Iowa WMD
Kossuth County, IA
✓1 open!3 special✕1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣
27.5K huntable acres
Waterfowl Production Areas & Public Hunting Land in Palo Alto County, IA
Palo Alto County has 5 named Waterfowl Production Areas covering 964 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land. The largest is Bluewing Marsh WPA at 392 acres; the average tract is about 193 acres, and 2 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 569 square miles and has roughly 8,996 residents. WPAs make up about 0.3% of its land area.
5named WPAs
964acres of WPA land
392largest WPA (ac)
1refuges & districts
Map of WPAs in Palo Alto 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.
Loading interactive map…
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 Palo Alto County
| WPA | Acres | Nearest town | GPS | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluewing Marsh WPA | 392 | 15 mi E of Spencer | 43.14655, -94.85197 |
Map · Directions |
| Dewey's Pasture WPA 260 deeded ac |
254 | 13 mi E of Spencer | 43.18896, -94.88155 |
Map · Directions |
| Elk Lake WPA | 192 | 12 mi E of Spencer | 43.09092, -94.91677 |
Map · Directions |
| Fallow Marsh WPA | 77 | 17 mi E of Spencer | 43.18895, -94.80022 |
Map · Directions |
| Palo Alto WPA | 50 | 13 mi E of Spencer | 43.16645, -94.88772 |
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 Palo Alto 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 Palo Alto 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.
- Spencer, IA23 mi — county center is E of town
- Windom, MN59 mi — county center is S of town
- Mason City, IA75 mi — county center is W of town
- Mankato, MN82 mi — county center is SW of town
Shooting hours in Palo Alto County
Today at Palo Alto 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 | 7:56 PM | 13h 14m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:27 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:31 PM | 12h 34m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 6:44 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:02 PM | 11h 48m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:00 AM | 7:30 AM | 6:37 PM | 11h 07m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:22 AM | 6:52 AM | 5:12 PM | 10h 20m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:40 AM | 7:10 AM | 4:56 PM | 9h 46m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:00 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:45 PM | 9h 16m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:13 AM | 7:43 AM | 4:44 PM | 9h 02m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:20 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:53 PM | 9h 03m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:17 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:07 PM | 9h 20m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:04 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:29 PM | 9h 54m |
Computed for 43.083, -94.688 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day forecast for Palo Alto County
Loading National Weather Service forecast…
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Wind direction matters — plan your approach downwind of where game beds.
Refuges & districts with land in Palo Alto County
Neighboring counties with WPAs
- Buena Vista County, IA 1 WPAs · 69 ac
- Clay County, IA 5 WPAs · 863 ac
- Dickinson County, IA 15 WPAs · 6.8K ac
- Emmet County, IA 10 WPAs · 2.5K ac
- Kossuth County, IA 15 WPAs · 3.1K ac
- Pocahontas County, IA 2 WPAs · 650 ac
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest) and Esri county boundaries. Page updated October 28, 2026.