterfowl Production Areas & Public Hunting Land in Hyde County, SD
Hyde County has 2 named Waterfowl Production Areas covering 2,384 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land. The largest is Harter WPA at 1,417 acres; the average tract is about 1,192 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 841 square miles and has roughly 1,262 residents. WPAs make up about 0.4% of its land area.
2named WPAs
2.4Kacres of WPA land
1,417largest WPA (ac)
1refuges & districts
Map of WPAs in Hyde 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 Hyde County
| WPA | Acres | Nearest town | GPS | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harter WPA 1,441 deeded ac |
1,417 | 41 mi E of Pierre | 44.40713, -99.52762 |
Map · Directions |
| Cowan WPA 960 deeded ac |
967 | 42 mi E of Pierre | 44.41830, -99.50473 |
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 Hyde 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 Hyde 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, SD43 mi — county center is E of town
- Huron, SD63 mi — county center is W of town
- Mitchell, SD86 mi — county center is NW of town
- Aberdeen, SD89 mi — county center is SW of town
Shooting hours in Hyde County
Today at Hyde 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 | 6:29 AM | 6:59 AM | 8:17 PM | 13h 17m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:45 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:51 PM | 12h 36m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 7:04 AM | 7:34 AM | 7:20 PM | 11h 47m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:21 AM | 7:51 AM | 6:55 PM | 11h 04m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:43 AM | 7:13 AM | 5:29 PM | 10h 15m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 7:03 AM | 7:33 AM | 5:12 PM | 9h 39m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:23 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:00 PM | 9h 08m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:36 AM | 8:06 AM | 4:59 PM | 8h 52m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:43 AM | 8:13 AM | 5:07 PM | 8h 54m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:40 AM | 8:10 AM | 5:22 PM | 9h 12m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:27 AM | 7:57 AM | 5:45 PM | 9h 48m |
Computed for 44.385, -99.481 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day forecast for Hyde 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 Hyde County
Neighboring counties with WPAs
- Buffalo County, SD 1 WPAs · 919 ac
- Faulk County, SD 10 WPAs · 2.8K ac
- Hand County, SD 16 WPAs · 4K ac
- Hughes County, SD 2 WPAs · 456 ac
- Potter County, SD 2 WPAs · 654 ac
- Sully County, SD 1 WPAs · 266 ac
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest) and Esri county boundaries. Page updated October 28, 2026.