Big Stone NWR
Lac qui Parle County, MN · 19 mi SE
!2 special✕1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣
9.6K huntable acres
Waterfowl Production Area · Big Stone County, Minnesota
Foster Waterfowl Production Area
✓Public land (fee title)🥾Walk-in access
Covering about 31 acres, Foster Waterfowl Production Area protects prairie wetlands and uplands in Big Stone County, Minnesota. It is managed by the Morris Wetland Management District as part of the Big Stone 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.
31GIS acres
31deeded acres
Big Stone Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi
Foster 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
Hunting on Foster 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 Foster WPA
Navigate
Destination: Foster Waterfowl Production Area
- Decimal
45.43003, -96.63914- DMS
45°25′48.1″N 96°38′20.9″W
Nearest towns
- Morris, MN37 mi W of town
- Watertown, SD43 mi NE of town
- Wahpeton, ND58 mi S of town
Closest airports
- ABR Aberdeen Regional86 mi
Straight-line distances. Driving routes are longer; many refuge roads are gravel and may close seasonally.
Shooting hours at Foster WPA
Today at Foster 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
| Date | Shooting light | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, Sep 1, 2026 | 6:16 AM | 6:46 AM | 8:07 PM | 13h 20m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:33 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:40 PM | 12h 37m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 6:52 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:09 PM | 11h 46m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:11 AM | 7:41 AM | 6:43 PM | 11h 02m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:34 AM | 7:04 AM | 5:15 PM | 10h 11m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:54 AM | 7:24 AM | 4:58 PM | 9h 34m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:15 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:46 PM | 9h 01m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:29 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:44 PM | 8h 45m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:36 AM | 8:06 AM | 4:52 PM | 8h 47m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:32 AM | 8:02 AM | 5:07 PM | 9h 05m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:18 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:31 PM | 9h 43m |
Computed for 45.430, -96.639 (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
| WPA | Acres | Distance | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middlewest Investment WPA | 46 | 3.8 mi E | Big Stone County |
| Johnson WPA | 79 | 4.2 mi SW | Roberts County |
| Arndt WPA | 17 | 4.8 mi N | Big Stone County |
| Minder WPA | 102 | 5.3 mi W | Roberts County |
| Cameron WPA | 112 | 6.3 mi W | Roberts County |
| Boehnke WPA | 168 | 6.7 mi NE | Big Stone County |
| Piper WPA | 67 | 6.9 mi E | Big Stone County |
| Beck WPA | 246 | 7.4 mi NE | Big Stone County |
Closest refuges & districts
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest), Big Stone County Waterfowl Production Area. Acreage from GIS polygons; deeded acreage from realty records.