Waterfowl Production Area · Aurora County, South Dakota

Althen Waterfowl Production Area

Public land (fee title)Walk-in access

Althen Waterfowl Production Area is a 149-acre tract of federally owned wetland and grassland habitat in Aurora County, South Dakota. It is managed by the Lake Andes Wetland Management District as part of the Aurora 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 Lake Andes WMD rules →
149GIS acres
160deeded acres
Aurora Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi

Althen 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 Aurora County:KMLGPX

Hunting on Althen WPA

What you can typically do

  • Hunt waterfowl, upland birds, deer and other game in season under South 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 Althen WPA

Navigate

Destination: Althen Waterfowl Production Area

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Decimal
43.65414, -98.52251
DMS
43°39′14.9″N 98°31′21.0″W

Nearest towns

  • Mitchell, SD25 mi W of town
  • Lake Andes, SD34 mi N of town
  • Huron, SD51 mi S of town

Closest airports

  • FSD Sioux Falls Regional89 mi

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

Shooting hours at Althen WPA

Today at Althen 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, 20266:26 AM6:56 AM8:12 PM13h 16m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:42 AM7:12 AM7:46 PM12h 35m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:59 AM7:29 AM7:17 PM11h 47m
Thu, Oct 15, 20267:16 AM7:46 AM6:52 PM11h 06m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:38 AM7:08 AM5:26 PM10h 18m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:57 AM7:27 AM5:10 PM9h 43m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:17 AM7:47 AM4:59 PM9h 12m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:30 AM8:00 AM4:57 PM8h 58m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:37 AM8:07 AM5:06 PM8h 59m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:34 AM8:04 AM5:20 PM9h 16m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:21 AM7:51 AM5:42 PM9h 51m

Computed for 43.654, -98.523 (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
Sorenson WPA5871.2 mi WAurora County
Crystal Lake WPA8012.4 mi WAurora County
Maine WPA8113.7 mi NWAurora County
Overweg WPA1373.8 mi WAurora County
Miller WPA595.0 mi NEAurora County
Koch WPA995.6 mi WAurora County
Krell WPA1616.4 mi WAurora County
Lutz WPA1617.7 mi NWAurora County

Closest refuges & districts

Lake Andes NWR

Charles Mix County, SD · 32 mi S

1 open3 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

2.2K huntable acres

Lake Andes WMD

Charles Mix County, SD · 34 mi S

1 open1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

15.1K huntable acres

Karl E. Mundt NWR

Gregory County, SD · 43 mi S

1 special2 closed
🦌

697 huntable acres

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