Waterfowl Production Area · Douglas County, South Dakota

Van Zee Waterfowl Production Area

Public land (fee title)Walk-in access

Van Zee Waterfowl Production Area is a 86-acre tract of federally owned wetland and grassland habitat in Douglas 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 →
86GIS acres
91deeded acres
Douglas Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi

Van Zee 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 Douglas County:KMLGPX

Hunting on Van Zee 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 Van Zee WPA

Navigate

Destination: Van Zee Waterfowl Production Area

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
43.45405, -98.71017
DMS
43°27′14.6″N 98°42′36.6″W

Nearest towns

  • Lake Andes, SD22 mi NW of town
  • Mitchell, SD38 mi SW of town
  • Huron, SD67 mi S of town

Closest airports

  • FSD Sioux Falls Regional99 mi

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

Shooting hours at Van Zee WPA

Today at Van Zee 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, 20266:27 AM6:57 AM8:12 PM13h 15m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:42 AM7:12 AM7:47 PM12h 35m
Thu, Oct 1, 20267:00 AM7:30 AM7:18 PM11h 47m
Thu, Oct 15, 20267:17 AM7:47 AM6:53 PM11h 06m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:39 AM7:09 AM5:27 PM10h 19m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:57 AM7:27 AM5:11 PM9h 44m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:17 AM7:47 AM5:00 PM9h 14m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:30 AM8:00 AM4:59 PM8h 59m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:37 AM8:07 AM5:08 PM9h 01m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:34 AM8:04 AM5:22 PM9h 17m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:21 AM7:51 AM5:44 PM9h 52m

Computed for 43.454, -98.710 (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
Broken Arrow WPA1,6571.8 mi NDouglas County
Broken Arrow WPA9482.0 mi NCharles Mix County
New Holland WPA5755.9 mi EDouglas County
Star WPA3207.7 mi SEDouglas County
Fuchs WPA648.2 mi SCharles Mix County
Foster WPA1588.4 mi NAurora County
Vanderpol WPA568.4 mi SECharles Mix County
Sherman WPA2839.1 mi SECharles Mix County

Closest refuges & districts

Lake Andes NWR

Charles Mix County, SD · 23 mi SE

1 open3 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

2.2K huntable acres

Lake Andes WMD

Charles Mix County, SD · 24 mi SE

1 open1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

15.1K huntable acres

Karl E. Mundt NWR

Gregory County, SD · 30 mi S

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.