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 Lincoln County, SD
Lincoln County has 2 named Waterfowl Production Areas covering 179 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land. The largest is Atkins WPA at 162 acres; the average tract is about 90 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 578 square miles and has roughly 65,161 residents. WPAs make up about 0.0% of its land area.
2named WPAs
179acres of WPA land
162largest WPA (ac)
1refuges & districts
Map of WPAs in Lincoln 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 Lincoln County
| WPA | Acres | Nearest town | GPS | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atkins WPA | 162 | 8.3 mi SW of Sioux Falls | 43.45740, -96.85124 |
Map · Directions |
| Freese WPA | 17 | 8.5 mi SW of Sioux Falls | 43.46696, -96.86741 |
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 Lincoln 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 Lincoln 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.
- Sioux Falls, SD17 mi — county center is S of town
- Madison, SD52 mi — county center is S of town
- Sioux City, IA58 mi — county center is N of town
- Brookings, SD70 mi — county center is S of town
Shooting hours in Lincoln County
Today at Lincoln 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 | 6:19 AM | 6:49 AM | 8:04 PM | 13h 15m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:35 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:39 PM | 12h 34m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 6:52 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:10 PM | 11h 48m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:09 AM | 7:39 AM | 6:45 PM | 11h 07m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:30 AM | 7:00 AM | 5:20 PM | 10h 19m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:49 AM | 7:19 AM | 5:04 PM | 9h 45m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:09 AM | 7:39 AM | 4:53 PM | 9h 14m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:21 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:52 PM | 9h 00m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:29 AM | 7:59 AM | 5:00 PM | 9h 02m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:26 AM | 7:56 AM | 5:14 PM | 9h 18m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:13 AM | 7:43 AM | 5:36 PM | 9h 53m |
Computed for 43.299, -96.741 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day forecast for Lincoln 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 Lincoln County
Refuge hunt units in Lincoln County
| Unit | Refuge | Status | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atkins WPA | Madison WMD | !Special regs | 162 |
Neighboring counties with WPAs
- Clay County, SD 1 WPAs · 40 ac
- Minnehaha County, SD 22 WPAs · 4.7K ac
- Turner County, SD 3 WPAs · 993 ac
- Union County, SD 1 WPAs · 96 ac
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest) and Esri county boundaries. Page updated October 28, 2026.