Waterfowl Production Area · Nelson County, North Dakota

Rugh Lake Waterfowl Production Area

Public land (fee title)Walk-in access

Rugh Lake Waterfowl Production Area is a public parcel of roughly 107 acres located in Nelson County, North Dakota. It is managed by the Devils Lake Wetland Management District as part of the Nelson 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.

Navigate here Satellite map Devils Lake WMD rules →
107GIS acres
107deeded acres
Nelson Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi

Rugh Lake 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
All WPAs in Nelson County:KMLGPX

Hunting on Rugh Lake 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 Rugh Lake WPA

Navigate

Destination: Rugh Lake Waterfowl Production Area

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Decimal
47.79733, -97.99528
DMS
47°47′50.4″N 97°59′43.0″W

Nearest towns

  • Grand Forks, ND46 mi W of town
  • Devils Lake, ND46 mi SE of town
  • Carrington, ND58 mi NE of town

Closest airports

  • GFK Grand Forks Intl39 mi

Straight-line distances. Driving routes are longer; many refuge roads are gravel and may close seasonally.

Shooting hours at Rugh Lake WPA

Today at Rugh Lake 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

DateShooting lightSunriseSunsetDaylight
Tue, Sep 1, 20266:18 AM6:48 AM8:15 PM13h 27m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:37 AM7:07 AM7:47 PM12h 40m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:59 AM7:29 AM7:13 PM11h 45m
Thu, Oct 15, 20267:19 AM7:49 AM6:45 PM10h 57m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:45 AM7:15 AM5:16 PM10h 01m
Sun, Nov 15, 20267:06 AM7:36 AM4:56 PM9h 20m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:29 AM7:59 AM4:43 PM8h 44m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:43 AM8:13 AM4:40 PM8h 26m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:50 AM8:20 AM4:48 PM8h 28m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:46 AM8:16 AM5:04 PM8h 48m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:30 AM8:00 AM5:30 PM9h 30m

Computed for 47.797, -97.995 (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

WPAAcresDistanceCounty
Bothen WPA701.3 mi SWNelson County
Goose Lake WPA2342.1 mi NNelson County
Gerhart WPA1504.4 mi SENelson County
Lavanger WPA677.5 mi SNelson County
Hofer Marsh WPA1598.1 mi EGrand Forks County
Boostrom WPA2498.4 mi WNelson County
Tennison WPA1619.3 mi NEGrand Forks County
Hjelseth WPA1589.4 mi NWNelson County

Closest refuges & districts

Kellys Slough NWR

Grand Forks County, ND · 35 mi E

1 closed
No hunting listed

Devils Lake WMD

Ramsey County, ND · 46 mi NW

1 open1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

52.7K huntable acres

White Horse Hill National Game Preserve

Benson County, ND · 47 mi W

1 closed
No hunting listed

Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest), Nelson County Waterfowl Production Area. Acreage from GIS polygons; deeded acreage from realty records.