Madison WMD
Lake County, SD · 11 mi N
✓1 open!1 special
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44K huntable acres
Waterfowl Production Area · Minnehaha County, South Dakota
Schaefer Waterfowl Production Area
✓Public land (fee title)🥾Walk-in access
Covering about 149 acres, Schaefer Waterfowl Production Area protects prairie wetlands and uplands in Minnehaha County, South Dakota. It is managed by the Madison Wetland Management District as part of the Minnehaha 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.
149GIS acres
149deeded acres
Minnehaha Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi
Schaefer 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
Hunting on Schaefer 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 Schaefer WPA
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Destination: Schaefer Waterfowl Production Area
- Decimal
43.81693, -97.03548- DMS
43°49′00.9″N 97°02′07.7″W
Nearest towns
- Madison, SD14 mi S of town
- Sioux Falls, SD24 mi NW of town
- Brookings, SD36 mi S of town
Closest airports
- FSD Sioux Falls Regional22 mi
Straight-line distances. Driving routes are longer; many refuge roads are gravel and may close seasonally.
Shooting hours at Schaefer WPA
Today at Schaefer 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
| Date | Shooting light | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, Sep 1, 2026 | 6:20 AM | 6:50 AM | 8:06 PM | 13h 16m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:36 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:40 PM | 12h 35m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 6:54 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:11 PM | 11h 47m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:10 AM | 7:40 AM | 6:46 PM | 11h 06m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:33 AM | 7:03 AM | 5:20 PM | 10h 17m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:51 AM | 7:21 AM | 5:04 PM | 9h 42m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:11 AM | 7:41 AM | 4:53 PM | 9h 11m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:24 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:51 PM | 8h 57m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:32 AM | 8:02 AM | 5:00 PM | 8h 58m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:29 AM | 7:59 AM | 5:14 PM | 9h 15m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:15 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:36 PM | 9h 51m |
Computed for 43.817, -97.035 (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
| WPA | Acres | Distance | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Lake WPA | 1,116 | 1.1 mi NW | Minnehaha County |
| Acheson WPA | 97 | 1.7 mi SW | Minnehaha County |
| Gelderman WPA | 74 | 3.2 mi NE | Lake County |
| Clear Lake WPA | 155 | 3.6 mi SE | Minnehaha County |
| Graham WPA | 99 | 4.3 mi W | Minnehaha County |
| Island Lake WPA | 139 | 4.6 mi W | Minnehaha County |
| Island Lake WPA | 160 | 5.0 mi W | McCook County |
| Morris WPA | 44 | 5.3 mi W | McCook County |
Closest refuges & districts
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest), Minnehaha County Waterfowl Production Area. Acreage from GIS polygons; deeded acreage from realty records.