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 Walworth County, SD
Walworth County has 3 named Waterfowl Production Areas covering 1,580 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land. The largest is Spring Lake WPA at 753 acres; the average tract is about 527 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 749 square miles and has roughly 5,315 residents. WPAs make up about 0.3% of its land area.
3named WPAs
1.6Kacres of WPA land
753largest WPA (ac)
1refuges & districts
Map of WPAs in Walworth 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 Walworth County
| WPA | Acres | Nearest town | GPS | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring Lake WPA 764 deeded ac |
753 | 30 mi E of Mobridge | 45.43301, -99.82956 |
Map · Directions |
| Vogele WPA 762 deeded ac |
746 | 30 mi SE of Mobridge | 45.31730, -99.89766 |
Map · Directions |
| Schuh WPA | 81 | 30 mi E of Mobridge | 45.53268, -99.81865 |
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 Walworth 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 Walworth 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, SD22 mi — county center is E of town
- Aberdeen, SD74 mi — county center is W of town
- Pierre, SD75 mi — county center is N of town
- Bismarck, ND102 mi — county center is S of town
Shooting hours in Walworth County
Today at Walworth 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 | 8:20 PM | 13h 20m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:47 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:53 PM | 12h 37m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 7:06 AM | 7:36 AM | 7:22 PM | 11h 46m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:24 AM | 7:54 AM | 6:56 PM | 11h 02m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:48 AM | 7:18 AM | 5:29 PM | 10h 11m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 7:08 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:11 PM | 9h 34m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:29 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:59 PM | 9h 01m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:42 AM | 8:12 AM | 4:57 PM | 8h 45m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:49 AM | 8:19 AM | 5:06 PM | 8h 47m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:46 AM | 8:16 AM | 5:21 PM | 9h 05m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:31 AM | 8:01 AM | 5:44 PM | 9h 43m |
Computed for 45.431, -100.014 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day forecast for Walworth 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 Walworth County
Neighboring counties with WPAs
- Campbell County, SD 13 WPAs · 2.2K ac
- Edmunds County, SD 37 WPAs · 9.2K ac
- McPherson County, SD 61 WPAs · 21K ac
- Potter County, SD 2 WPAs · 654 ac
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest) and Esri county boundaries. Page updated October 28, 2026.