Waterfowl Production Area · Becker County, Minnesota

Tessman Waterfowl Production Area

Public land (fee title)Walk-in access

Tessman Waterfowl Production Area is a public parcel of roughly 160 acres located in Becker County, Minnesota. It is managed by the Detroit Lakes Wetland Management District as part of the Becker County Waterfowl Production Area group of WPAs. Waterfowl Production Areas are purchased largely with Federal Duck Stamp dollars and are generally open to hunting, trapping and fishing under state regulations, with some federal restrictions.

Navigate here Satellite map Detroit Lakes WMD rules →
160GIS acres
159deeded acres
Becker Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi

Tessman WPA satellite map

Gold outlines are fee-title Waterfowl Production Areas — public land. Everything outside is typically private; always look for boundary signs.

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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 WPAs in Becker County:KMLGPX

Hunting on Tessman WPA

What you can typically do

  • Hunt waterfowl, upland birds, deer and other game in season under Minnesota regulations
  • Walk in from roads or designated parking areas — vehicles generally stay off the tract
  • Fish and trap where state rules and district regulations allow
  • Wildlife watching, photography and hiking

Common restrictions

  • No camping, fires or overnight use on most WPAs
  • Motorized vehicles only on designated roads/parking
  • Temporary blinds and stands usually must be removed daily
  • Non-toxic shot required for waterfowl — many districts require it for all shotgun hunting
  • Some tracts have closed areas or special regulations — check signs

How to get to Tessman WPA

Navigate

Destination: Tessman Waterfowl Production Area

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Decimal
46.86236, -95.91026
DMS
46°51′44.5″N 95°54′36.9″W

Nearest towns

  • Detroit Lakes, MN4.1 mi NW of town
  • Moorhead, MN41 mi E of town
  • Fergus Falls, MN41 mi N of town

Closest airports

  • FAR Fargo Hector Intl43 mi

Straight-line distances. Driving routes are longer; many refuge roads are gravel and may close seasonally.

Shooting hours at Tessman WPA

Today at Tessman WPA

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, 20266:11 AM6:41 AM8:06 PM13h 24m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:29 AM6:59 AM7:38 PM12h 38m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:50 AM7:20 AM7:05 PM11h 45m
Thu, Oct 15, 20267:09 AM7:39 AM6:38 PM10h 59m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:34 AM7:04 AM5:09 PM10h 05m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:55 AM7:25 AM4:51 PM9h 26m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:17 AM7:47 AM4:38 PM8h 51m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:31 AM8:01 AM4:35 PM8h 34m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:38 AM8:08 AM4:44 PM8h 36m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:34 AM8:04 AM4:59 PM8h 55m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:19 AM7:49 AM5:24 PM9h 35m

Computed for 46.862, -95.910 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.

7-day forecast

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Forecast from the National Weather Service. Wind direction matters — plan your approach downwind of where game beds.

Nearby Waterfowl Production Areas

WPAAcresDistanceCounty
Brandy Lake WPA2811.1 mi SEBecker County
Anderson WPA5841.7 mi NWBecker County
Arneson WPA1501.8 mi SWBecker County
Lethenstrum WPA782.0 mi WBecker County
Jacobson WPA1182.3 mi WBecker County
Shodean WPA402.4 mi SWBecker County
Audubon WPA3642.9 mi WBecker County
Headquarters WPA1673.0 mi EBecker County

Closest refuges & districts

Detroit Lakes WMD

Becker County, MN · 3.2 mi E

1 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

50.2K huntable acres

Hamden Slough NWR

Becker County, MN · 8.8 mi N

3 special
🦌🦆

3.4K huntable acres

Tamarac NWR

Becker County, MN · 16 mi NE

6 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

42K huntable acres

Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest), Becker County Waterfowl Production Area. Acreage from GIS polygons; deeded acreage from realty records.