Shell Lake NWR
Mountrail County, ND · 16 mi SE
✕1 closed
No hunting listed
Waterfowl Production Area · Mountrail County, North Dakota
Howell Waterfowl Production Area
✓Public land (fee title)🥾Walk-in access
Howell Waterfowl Production Area is a public parcel of roughly 105 acres located in Mountrail County, North Dakota. It is managed by the Lostwood Wetland Management District as part of the Mountrail 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.
105GIS acres
105deeded acres
Mountrail Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi
Howell 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 Howell 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 Howell WPA
Navigate
Destination: Howell Waterfowl Production Area
- Decimal
48.35311, -102.34777- DMS
48°21′11.2″N 102°20′52.0″W
Nearest towns
- Kenmare, ND25 mi SW of town
- Minot, ND49 mi W of town
- Crosby, ND58 mi SE of town
Closest airports
- MOT Minot Intl49 mi
Straight-line distances. Driving routes are longer; many refuge roads are gravel and may close seasonally.
Shooting hours at Howell WPA
Today at Howell 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 | 6:35 AM | 7:05 AM | 8:33 PM | 13h 28m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:54 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:04 PM | 12h 40m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 7:16 AM | 7:46 AM | 7:31 PM | 11h 44m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:37 AM | 8:07 AM | 7:02 PM | 10h 55m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 7:03 AM | 7:33 AM | 5:32 PM | 9h 59m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 7:25 AM | 7:55 AM | 5:12 PM | 9h 17m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:48 AM | 8:18 AM | 4:58 PM | 8h 39m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 8:03 AM | 8:33 AM | 4:55 PM | 8h 22m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 8:10 AM | 8:40 AM | 5:04 PM | 8h 24m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 8:05 AM | 8:35 AM | 5:20 PM | 8h 44m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:49 AM | 8:19 AM | 5:45 PM | 9h 27m |
Computed for 48.353, -102.348 (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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho WPA | 80 | 1.7 mi SE | Mountrail County |
| State of North Dakota #2 WPA | 404 | 2.0 mi NW | Mountrail County |
| Ball WPA | 230 | 3.2 mi NE | Mountrail County |
| Halverson WPA | 401 | 4.0 mi E | Mountrail County |
| Palermo WPA | 80 | 4.1 mi SE | Mountrail County |
| H.D. Johnson WPA | 321 | 6.5 mi N | Mountrail County |
| Piping Plover WPA | 160 | 7.6 mi E | Mountrail County |
| Solberg WPA | 90 | 7.6 mi N | Mountrail County |
Closest refuges & districts
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest), Mountrail County Waterfowl Production Area. Acreage from GIS polygons; deeded acreage from realty records.