Waterfowl Production Area · Marshall County, South Dakota

Buffalo Lake Waterfowl Production Area

Public land (fee title)Walk-in access

Buffalo Lake Waterfowl Production Area is a public parcel of roughly 148 acres located in Marshall County, South Dakota. It is managed by the Waubay Wetland Management District as part of the Marshall 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 Waubay WMD rules →
148GIS acres
147deeded acres
Marshall Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi

Buffalo Lake 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 Marshall County:KMLGPX

Hunting on Buffalo Lake 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 Buffalo Lake WPA

Navigate

Destination: Buffalo Lake Waterfowl Production Area

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Decimal
45.61900, -97.24746
DMS
45°37′08.4″N 97°14′50.9″W

Nearest towns

  • Watertown, SD50 mi N of town
  • Wahpeton, ND54 mi SW of town
  • Aberdeen, SD61 mi E of town

Closest airports

  • ABR Aberdeen Regional58 mi

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

Shooting hours at Buffalo Lake WPA

Today at Buffalo Lake 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, 20266:19 AM6:49 AM8:09 PM13h 21m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:35 AM7:05 AM7:42 PM12h 37m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:55 AM7:25 AM7:11 PM11h 46m
Thu, Oct 15, 20267:13 AM7:43 AM6:45 PM11h 02m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:37 AM7:07 AM5:17 PM10h 10m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:57 AM7:27 AM5:00 PM9h 33m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:18 AM7:48 AM4:47 PM8h 59m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:32 AM8:02 AM4:45 PM8h 43m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:39 AM8:09 AM4:54 PM8h 45m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:35 AM8:05 AM5:09 PM9h 04m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:21 AM7:51 AM5:33 PM9h 42m

Computed for 45.619, -97.247 (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
Lake Emma WPA4263.5 mi NRoberts County
Lake Emma WPA1,0243.6 mi NMarshall County
Peterson Memorial WPA6474.5 mi WMarshall County
Gerber WPA1574.7 mi SWMarshall County
Week WPA1635.5 mi NMarshall County
North Red Iron Lake WPA9285.9 mi NWMarshall County
Week WPA1566.0 mi NRoberts County
Rolstad WPA4057.3 mi NMarshall County

Closest refuges & districts

Waubay WMD

Day County, SD · 14 mi S

1 open
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

41.1K huntable acres

Waubay NWR

Day County, SD · 14 mi S

1 open1 closed
🦌🎣

4.6K huntable acres

Tewaukon WMD

Sargent County, ND · 27 mi N

1 open
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

16K huntable acres

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