Waterfowl Production Area · McPherson County, South Dakota

Dan Ashe Waterfowl Production Area

Public land (fee title)Walk-in access

Covering about 325 acres, Dan Ashe Waterfowl Production Area protects prairie wetlands and uplands in McPherson County, South Dakota. It is managed by the Sand Lake Wetland Management District as part of the McPherson 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.

325GIS acres
320deeded acres
McPherson Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi

Dan Ashe 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 McPherson County:KMLGPX

Hunting on Dan Ashe 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 Dan Ashe WPA

Navigate

Destination: Dan Ashe Waterfowl Production Area

Decimal
45.74478, -99.18549
DMS
45°44′41.2″N 99°11′07.8″W

Nearest towns

  • Aberdeen, SD39 mi NW of town
  • Mobridge, SD62 mi E of town
  • Jamestown, ND84 mi S of town

Closest airports

  • ABR Aberdeen Regional42 mi

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

Shooting hours at Dan Ashe WPA

Today at Dan Ashe 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 AM8:17 PM13h 21m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:43 AM7:13 AM7:50 PM12h 37m
Thu, Oct 1, 20267:03 AM7:33 AM7:19 PM11h 46m
Thu, Oct 15, 20267:21 AM7:51 AM6:53 PM11h 02m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:45 AM7:15 AM5:25 PM10h 10m
Sun, Nov 15, 20267:05 AM7:35 AM5:07 PM9h 32m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:26 AM7:56 AM4:55 PM8h 58m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:40 AM8:10 AM4:53 PM8h 43m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:47 AM8:17 AM5:01 PM8h 44m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:44 AM8:14 AM5:16 PM9h 03m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:29 AM7:59 AM5:40 PM9h 41m

Computed for 45.745, -99.185 (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
Kempf WPA1762.0 mi EMcPherson County
Cantwell WPA1613.0 mi NEMcPherson County
Seventh Day Adventist WPA1613.3 mi SMcPherson County
Schell WPA1203.4 mi WMcPherson County
Highland WPA1203.7 mi NMcPherson County
Charley-Harley WPA3414.4 mi SMcPherson County
Pulfrey WPA1664.6 mi SWMcPherson County
Schumacher WPA415.4 mi NWMcPherson County

Closest refuges & districts

Kulm WMD

LaMoure County, ND · 40 mi N

1 open
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

45.1K huntable acres

Sand Lake WMD

Brown County, SD · 43 mi E

1 open
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

44.5K huntable acres

Sand Lake NWR

Brown County, SD · 46 mi E

2 special1 closed
🦌🐦🎣

19.5K huntable acres

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