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 Pocahontas County, IA
Pocahontas County has 2 named Waterfowl Production Areas covering 650 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land. The largest is Shimon Marsh WPA at 491 acres; the average tract is about 325 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 580 square miles and has roughly 7,078 residents. WPAs make up about 0.2% of its land area.
2named WPAs
650acres of WPA land
491largest WPA (ac)
1refuges & districts
Map of WPAs in Pocahontas 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 Pocahontas County
| WPA | Acres | Nearest town | GPS | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shimon Marsh WPA | 491 | 38 mi S of Spencer | 42.62753, -94.87703 |
Map · Directions |
| Plover WPA | 159 | 29 mi SE of Spencer | 42.86729, -94.71319 |
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 Pocahontas 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 Pocahontas 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, IA34 mi — county center is SE of town
- Ames, IA75 mi — county center is NW of town
- Windom, MN78 mi — county center is S of town
- Mason City, IA79 mi — county center is W of town
Shooting hours in Pocahontas County
Today at Pocahontas 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 | 7:55 PM | 13h 13m |
| 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 | 6:38 PM | 11h 08m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:21 AM | 6:51 AM | 5:13 PM | 10h 21m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:39 AM | 7:09 AM | 4:57 PM | 9h 47m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 6:59 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:46 PM | 9h 18m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:12 AM | 7:42 AM | 4:45 PM | 9h 04m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:19 AM | 7:49 AM | 4:54 PM | 9h 05m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:16 AM | 7:46 AM | 5:08 PM | 9h 21m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:04 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:29 PM | 9h 56m |
Computed for 42.781, -94.687 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day forecast for Pocahontas 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 Pocahontas County
Neighboring counties with WPAs
- Buena Vista County, IA 1 WPAs · 69 ac
- Clay County, IA 5 WPAs · 863 ac
- Kossuth County, IA 15 WPAs · 3.1K ac
- Palo Alto County, IA 5 WPAs · 964 ac
- Sac County, IA 3 WPAs · 933 ac
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest) and Esri county boundaries. Page updated October 28, 2026.