County guide · Iowa · IA WPAs

Waterfowl Production Areas & Public Hunting Land in Boone County, IA

Boone County has 1 named Waterfowl Production Area covering 410 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land.

WPAs here are managed by the Iowa Wetland Management District, which sets any district-specific rules (vehicle access, blinds, nontoxic shot, closed areas).

The county covers about 573 square miles and has roughly 26,715 residents. WPAs make up about 0.1% of its land area.

County mapAll 1 WPAsDownload KML
1named WPAs
410acres of WPA land
410largest WPA (ac)
1refuges & districts

Map of WPAs in Boone County

Gold outlines are fee-title Waterfowl Production Areas — federally owned public land. Land outside them is almost always private. Switch to satellite to check water conditions and cover, and click any tract for coordinates.

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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
Take every tract with you:KML (Google Earth / onX)GPX waypoints

All Waterfowl Production Areas in Boone County

WPAAcresNearest townGPSGo
Harrier WPA 410 20 mi W of Ames 42.02092, -94.01419 Map · Directions

Acreage from USFWS realty GIS polygons. Coordinates are a point inside each tract — not necessarily a parking area. Look for designated parking and boundary signs on the ground.

Hunting WPAs in Boone County: rules & tips

Typically allowed

  • Hunting waterfowl, upland birds, deer and other game in season under Iowa regulations
  • Walk-in access from roads and designated parking areas
  • Fishing and trapping where state and district rules allow
  • Wildlife watching, photography and dog training outside restricted periods

Common restrictions

  • No camping, fires or overnight use on most tracts
  • Motor vehicles only on designated roads and parking areas
  • Blinds and portable stands usually removed at the end of each day
  • Nontoxic shot required for waterfowl; many districts require it for all shotgun hunting
  • Some tracts have closed areas, refuge-style rules or seasonal restrictions

Getting to Boone County

Distances below are straight-line from the center of the county. Most WPAs are reached by county and township gravel roads — download the GPX file and load it into your phone or GPS before you lose cell coverage.

  • Ames, IA16 mi — county center is W of town
  • Des Moines, IA35 mi — county center is NW of town
  • Mason City, IA86 mi — county center is SW of town
  • Spencer, IA98 mi — county center is SE of town

Shooting hours in Boone County

Today at Boone County

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, 20266:10 AM6:40 AM7:51 PM13h 12m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:24 AM6:54 AM7:27 PM12h 33m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:41 AM7:11 AM6:59 PM11h 48m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:56 AM7:26 AM6:35 PM11h 09m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:17 AM6:47 AM5:11 PM10h 24m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:35 AM7:05 AM4:56 PM9h 51m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:53 AM7:23 AM4:46 PM9h 22m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:06 AM7:36 AM4:45 PM9h 09m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:13 AM7:43 AM4:53 PM9h 10m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:11 AM7:41 AM5:07 PM9h 26m
Mon, Feb 1, 20276:59 AM7:29 AM5:28 PM9h 59m

Computed for 42.034, -93.937 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.

7-day forecast for Boone County

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Forecast from the National Weather Service. Wind direction matters — plan your approach downwind of where game beds.

Refuges & districts with land in Boone County

Iowa WMD

Kossuth County, IA

1 open3 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

27.5K huntable acres

Neighboring counties with WPAs

Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest) and Esri county boundaries. Page updated October 28, 2026.