Big Stone Wetland Management District

Big Stone Wetland Management District is open from sunrise to sunset, unless otherwise posted or stated in hunting regulations. 

We prohibit: 

• Target shooting
• Training pets and allowing pets off leash
• All types of motorized vehicles on all refuge land, including on frozen bodies of water - except on designated parking areas, access roads and public roads
• All types of motorized watercraft, including gasoline and electric
• Camping, open fires and overnight parking - including designated parking areas
• Abandoning, discarding or otherwise leaving any personal property. All property brought onto a waterfowl production area waterfowl production area
  Waterfowl production areas are small natural wetlands and grasslands within the National Wildlife Refuge System that provide breeding, resting and nesting habitat for millions of waterfowl, shorebirds, grassland birds and other wildlife. Virtually all waterfowl production areas are in the Prairie Pothole Region states of Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota.
  
  Learn more about waterfowl production area must be removed at the end of each day. This includes all common items like vehicles, boats, decoys, trail cameras, blinds, geocaching items, photography equipment, portable stands, climbing sticks, ice fishing shelters and trash.
• Destructing, defacing, disturbing or unauthorized removal of any natural object, artifact, cultural resource item or government property
• Introducing, liberating or placing plants or animals or their parts taken elsewhere on waterfowl production areas lands or waters
• Disposing of animal carcasses, trash, refuse, rocks, wood or other debris
• Cutting, mowing, sawing, digging, collecting (except for wild edible for personal use), selling wild edibles, injuring or removing vegetation. 
• Use, launching, landing or disturbing of wildlife by drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles for either use, recreational or commercial purposes
• Commercial enterprise without a special use permit
• Use or possession of any illegal drug or drug paraphernalia is prohibited 

Waterfowl production areas are open to hunting per state regulations unless specifically prohibited in the district specific section below:

• Small game hunters using shotguns, including turkey hunters, are required to use and possess only non-toxic shot
• During the small game and migratory bird seasons, hunting dogs must be under the immediate control of the hunter
• Hunters must wear an article of blaze orange or pink consistent with state regulations
• We prohibit constructing or occupying permanent stands or blinds. We also prohibit the use of nails, wire, screws or bolts to attach a stand to a tree or hunting from a tree, into which a metal object has been driven to support a hunter.
• Portable hunting stands must be set up and removed each day
• We prohibit the use or possession of alcoholic beverages while hunting
• We prohibit distribution of feed or bait or hunting over bait - this includes salts and minerals

Waterfowl production areas are open to trapping per state regulations. 

• Waterfowl production areas are open to fishing per state regulations unless specifically prohibited in the district specific section below
• We prohibit all types of motorized vehicles on frozen water bodies
• Motorized watercraft use is prohibited

You may not use a spotlight, headlight or other artificial light to spot, locate or take any wild animal in a waterfowl production area waterfowl production area
Waterfowl production areas are small natural wetlands and grasslands within the National Wildlife Refuge System that provide breeding, resting and nesting habitat for millions of waterfowl, shorebirds, grassland birds and other wildlife. Virtually all waterfowl production areas are in the Prairie Pothole Region states of Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota.

Learn more about waterfowl production area .

• The above information is a partial list of rules and regulations
• Special use permits may be issued for compatible secondary uses upon approval of the district manager. Contact the district office for application information at 320-273-2191.