Iowa WMD
Kossuth County, IA
✓1 open!3 special✕1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣
27.5K huntable acres
Waterfowl Production Areas & Public Hunting Land in Worth County, IA
Worth County has 3 named Waterfowl Production Areas covering 1,628 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land. The largest is Harlontown Slough WPA at 939 acres; the average tract is about 543 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 402 square miles and has roughly 7,443 residents. WPAs make up about 0.6% of its land area.
3named WPAs
1.6Kacres of WPA land
939largest WPA (ac)
1refuges & districts
Map of WPAs in Worth 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 Worth County
| WPA | Acres | Nearest town | GPS | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harlontown Slough WPA 945 deeded ac |
939 | 15 mi NW of Mason City | 43.32626, -93.37398 |
Map · Directions |
| Elk Creek WPA | 543 | 19 mi NW of Mason City | 43.39362, -93.38447 |
Map · Directions |
| Grass Lake WPA | 145 | 24 mi N of Mason City | 43.49140, -93.27556 |
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 Worth 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 Worth 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, IA16 mi — county center is N of town
- Rochester, MN60 mi — county center is SW of town
- Mankato, MN65 mi — county center is SE of town
- Winona, MN94 mi — county center is SW of town
Shooting hours in Worth County
Today at Worth 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 | 6:05 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:50 PM | 13h 15m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:21 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:25 PM | 12h 35m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 6:38 AM | 7:08 AM | 6:56 PM | 11h 47m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 6:55 AM | 7:25 AM | 6:31 PM | 11h 07m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:17 AM | 6:47 AM | 5:06 PM | 10h 19m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:35 AM | 7:05 AM | 4:50 PM | 9h 44m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 6:55 AM | 7:25 AM | 4:39 PM | 9h 14m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:08 AM | 7:38 AM | 4:37 PM | 8h 60m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:15 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:46 PM | 9h 01m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:12 AM | 7:42 AM | 5:00 PM | 9h 18m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 6:59 AM | 7:29 AM | 5:22 PM | 9h 53m |
Computed for 43.377, -93.265 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day forecast for Worth 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 Worth County
Neighboring counties with WPAs
- Cerro Gordo County, IA 5 WPAs · 2.7K ac
- Hancock County, IA 6 WPAs · 852 ac
- Mower County, MN 2 WPAs · 142 ac
- Winnebago County, IA 7 WPAs · 1.5K ac
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest) and Esri county boundaries. Page updated October 28, 2026.