Waterfowl Production Area · Marshall County, South Dakota

Ruckdaschel Waterfowl Production Area

Public land (fee title)Walk-in access

Ruckdaschel Waterfowl Production Area is a public parcel of roughly 823 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 →
823GIS acres
805deeded acres
Marshall Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi

Ruckdaschel 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 Ruckdaschel 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 Ruckdaschel WPA

Navigate

Destination: Ruckdaschel Waterfowl Production Area

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Decimal
45.78722, -97.33394
DMS
45°47′14.0″N 97°20′02.2″W

Nearest towns

  • Wahpeton, ND48 mi SW of town
  • Aberdeen, SD60 mi E of town
  • Watertown, SD62 mi N of town

Closest airports

  • ABR Aberdeen Regional57 mi

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

Shooting hours at Ruckdaschel WPA

Today at Ruckdaschel 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 AM8:10 PM13h 21m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:36 AM7:06 AM7:43 PM12h 37m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:55 AM7:25 AM7:11 PM11h 46m
Thu, Oct 15, 20267:14 AM7:44 AM6:45 PM11h 01m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:38 AM7:08 AM5:17 PM10h 10m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:58 AM7:28 AM5:00 PM9h 32m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:19 AM7:49 AM4:47 PM8h 58m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:33 AM8:03 AM4:45 PM8h 42m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:40 AM8:10 AM4:54 PM8h 44m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:36 AM8:06 AM5:09 PM9h 02m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:22 AM7:52 AM5:32 PM9h 41m

Computed for 45.787, -97.334 (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
East Guy WPA1241.1 mi WMarshall County
Little Ruckdaschel WPA1331.4 mi SWMarshall County
Olson WPA1491.6 mi NMarshall County
Bahr WPA831.9 mi SEMarshall County
Abraham Lake WPA4692.8 mi NWMarshall County
Hilleson WPA833.1 mi SWMarshall County
Osterman WPA393.7 mi SMarshall County
Strand WPA1614.3 mi WMarshall County

Closest refuges & districts

Tewaukon WMD

Sargent County, ND · 15 mi N

1 open
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

16K huntable acres

Tewaukon NWR

Sargent County, ND · 15 mi N

3 special1 closed
🦌🦃🐦🐇🎣

6.9K huntable acres

Waubay WMD

Day County, SD · 25 mi S

1 open
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

41.1K huntable acres

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