Walworth County, South Dakota: Walk-In Areas, GPAs and public hunting land
Walworth County has 24,727 acres of private land open to public hunting through GFP's Walk-In Area and CREP programs inside its line (38 tracts centered in the county), 8 game production areas covering 5,039 acres, and 15,283 acres of other public land, by the maps GFP publishes. That is 9.5% of the county's 476,571 acres.
Data updated October 2026. Walk-In Areas, CREP, school and public land, federal land and GPAs: GFP map layers. Units: GFP 2026 applications and harvest projections.
Game production area (GFP)Waterfowl production areaCorps of EngineersSchool and public landState park or recreation area (rules vary)Walk-In Area or CREP (private land open to hunting)Walworth CountyNeighboring countiesLake or riverHighway
| Size | 476,571 acres (745 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Walk-In and CREP land inside the county line | 24,727 acres |
| Walk-In Area tracts centered in the county | 38 (26,513 acres in all) |
| Game production areas | 8, 5,039 acres |
| School and public land | 13,220 acres |
| Other public land | 2,063 acres |
| Deer units | Deer unit 63A |
| Antelope units | Antelope unit 63A |
| Towns | Mobridge, Selby, Akaska, Java and Glenham |
How much Walk-In Area land is in Walworth County?
24,727 acres inside the county line, 5.2% of the county. 38 Walk-In Area tracts are centered in the county (26,513 acres in all). Walk-In Areas and CREP land are private ground GFP leases for public hunting. GFP's public hunting atlas shows each tract.
Which game production areas are in Walworth County?
8 GPAs, 5,039 acres in all, largest first:
- Swan Creek GPA: 1,480 acres
- Oahe Blue Blanket GPA: 897 acres
- Swan Lake - Walworth GPA: 862 acres
- Walth Bay GPA: 628 acres
- Blue Blanket Lake GPA: 489 acres
- Spring Lake - Walworth GPA: 323 acres
- Ellas Maxima GPA: 319 acres
- Steidler Memorial GPA: 40 acres
How much public land is in Walworth County?
4.3% of the county is public land: 20,322 acres, counting the GPAs. The largest share is school and public land, 13,220 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of the county |
|---|---|---|
| Walk-In Area or CREP (private land open to hunting) | 24,727 | 5.2% |
| School and public land | 13,220 | 2.8% |
| Game production area (GFP) | 5,039 | 1.1% |
| Waterfowl production area | 1,575 | 0.3% |
| State park or recreation area (rules vary) | 1,020 | 0.2% |
| Corps of Engineers | 488 | 0.1% |
Measured by FilledTag inside the Census county line from GFP public hunting atlas layers (Walk-In Areas, CREP, school and public land, federal land) and GFP Managed Lands; overlapping maps are counted once. GFP's handbook counts school and public land among South Dakota's public hunting lands; motor vehicles are not allowed on it except on designated, signed roads, trails and parking areas (page 73).
Which hunting units are in Walworth County?
The units GFP names for Walworth County, with their 2026 licenses and latest harvest projection, for the whole unit:
| Unit | GFP's description | Licenses, 2026 | Taken (GFP projection) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deer unit 63A | Walworth | 550 | 248 (2025) |
| Antelope unit 63A | Campbell, Potter, Walworth | 6 | 2 (2025) |
Sources: GFP 2026 draw applications; GFP harvest projections.
How do you get around Walworth County?
Highways: SD 20 (about 50 miles in the county), US 12 (about 45 miles in the county), US 83 (about 27 miles in the county), SD 1804 (about 23 miles in the county), SD 47 (about 18 miles in the county) and SD 271 (about 11 miles in the county). Towns: Mobridge, Selby, Akaska, Java, Glenham and Lowry.
How do the counties around Walworth compare?
| County | Walk-In and CREP acres | Tracts | GPA acres | Other public acres |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Campbell | 10,485 | 28 | 5,654 | 12,042 |
| Corson | 79,323 | 27 | 316 | 68,526 |
| Dewey | 35,293 | 25 | 3,540 | 6,618 |
| Edmunds | 8,485 | 28 | 1,892 | 22,299 |
| McPherson | 23,662 | 46 | 4,768 | 42,698 |
| Potter | 3,970 | 10 | 3,990 | 22,330 |
Questions hunters ask
How much Walk-In Area land is in Walworth County?
GFP's public hunting atlas shows 24,727 acres of Walk-In Area and CREP land inside Walworth County's line, from 38 tracts centered in the county. No permission is needed to hunt a Walk-In Area; travel there is on foot except on signed trails, by GFP's handbook.
Are there game production areas in Walworth County?
Yes, 8: Swan Creek (1,480 acres), Oahe Blue Blanket (897 acres), Swan Lake - Walworth (862 acres), Walth Bay (628 acres), Blue Blanket Lake (489 acres) and Spring Lake - Walworth (323 acres), and 2 more.
What hunting units are in Walworth County?
GFP names deer unit 63A and antelope unit 63A for Walworth County in its 2026 applications.
How much public land is in Walworth County?
4.3% of the county, 20,322 acres, is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules; the largest share is school and public land at 13,220 acres.
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Where these numbers come from
- Walk-In Areas, CREP, school and public land, federal land and GPAs: GFP public hunting atlas layers (Walk-In Areas, CREP, school and public land, federal land) and GFP Managed Lands.
- Units: GFP 2026 draw applications and harvest projections.
- County line, highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 boundaries, TIGER/Line and Gazetteer.
FilledTag is not part of South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks. Walk-In Areas change each year; check GFP's current atlas before you go.
South Dakota hunting Campbell County Corson County Dewey County Edmunds County McPherson County Potter County