Swan River NWR
Lake County, MT · 1.6 mi N
!2 special
🦌🦆🎣
1.9K huntable acres
Waterfowl Production Area · Lake County, Montana
Cruz Waterfowl Production Area
✓Public land (fee title)🥾Walk-in access
Cruz Waterfowl Production Area is a public parcel of roughly 322 acres located in Lake County, Montana. It is managed by the Northwest Montana Wetland Management District-Lake County as part of the Lake 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.
322GIS acres
320deeded acres
Lake Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi
Cruz 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
Hunting on Cruz WPA
What you can typically do
- Hunt waterfowl, upland birds, deer and other game in season under Montana 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 Cruz WPA
Navigate
Destination: Cruz Waterfowl Production Area
- Decimal
47.88135, -113.86062- DMS
47°52′52.9″N 113°51′38.2″W
Nearest towns
- Kalispell, MT30 mi SE of town
- Missoula, MT70 mi N of town
- Stevensville, MT95 mi N of town
Closest airports
- FCA Glacier Park Intl35 mi
Straight-line distances. Driving routes are longer; many refuge roads are gravel and may close seasonally.
Shooting hours at Cruz WPA
Today at Cruz WPA
Legal light*–
Sunrise–
Sunset–
*½ hour before sunrise — the standard federal shooting-hour start for migratory game birds. Times in Denver local time.
Full season calculator →2026–2027 season sun table
| Date | Shooting light | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, Sep 1, 2026 | 6:22 AM | 6:52 AM | 8:19 PM | 13h 27m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:40 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:50 PM | 12h 40m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 7:02 AM | 7:32 AM | 7:17 PM | 11h 45m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:22 AM | 7:52 AM | 6:49 PM | 10h 57m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:48 AM | 7:18 AM | 5:19 PM | 10h 01m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 7:10 AM | 7:40 AM | 5:00 PM | 9h 20m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:33 AM | 8:03 AM | 4:46 PM | 8h 43m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:47 AM | 8:17 AM | 4:43 PM | 8h 26m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:54 AM | 8:24 AM | 4:52 PM | 8h 27m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:50 AM | 8:20 AM | 5:07 PM | 8h 48m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:33 AM | 8:03 AM | 5:33 PM | 9h 29m |
Computed for 47.881, -113.861 (MDT / 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
| WPA | Acres | Distance | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lazy N Ranch WPA | 1,931 | 21 mi NW | Flathead County |
| Trust for Public Land WPA | 536 | 22 mi NW | Flathead County |
| Duck Haven WPA | 821 | 30 mi S | Lake County |
| Anderson WPA | 163 | 30 mi SW | Lake County |
| Kickinghorse WPA | 174 | 31 mi S | Lake County |
| Crow WPA | 1,533 | 32 mi SW | Lake County |
| Smith Lake WPA | 1,583 | 32 mi NW | Flathead County |
| Batavia WPA | 531 | 32 mi NW | Flathead County |
Closest refuges & districts
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest), Lake County Waterfowl Production Area. Acreage from GIS polygons; deeded acreage from realty records.