Shell Lake NWR
Mountrail County, ND · 16 mi W
✕1 closed
No hunting listed
Waterfowl Production Area · Ward County, North Dakota
Gaines Waterfowl Production Area
✓Public land (fee title)🥾Walk-in access
Gaines Waterfowl Production Area is a public parcel of roughly 86 acres located in Ward County, North Dakota. It is managed by the J. Clark Salyer Wetland Management District as part of the Ward 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.
86GIS acres
88deeded acres
Ward Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi
Gaines 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 Gaines 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 Gaines WPA
Navigate
Destination: Gaines Waterfowl Production Area
- Decimal
48.14623, -101.77397- DMS
48°08′46.4″N 101°46′26.3″W
Nearest towns
- Minot, ND23 mi W of town
- Garrison, ND38 mi NW of town
- Kenmare, ND39 mi S of town
Closest airports
- MOT Minot Intl24 mi
Straight-line distances. Driving routes are longer; many refuge roads are gravel and may close seasonally.
Shooting hours at Gaines WPA
Today at Gaines 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 | 6:33 AM | 7:03 AM | 8:31 PM | 13h 28m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:52 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:02 PM | 12h 40m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 7:14 AM | 7:44 AM | 7:28 PM | 11h 44m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:34 AM | 8:04 AM | 7:00 PM | 10h 56m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 7:00 AM | 7:30 AM | 5:30 PM | 9h 60m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 7:23 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:10 PM | 9h 18m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:45 AM | 8:15 AM | 4:56 PM | 8h 41m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 8:00 AM | 8:30 AM | 4:53 PM | 8h 23m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 8:07 AM | 8:37 AM | 5:02 PM | 8h 25m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 8:02 AM | 8:32 AM | 5:18 PM | 8h 46m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:46 AM | 8:16 AM | 5:44 PM | 9h 28m |
Computed for 48.146, -101.774 (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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hanson WPA | 240 | 1.2 mi NE | Ward County |
| Blum WPA | 160 | 1.4 mi W | Ward County |
| Haugen WPA | 324 | 4.0 mi E | Ward County |
| McCulloch WPA | 409 | 5.6 mi N | Ward County |
| Kvam WPA | 31 | 6.4 mi SW | Ward County |
| Kerchenko WPA | 74 | 6.7 mi W | Mountrail County |
| Weltikol WPA | 170 | 7.0 mi SW | Ward County |
| Galusha WPA | 161 | 7.7 mi S | Ward County |
Closest refuges & districts
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest), Ward County Waterfowl Production Area. Acreage from GIS polygons; deeded acreage from realty records.