White Horse Hill National Game Preserve
Benson County, ND · 30 mi E
✕1 closed
No hunting listed
Waterfowl Production Area · Benson County, North Dakota
Benson Waterfowl Production Area
✓Public land (fee title)🥾Walk-in access
Covering about 78 acres, Benson Waterfowl Production Area protects prairie wetlands and uplands in Benson County, North Dakota. It is managed by the Devils Lake Wetland Management District as part of the Benson 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.
78GIS acres
80deeded acres
Benson Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi
Benson 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 Benson WPA
What you can typically do
- Hunt waterfowl, upland birds, deer and other game in season under North Dakota 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 Benson WPA
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Destination: Benson Waterfowl Production Area
- Decimal
47.95928, -99.62184- DMS
47°57′33.4″N 99°37′18.6″W
Nearest towns
- Rugby, ND33 mi SE of town
- Devils Lake, ND36 mi W of town
- Carrington, ND42 mi NW of town
Closest airports
- MOT Minot Intl79 mi
Straight-line distances. Driving routes are longer; many refuge roads are gravel and may close seasonally.
Shooting hours at Benson WPA
Today at Benson 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 | 6:25 AM | 6:55 AM | 8:22 PM | 13h 27m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:43 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:53 PM | 12h 40m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 7:05 AM | 7:35 AM | 7:20 PM | 11h 45m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:25 AM | 7:55 AM | 6:52 PM | 10h 56m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:51 AM | 7:21 AM | 5:22 PM | 10h 00m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 7:13 AM | 7:43 AM | 5:02 PM | 9h 19m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:36 AM | 8:06 AM | 4:49 PM | 8h 42m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:51 AM | 8:21 AM | 4:46 PM | 8h 25m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:57 AM | 8:27 AM | 4:54 PM | 8h 27m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:53 AM | 8:23 AM | 5:10 PM | 8h 47m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:37 AM | 8:07 AM | 5:36 PM | 9h 29m |
Computed for 47.959, -99.622 (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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Legreid WPA | 152 | 2.1 mi SW | Benson County |
| Lake Seventeen WPA | 158 | 2.2 mi NW | Benson County |
| Mattson WPA | 61 | 4.9 mi SW | Benson County |
| Rice WPA | 297 | 8.9 mi NE | Benson County |
| Melass WPA | 241 | 8.9 mi NE | Benson County |
| Buffalo Lake WPA | 10 | 9.5 mi W | Pierce County |
| Esmond WPA | 40 | 10.0 mi NW | Benson County |
| Deep Valley WPA | 297 | 11 mi N | Benson County |
Closest refuges & districts
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest), Benson County Waterfowl Production Area. Acreage from GIS polygons; deeded acreage from realty records.