Sand Lake WMD
Brown County, SD
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44.5K huntable acres
County guide · South Dakota · SD WPAs
Waterfowl Production Areas & Public Hunting Land in Potter County, SD
Potter County has 2 named Waterfowl Production Areas covering 654 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land. The largest is Penrod Hotmon WPA at 605 acres; the average tract is about 327 acres, and 1 are smaller than 80 acres.
WPAs here are managed by the Sand Lake Wetland Management District, which sets any district-specific rules (vehicle access, blinds, nontoxic shot, closed areas).
The county covers about 883 square miles and has roughly 2,472 residents. WPAs make up about 0.1% of its land area.
2named WPAs
654acres of WPA land
605largest WPA (ac)
1refuges & districts
Map of WPAs in Potter 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 Potter County
| WPA | Acres | Nearest town | GPS | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penrod Hotmon WPA | 605 | 45 mi SE of Mobridge | 45.16180, -99.66528 |
Map · Directions |
| Koehn WPA | 49 | 43 mi SE of Mobridge | 45.15621, -99.74361 |
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 Potter 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 Potter 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.
- Mobridge, SD40 mi — county center is SE of town
- Pierre, SD52 mi — county center is N of town
- Aberdeen, SD76 mi — county center is W of town
- Huron, SD98 mi — county center is NW of town
Shooting hours in Potter County
Today at Potter 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 | 6:30 AM | 7:00 AM | 8:19 PM | 13h 19m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:46 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:53 PM | 12h 36m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 7:06 AM | 7:36 AM | 7:22 PM | 11h 46m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:23 AM | 7:53 AM | 6:56 PM | 11h 03m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:47 AM | 7:17 AM | 5:29 PM | 10h 13m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 7:06 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:12 PM | 9h 36m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:27 AM | 7:57 AM | 5:00 PM | 9h 03m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:41 AM | 8:11 AM | 4:58 PM | 8h 48m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:48 AM | 8:18 AM | 5:07 PM | 8h 49m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:44 AM | 8:14 AM | 5:22 PM | 9h 07m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:30 AM | 8:00 AM | 5:45 PM | 9h 45m |
Computed for 45.067, -99.947 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day forecast for Potter 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 Potter County
Neighboring counties with WPAs
- Edmunds County, SD 37 WPAs · 9.2K ac
- Faulk County, SD 10 WPAs · 2.8K ac
- Hyde County, SD 2 WPAs · 2.4K ac
- Sully County, SD 1 WPAs · 266 ac
- Walworth County, SD 3 WPAs · 1.6K ac
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest) and Esri county boundaries. Page updated October 28, 2026.