Waterfowl Production Area · Clay County, Minnesota

Stangeland Waterfowl Production Area

Public land (fee title)Walk-in access

Covering about 170 acres, Stangeland Waterfowl Production Area protects prairie wetlands and uplands in Clay 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 →
170GIS acres
174deeded acres
Clay Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi

Stangeland WPA satellite map

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

Loading interactive map…
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 Clay County:KMLGPX

Hunting on Stangeland 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 Stangeland WPA

Navigate

Destination: Stangeland Waterfowl Production Area

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
46.82838, -96.18126
DMS
46°49′42.2″N 96°10′52.5″W

Nearest towns

  • Detroit Lakes, MN16 mi W of town
  • Moorhead, MN28 mi E of town
  • Fargo, ND29 mi E of town

Closest airports

  • FAR Fargo Hector Intl31 mi

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

Shooting hours at Stangeland WPA

Today at Stangeland 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, 20266:13 AM6:43 AM8:07 PM13h 24m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:30 AM7:00 AM7:39 PM12h 38m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:51 AM7:21 AM7:06 PM11h 45m
Thu, Oct 15, 20267:10 AM7:40 AM6:39 PM10h 59m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:35 AM7:05 AM5:11 PM10h 05m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:56 AM7:26 AM4:52 PM9h 26m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:18 AM7:48 AM4:39 PM8h 51m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:32 AM8:02 AM4:36 PM8h 34m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:39 AM8:09 AM4:45 PM8h 36m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:35 AM8:05 AM5:00 PM8h 55m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:20 AM7:50 AM5:25 PM9h 35m

Computed for 46.828, -96.181 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.

7-day forecast

Loading National Weather Service forecast…

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

Nearby Waterfowl Production Areas

WPAAcresDistanceCounty
Axberg Lake WPA2231.2 mi NEBecker County
Hoe Lake WPA1692.3 mi NClay County
Rushfeldt WPA6502.9 mi NWClay County
Three/Jetvig Lakes WPA1682.9 mi SWClay County
Olson WPA613.1 mi NWClay County
Lee Lake WPA893.3 mi NWClay County
Erickson WPA1473.9 mi EBecker County
Christianson WPA2374.0 mi SWClay County

Closest refuges & districts

Hamden Slough NWR

Becker County, MN · 14 mi NE

3 special
🦌🦆

3.4K huntable acres

Detroit Lakes WMD

Becker County, MN · 16 mi E

1 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

50.2K huntable acres

Tamarac NWR

Becker County, MN · 29 mi E

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.