J. Clark Salyer NWR
McHenry County, ND · 20 mi W
!3 special✕1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🐇🎣
58.9K huntable acres
Waterfowl Production Area · Bottineau County, North Dakota
Foster Waterfowl Production Area
✓Public land (fee title)🥾Walk-in access
Covering about 334 acres, Foster Waterfowl Production Area protects prairie wetlands and uplands in Bottineau County, North Dakota. It is managed by the J. Clark Salyer Wetland Management District as part of the Bottineau 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.
334GIS acres
332deeded acres
Bottineau Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi
Foster 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 Foster 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 Foster WPA
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Destination: Foster Waterfowl Production Area
- Decimal
48.69736, -100.27323- DMS
48°41′50.5″N 100°16′23.6″W
Nearest towns
- Bottineau, ND12 mi SE of town
- Rugby, ND26 mi NW of town
- Minot, ND57 mi NE of town
Closest airports
- MOT Minot Intl55 mi
Straight-line distances. Driving routes are longer; many refuge roads are gravel and may close seasonally.
Shooting hours at Foster WPA
Today at Foster 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 | 6:26 AM | 6:56 AM | 8:26 PM | 13h 29m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:46 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:56 PM | 12h 41m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 7:08 AM | 7:38 AM | 7:22 PM | 11h 44m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:29 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:54 PM | 10h 55m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:56 AM | 7:26 AM | 5:23 PM | 9h 57m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 7:18 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:03 PM | 9h 14m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:42 AM | 8:12 AM | 4:48 PM | 8h 37m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:56 AM | 8:26 AM | 4:45 PM | 8h 19m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 8:03 AM | 8:33 AM | 4:54 PM | 8h 21m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:58 AM | 8:28 AM | 5:10 PM | 8h 42m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:41 AM | 8:11 AM | 5:36 PM | 9h 25m |
Computed for 48.697, -100.273 (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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kippen-Cote WPA | 29 | 4.4 mi NW | Bottineau County |
| Foss WPA | 110 | 10 mi E | Rolette County |
| Berube WPA | 68 | 13 mi NE | Rolette County |
| Turtle Mountains WPA | 7.6 | 13 mi N | Bottineau County |
| Osben Smith WPA | 75 | 14 mi E | Rolette County |
| Russel Township WPA | 42 | 14 mi E | Rolette County |
| Thompson Lake WPA | 40 | 15 mi N | Bottineau County |
| Beaver WPA | 106 | 15 mi E | Rolette County |
Closest refuges & districts
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest), Bottineau County Waterfowl Production Area. Acreage from GIS polygons; deeded acreage from realty records.