Waterfowl Production Area · Clay County, Minnesota

Stinking Lake Waterfowl Production Area

Public land (fee title)Walk-in access

Stinking Lake Waterfowl Production Area is a public parcel of roughly 41 acres located in Clay County, Minnesota. It is managed by the Detroit Lakes Wetland Management District as part of the Clay County Waterfowl Production Area of Mn 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.

41GIS acres
40deeded acres
Clay Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi

Stinking Lake 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 Clay County:KMLGPX

Hunting on Stinking Lake 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 Stinking Lake WPA

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Destination: Stinking Lake Waterfowl Production Area

Decimal
46.90427, -96.17672
DMS
46°54′15.4″N 96°10′36.2″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 Intl30 mi

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

Shooting hours at Stinking Lake WPA

Today at Stinking Lake 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, 20266:12 AM6:42 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 AM5:10 PM10h 05m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:56 AM7:26 AM4:52 PM9h 25m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:18 AM7:48 AM4:39 PM8h 50m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:33 AM8:03 AM4:36 PM8h 34m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:39 AM8:09 AM4:45 PM8h 35m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:35 AM8:05 AM5:00 PM8h 55m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:20 AM7:50 AM5:25 PM9h 35m

Computed for 46.904, -96.177 (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
Stinking Lake WPA1010.4 mi EBecker County
Rosell WPA651.2 mi SWClay County
Lofgren WPA2632.9 mi NWClay County
Olson WPA613.1 mi SWClay County
Swede Grove Lake WPA323.1 mi NWClay County
Hoe Lake WPA1693.2 mi SClay County
Marks WPA3193.3 mi NEBecker County
Manitoba Junction WPA2403.5 mi NWClay County

Closest refuges & districts

Hamden Slough NWR

Becker County, MN · 11 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 · 27 mi E

6 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

42K huntable acres

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