County guide · South Dakota · SD WPAs

Waterfowl Production Areas & Public Hunting Land in Sanborn County, SD

Sanborn County has 1 named Waterfowl Production Area covering 52 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land.

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 568 square miles and has roughly 2,330 residents. WPAs make up about 0.0% of its land area.

County mapAll 1 WPAsDownload KML
1named WPAs
52acres of WPA land
52largest WPA (ac)
1refuges & districts

Map of WPAs in Sanborn 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
Take every tract with you:KML (Google Earth / onX)GPX waypoints

All Waterfowl Production Areas in Sanborn County

WPAAcresNearest townGPSGo
Johnson WPA 52 19 mi NW of Mitchell 43.93465, -98.24292 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 Sanborn 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 Sanborn 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.

  • Huron, SD21 mi — county center is S of town
  • Mitchell, SD25 mi — county center is N of town
  • Madison, SD49 mi — county center is W of town
  • Lake Andes, SD66 mi — county center is N of town

Shooting hours in Sanborn County

Today at Sanborn 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

DateShooting lightSunriseSunsetDaylight
Tue, Sep 1, 20266:24 AM6:54 AM8:11 PM13h 17m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:40 AM7:10 AM7:45 PM12h 35m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:58 AM7:28 AM7:15 PM11h 47m
Thu, Oct 15, 20267:15 AM7:45 AM6:50 PM11h 05m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:37 AM7:07 AM5:24 PM10h 17m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:56 AM7:26 AM5:07 PM9h 41m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:16 AM7:46 AM4:56 PM9h 10m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:30 AM8:00 AM4:54 PM8h 55m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:37 AM8:07 AM5:03 PM8h 56m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:34 AM8:04 AM5:17 PM9h 14m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:20 AM7:50 AM5:40 PM9h 49m

Computed for 44.064, -98.096 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.

7-day forecast for Sanborn 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 Sanborn County

Huron WMD

Beadle County, SD

1 open1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

17.5K huntable acres

Neighboring counties with WPAs

Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest) and Esri county boundaries. Page updated October 28, 2026.