Waterfowl Production Area · McPherson County, South Dakota

Raile Waterfowl Production Area

Public land (fee title)Walk-in access

Covering about 54 acres, Raile 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.

54GIS acres
54deeded acres
McPherson Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi

Raile 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 McPherson County:KMLGPX

Hunting on Raile 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 Raile WPA

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Destination: Raile Waterfowl Production Area

Decimal
45.71063, -99.63764
DMS
45°42′38.3″N 99°38′15.5″W

Nearest towns

  • Mobridge, SD40 mi E of town
  • Aberdeen, SD58 mi W of town
  • Bismarck, ND94 mi SE of town

Closest airports

  • ABR Aberdeen Regional62 mi

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

Shooting hours at Raile WPA

Today at Raile 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, 20266:28 AM6:58 AM8:19 PM13h 21m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:45 AM7:15 AM7:52 PM12h 37m
Thu, Oct 1, 20267:05 AM7:35 AM7:21 PM11h 46m
Thu, Oct 15, 20267:23 AM7:53 AM6:54 PM11h 02m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:47 AM7:17 AM5:27 PM10h 10m
Sun, Nov 15, 20267:07 AM7:37 AM5:09 PM9h 32m
Tue, Dec 1, 20267:28 AM7:58 AM4:57 PM8h 59m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:42 AM8:12 AM4:55 PM8h 43m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:49 AM8:19 AM5:03 PM8h 44m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:45 AM8:15 AM5:18 PM9h 03m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:31 AM8:01 AM5:42 PM9h 41m

Computed for 45.711, -99.638 (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
Nehlich WPA700.8 mi NWMcPherson County
Mehlhaff I WPA3851.3 mi EMcPherson County
Bauer-Fischer WPA2341.7 mi NWMcPherson County
Mehlhaff II WPA3192.0 mi EMcPherson County
Schultz-Reinhold WPA714.1 mi SMcPherson County
Eureka Demonstration Area WPA5345.3 mi NMcPherson County
Lapp WPA1886.2 mi SEMcPherson County
Woehlhaff-Schnabel WPA3566.2 mi EMcPherson County

Closest refuges & districts

Kulm WMD

LaMoure County, ND · 53 mi NE

1 open
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

45.1K huntable acres

Sand Lake WMD

Brown County, SD · 64 mi E

1 open
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣

44.5K huntable acres

Sand Lake NWR

Brown County, SD · 67 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.