Glacial Ridge NWR
Polk County, MN · 7.9 mi NE
!2 special✕1 closed
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17.4K huntable acres
Waterfowl Production Area · Polk County, Minnesota
Melvin Slough Waterfowl Production Area
✓Public land (fee title)🥾Walk-in access
Melvin Slough Waterfowl Production Area is a public parcel of roughly 1,212 acres located in Polk County, Minnesota. It is managed by the Detroit Lakes Wetland Management District as part of the Polk 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.
1,212GIS acres
1,224deeded acres
Polk Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi
Melvin Slough 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 Melvin Slough 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 Melvin Slough WPA
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Destination: Melvin Slough Waterfowl Production Area
- Decimal
47.62893, -96.41012- DMS
47°37′44.1″N 96°24′36.4″W
Nearest towns
- Grand Forks, ND36 mi SE of town
- Thief River Falls, MN36 mi S of town
- Fargo, ND55 mi N of town
Closest airports
- GFK Grand Forks Intl42 mi
Straight-line distances. Driving routes are longer; many refuge roads are gravel and may close seasonally.
Shooting hours at Melvin Slough WPA
Today at Melvin Slough 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 | 6:12 AM | 6:42 AM | 8:09 PM | 13h 26m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:31 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:40 PM | 12h 39m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 6:52 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:07 PM | 11h 45m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:12 AM | 7:42 AM | 6:39 PM | 10h 57m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:38 AM | 7:08 AM | 5:10 PM | 10h 02m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:59 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:51 PM | 9h 21m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:22 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:37 PM | 8h 45m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:36 AM | 8:06 AM | 4:34 PM | 8h 28m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:43 AM | 8:13 AM | 4:43 PM | 8h 30m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:39 AM | 8:09 AM | 4:59 PM | 8h 50m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:23 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:24 PM | 9h 31m |
Computed for 47.629, -96.410 (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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maple Lake WPA | 357 | 9.8 mi E | Polk County |
| The Nature Conservancy WPA | 88 | 9.9 mi E | Polk County |
| Moren WPA | 191 | 11 mi E | Polk County |
| Jacobson WPA | 244 | 11 mi E | Polk County |
| Farrell WPA | 39 | 11 mi E | Polk County |
| Ness WPA | 33 | 11 mi SE | Polk County |
| Cable Lake WPA | 119 | 12 mi E | Polk County |
| Woodside WPA | 315 | 14 mi E | Polk County |
Closest refuges & districts
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest), Polk County Waterfowl Production Area of Mn. Acreage from GIS polygons; deeded acreage from realty records.