Waterfowl Production Area · Bon Homme County, South Dakota

Schaefer Waterfowl Production Area

Public land (fee title)Walk-in access

Covering about 149 acres, Schaefer Waterfowl Production Area protects prairie wetlands and uplands in Bon Homme County, South Dakota. It is managed by the Madison Wetland Management District as part of the Bon Homme 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 Madison WMD rules →
149GIS acres
150deeded acres
Bon Homme Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi

Schaefer 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 Bon Homme County:KMLGPX

Hunting on Schaefer 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 Schaefer WPA

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Destination: Schaefer Waterfowl Production Area

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Decimal
43.08857, -98.02422
DMS
43°05′18.9″N 98°01′27.2″W

Nearest towns

  • Lake Andes, SD26 mi E of town
  • Mitchell, SD43 mi S of town
  • Sioux Falls, SD72 mi SW of town

Closest airports

  • FSD Sioux Falls Regional73 mi

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

Shooting hours at Schaefer WPA

Today at Schaefer 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, 20266:25 AM6:55 AM8:09 PM13h 14m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:40 AM7:10 AM7:44 PM12h 34m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:57 AM7:27 AM7:15 PM11h 48m
Thu, Oct 15, 20267:14 AM7:44 AM6:51 PM11h 07m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:35 AM7:05 AM5:25 PM10h 20m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:54 AM7:24 AM5:09 PM9h 46m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:13 AM7:43 AM4:59 PM9h 16m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:26 AM7:56 AM4:57 PM9h 02m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:33 AM8:03 AM5:06 PM9h 03m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:30 AM8:00 AM5:20 PM9h 20m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:18 AM7:48 AM5:42 PM9h 54m

Computed for 43.089, -98.024 (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
Bucholz WPA2531.4 mi NBon Homme County
Cosby WPA1582.3 mi NWBon Homme County
Hieb WPA2404.7 mi NWBon Homme County
Juran WPA1134.9 mi WCharles Mix County
Koupal WPA15911 mi SWCharles Mix County
Scheffel WPA36511 mi SEBon Homme County
Kafka WPA32514 mi SWCharles Mix County
Henke WPA15016 mi NHutchinson County

Closest refuges & districts

Lake Andes NWR

Charles Mix County, SD · 21 mi W

1 open3 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

2.2K huntable acres

Lake Andes WMD

Charles Mix County, SD · 22 mi W

1 open1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

15.1K huntable acres

Karl E. Mundt NWR

Gregory County, SD · 26 mi W

1 special2 closed
🦌

697 huntable acres

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