Iowa WMD
Kossuth County, IA
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27.5K huntable acres
Waterfowl Production Areas & Public Hunting Land in Winnebago County, IA
Winnebago County has 7 named Waterfowl Production Areas covering 1,547 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land. The largest is Winnebago County WPA at 428 acres; the average tract is about 221 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 401 square miles and has roughly 10,679 residents. WPAs make up about 0.6% of its land area.
7named WPAs
1.5Kacres of WPA land
428largest WPA (ac)
1refuges & districts
Map of WPAs in Winnebago 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 Winnebago County
| WPA | Acres | Nearest town | GPS | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winnebago County WPA | 428 | 30 mi NW of Mason City | 43.49032, -93.57113 |
Map · Directions |
| Rice Lake WPA | 296 | 23 mi NW of Mason City | 43.35857, -93.56707 |
Map · Directions |
| Hogsback Marsh WPA | 240 | 29 mi NW of Mason City | 43.48640, -93.53216 |
Map · Directions |
| Good Neighbors Marsh WPA | 201 | 35 mi NW of Mason City | 43.44959, -93.76860 |
Map · Directions |
| Pilot Knob WPA | 196 | 23 mi NW of Mason City | 43.29926, -93.60140 |
Map · Directions |
| Myre Slough WPA | 111 | 31 mi W of Mason City | 43.30982, -93.77995 |
Map · Directions |
| Wood Duck Marsh WPA | 75 | 24 mi NW of Mason City | 43.39431, -93.54500 |
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 Winnebago 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 Winnebago 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.
- Mason City, IA31 mi — county center is NW of town
- Mankato, MN56 mi — county center is S of town
- Spencer, IA72 mi — county center is E of town
- Windom, MN77 mi — county center is SE of town
Shooting hours in Winnebago County
Today at Winnebago 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 | 6:07 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:52 PM | 13h 15m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:23 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:27 PM | 12h 35m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 6:40 AM | 7:10 AM | 6:58 PM | 11h 47m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 6:57 AM | 7:27 AM | 6:33 PM | 11h 07m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:19 AM | 6:49 AM | 5:08 PM | 10h 19m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:37 AM | 7:07 AM | 4:52 PM | 9h 44m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 6:57 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:41 PM | 9h 14m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:10 AM | 7:40 AM | 4:39 PM | 8h 60m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:17 AM | 7:47 AM | 4:48 PM | 9h 01m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:14 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:02 PM | 9h 18m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:01 AM | 7:31 AM | 5:24 PM | 9h 53m |
Computed for 43.377, -93.739 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day forecast for Winnebago 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 Winnebago County
Neighboring counties with WPAs
- Cerro Gordo County, IA 5 WPAs · 2.7K ac
- Faribault County, MN 7 WPAs · 1K ac
- Hancock County, IA 6 WPAs · 852 ac
- Kossuth County, IA 15 WPAs · 3.1K ac
- Worth County, IA 3 WPAs · 1.6K ac
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest) and Esri county boundaries. Page updated October 28, 2026.