Waterfowl Production Area · Charles Mix County, South Dakota

John Eldridge Waterfowl Production Area

Public land (fee title)Walk-in access

John Eldridge Waterfowl Production Area is a 150-acre tract of federally owned wetland and grassland habitat in Charles Mix County, South Dakota. It is managed by the Lake Andes Wetland Management District as part of the Charles Mix 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 →
150GIS acres
151deeded acres
Charles Mix Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi

John Eldridge WPA satellite map

Gold outlines are fee-title Waterfowl Production Areas — public land. Everything outside is typically private; always look for boundary signs.

Loading interactive map…
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 Charles Mix County:KMLGPX

Hunting on John Eldridge 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 John Eldridge WPA

Navigate

Destination: John Eldridge Waterfowl Production Area

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
43.17374, -98.44083
DMS
43°10′25.5″N 98°26′27.0″W

Nearest towns

  • Lake Andes, SD5.1 mi E of town
  • Mitchell, SD42 mi SW of town
  • Huron, SD83 mi S of town

Closest airports

  • FSD Sioux Falls Regional90 mi

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

Shooting hours at John Eldridge WPA

Today at John Eldridge 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 AM8:11 PM13h 14m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:41 AM7:11 AM7:46 PM12h 34m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:59 AM7:29 AM7:17 PM11h 48m
Thu, Oct 15, 20267:15 AM7:45 AM6:52 PM11h 07m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:37 AM7:07 AM5:27 PM10h 20m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:55 AM7:25 AM5:11 PM9h 45m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:15 AM7:45 AM5:00 PM9h 15m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:28 AM7:58 AM4:59 PM9h 01m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:35 AM8:05 AM5:07 PM9h 02m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:32 AM8:02 AM5:21 PM9h 19m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:20 AM7:50 AM5:43 PM9h 54m

Computed for 43.174, -98.441 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.

7-day forecast

Loading National Weather Service forecast…

Forecast from the National Weather Service. Wind direction matters — plan your approach downwind of where game beds.

Nearby Waterfowl Production Areas

WPAAcresDistanceCounty
Hubers WPA2662.8 mi NECharles Mix County
North Unit WPA233.0 mi NECharles Mix County
Soulek WPA883.8 mi NECharles Mix County
Youngstrom WPA2904.3 mi NCharles Mix County
Fousek WPA2097.6 mi NECharles Mix County
Putnam WPA1609.3 mi NWCharles Mix County
Raysby WPA24610 mi NWCharles Mix County
King WPA17111 mi NDouglas County

Closest refuges & districts

Lake Andes WMD

Charles Mix County, SD · 0.6 mi SW

1 open1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

15.1K huntable acres

Lake Andes NWR

Charles Mix County, SD · 1.9 mi NE

1 open3 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

2.2K huntable acres

Karl E. Mundt NWR

Gregory County, SD · 11 mi SW

1 special2 closed
🦌

697 huntable acres

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