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44K huntable acres
County guide · South Dakota · SD WPAs
Waterfowl Production Areas & Public Hunting Land in Moody County, SD
Moody County has 15 named Waterfowl Production Areas covering 3,173 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land. The largest is Anderson WPA at 437 acres; the average tract is about 212 acres, and 4 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 519 square miles and has roughly 6,336 residents. WPAs make up about 1.0% of its land area.
15named WPAs
3.2Kacres of WPA land
437largest WPA (ac)
1refuges & districts
Map of WPAs in Moody 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 Moody County
| WPA | Acres | Nearest town | GPS | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson WPA | 437 | 14 mi NE of Madison | 44.09750, -96.84727 |
Map · Directions |
| Bothwell WPA | 387 | 12 mi E of Madison | 44.04147, -96.86507 |
Map · Directions |
| Reaves WPA | 346 | 14 mi E of Madison | 44.06748, -96.84488 |
Map · Directions |
| Benson WPA | 312 | 13 mi E of Madison | 44.04473, -96.84366 |
Map · Directions |
| Long WPA | 308 | 9.3 mi S of Brookings | 44.18425, -96.86501 |
Map · Directions |
| Lee WPA | 278 | 12 mi E of Madison | 44.05413, -96.87175 |
Map · Directions |
| Kleinsasser WPA | 274 | 16 mi E of Madison | 44.01177, -96.79386 |
Map · Directions |
| Pettigrew WPA | 206 | 14 mi NE of Madison | 44.08965, -96.85409 |
Map · Directions |
| Petsch WPA | 157 | 16 mi E of Madison | 43.99653, -96.79220 |
Map · Directions |
| Dobbs WPA | 144 | 14 mi S of Brookings | 44.11148, -96.83413 |
Map · Directions |
| Thornber WPA | 99 | 14 mi E of Madison | 44.03311, -96.83631 |
Map · Directions |
| Thompson WPA | 79 | 9.4 mi S of Brookings | 44.17781, -96.84192 |
Map · Directions |
| Jensen WPA | 56 | 14 mi E of Madison | 44.02543, -96.83701 |
Map · Directions |
| Heinricy WPA | 49 | 14 mi E of Madison | 44.00250, -96.82911 |
Map · Directions |
| Myers WPA | 41 | 14 mi S of Brookings | 44.11444, -96.78618 |
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 Moody 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 Moody 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.
- Brookings, SD21 mi — county center is S of town
- Madison, SD22 mi — county center is E of town
- Sioux Falls, SD33 mi — county center is N of town
- Marshall, MN53 mi — county center is SW of town
Shooting hours in Moody County
Today at Moody 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 | 6:18 AM | 6:48 AM | 8:05 PM | 13h 16m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:34 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:39 PM | 12h 35m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 6:52 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:09 PM | 11h 47m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:09 AM | 7:39 AM | 6:44 PM | 11h 05m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:31 AM | 7:01 AM | 5:18 PM | 10h 17m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:50 AM | 7:20 AM | 5:02 PM | 9h 41m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:11 AM | 7:41 AM | 4:50 PM | 9h 10m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:24 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:49 PM | 8h 55m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:31 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:57 PM | 8h 57m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:28 AM | 7:58 AM | 5:12 PM | 9h 14m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:15 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:34 PM | 9h 50m |
Computed for 44.022, -96.674 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day forecast for Moody 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 Moody County
Neighboring counties with WPAs
- Brookings County, SD 26 WPAs · 6.6K ac
- Lake County, SD 37 WPAs · 6.3K ac
- Lincoln County, MN 17 WPAs · 2.3K ac
- Minnehaha County, SD 22 WPAs · 4.7K ac
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest) and Esri county boundaries. Page updated October 28, 2026.