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Waubay Wetland Management District

  Description:
Wetland Management Districts were established to manage Waterfowl Production Areas (WPAs) - small parcels of land purchased to provide nesting habitat for waterfowl. Waubay Wetland Management District is located in the "Coteau des Prairie," or prairie hills region of South Dakota. It includes more than 300 WPAs ranging from 40 acres to more than 1,600 acres in size, comprising a total of 40,000 acres.

The landscape is dotted with numerous lakes and wetlands making it an important part of the prairie pothole region, the largest duck production area of the United States. Interspersed with grasslands, this landscape provides habitat not only for waterfowl, shorebirds, and other water birds, but also for raptors and grassland-dependent bird species. Butterflies and numerous other insects, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals also thrive in this special habitat. Some of the largest remaining tracts of native tallgrass prairie occur in this area. Waubay WMD includes the very first Waterfowl Production Area - McCarlson (Day County), acquired in January 1959.

Access to all WPAs is limited to foot traffic only. Grassed parking lots are available at many of the larger WPAs to provide off-road parking. There are no facilities or designated hiking trails. WPAs tend to be used very heavily during hunting seasons, but they also provide wonderful opportunities to explore the natural heritage of our state at other times of the year.



  Directions:
WPAs are found at various locations throughout the six counties that make up Waubay WMD: Clark, Codington, Day, Grant, Marshall, and Roberts. They are posted with green and white signs. Sportsmen's Atlases, which show the location of each WPA and other Federal and State public lands in great detail, can be purchased from the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks.



   Managing Partner:

Fish and Wildlife Service Web Site
National Wildlife Refuge System
44401 134A St.
Waubay, SD 57273
Phone: 605-947-4521
Email: waubay@fws.gov

  Additional Information
Waubay Wetland Management District Web Site
South Dakota Tourism Site

Wood duck
Wood duck

Online Recreation Maps


Map: Waubay Wetland Management District

Recreational Opportunities
Fishing
Hunting
Wildlife Viewing

  Weather Information

Weekly National Weather Service Forecast for Waubay, SD.
There is no live information from National Weather Service.
Recreation.gov
Revised: 05/01/2004
 
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