Iowa WMD
Kossuth County, IA
✓1 open!3 special✕1 closed
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27.5K huntable acres
Waterfowl Production Areas & Public Hunting Land in Guthrie County, IA
Guthrie County has 2 named Waterfowl Production Areas covering 302 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land. The largest is Bays Branch WPA at 277 acres; the average tract is about 151 acres, and 1 are smaller than 80 acres.
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 593 square miles and has roughly 10,623 residents. WPAs make up about 0.1% of its land area.
2named WPAs
302acres of WPA land
277largest WPA (ac)
1refuges & districts
Map of WPAs in Guthrie 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
All Waterfowl Production Areas in Guthrie County
| WPA | Acres | Nearest town | GPS | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bays Branch WPA | 277 | 38 mi W of Des Moines | 41.73528, -94.33399 |
Map · Directions |
| Lakin Slough WPA | 26 | 39 mi W of Des Moines | 41.78822, -94.32599 |
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 Guthrie 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 Guthrie 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.
- Des Moines, IA48 mi — county center is W of town
- Ames, IA51 mi — county center is SW of town
- Council Bluffs, IA76 mi — county center is NE of town
- Omaha, NE80 mi — county center is NE of town
Shooting hours in Guthrie County
Today at Guthrie 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
| Date | Shooting light | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, Sep 1, 2026 | 6:12 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:53 PM | 13h 11m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:27 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:29 PM | 12h 33m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 6:43 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:01 PM | 11h 48m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 6:58 AM | 7:28 AM | 6:38 PM | 11h 10m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:19 AM | 6:49 AM | 5:14 PM | 10h 25m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:36 AM | 7:06 AM | 4:59 PM | 9h 53m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 6:55 AM | 7:25 AM | 4:49 PM | 9h 24m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:07 AM | 7:37 AM | 4:48 PM | 9h 10m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:15 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:56 PM | 9h 12m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:12 AM | 7:42 AM | 5:10 PM | 9h 28m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:01 AM | 7:31 AM | 5:31 PM | 10h 00m |
Computed for 41.730, -94.522 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day forecast for Guthrie 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 Guthrie County
Neighboring counties with WPAs
- Greene County, IA 2 WPAs · 1.1K ac
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest) and Esri county boundaries. Page updated October 28, 2026.