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 Spink County, SD
Spink County has 10 named Waterfowl Production Areas covering 2,419 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land. The largest is Mansfield Slough WPA at 734 acres; the average tract is about 242 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 1,515 square miles and has roughly 6,361 residents. WPAs make up about 0.2% of its land area.
10named WPAs
2.4Kacres of WPA land
734largest WPA (ac)
1refuges & districts
Map of WPAs in Spink 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 Spink County
| WPA | Acres | Nearest town | GPS | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mansfield Slough WPA | 734 | 20 mi S of Aberdeen | 45.17861, -98.54948 |
Map · Directions |
| Jesson WPA | 671 | 36 mi NW of Huron | 44.77516, -98.65851 |
Map · Directions |
| Sonderson, Bruckner, Hanson WPA | 245 | 31 mi SE of Aberdeen | 45.16421, -97.99938 |
Map · Directions |
| Einspahr WPA | 159 | 36 mi S of Aberdeen | 44.94479, -98.61982 |
Map · Directions |
| Boekelheide West WPA | 138 | 24 mi SW of Aberdeen | 45.14859, -98.68540 |
Map · Directions |
| Becker WPA | 123 | 40 mi S of Aberdeen | 44.89255, -98.60226 |
Map · Directions |
| Stroschein WPA | 115 | 16 mi S of Aberdeen | 45.23512, -98.59897 |
Map · Directions |
| Hahler-Carda WPA | 105 | 21 mi SW of Aberdeen | 45.18873, -98.68475 |
Map · Directions |
| Boekelheide N. East WPA | 95 | 23 mi S of Aberdeen | 45.14941, -98.66177 |
Map · Directions |
| Bacon WPA | 34 | 23 mi S of Aberdeen | 45.13961, -98.65184 |
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 Spink 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 Spink 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.
- Aberdeen, SD31 mi — county center is S of town
- Huron, SD46 mi — county center is N of town
- Watertown, SD61 mi — county center is W of town
- Brookings, SD91 mi — county center is NW of town
Shooting hours in Spink County
Today at Spink 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 | 6:24 AM | 6:54 AM | 8:13 PM | 13h 19m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:40 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:46 PM | 12h 36m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 6:59 AM | 7:29 AM | 7:16 PM | 11h 46m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:17 AM | 7:47 AM | 6:50 PM | 11h 03m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:40 AM | 7:10 AM | 5:23 PM | 10h 13m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 7:00 AM | 7:30 AM | 5:06 PM | 9h 36m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:21 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:54 PM | 9h 03m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:34 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:52 PM | 8h 48m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:41 AM | 8:11 AM | 5:01 PM | 8h 50m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:38 AM | 8:08 AM | 5:15 PM | 9h 07m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:24 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:38 PM | 9h 45m |
Computed for 45.024, -98.355 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day forecast for Spink 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 Spink County
Neighboring counties with WPAs
- Beadle County, SD 26 WPAs · 7.8K ac
- Brown County, SD 22 WPAs · 4.7K ac
- Clark County, SD 28 WPAs · 6.1K ac
- Day County, SD 49 WPAs · 7.3K ac
- Edmunds County, SD 37 WPAs · 9.2K ac
- Faulk County, SD 10 WPAs · 2.8K ac
- Hand County, SD 16 WPAs · 4K ac
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest) and Esri county boundaries. Page updated October 28, 2026.