Iowa WMD
Kossuth County, IA
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27.5K huntable acres
Waterfowl Production Areas & Public Hunting Land in Wright County, IA
Wright County has 3 named Waterfowl Production Areas covering 2,060 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land. The largest is Lower Morse Lake WPA at 1,804 acres; the average tract is about 687 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 583 square miles and has roughly 12,943 residents. WPAs make up about 0.6% of its land area.
3named WPAs
2.1Kacres of WPA land
1,804largest WPA (ac)
1refuges & districts
Map of WPAs in Wright 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 Wright County
| WPA | Acres | Nearest town | GPS | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lower Morse Lake WPA 1,810 deeded ac |
1,804 | 33 mi SW of Mason City | 42.80983, -93.66855 |
Map · Directions |
| Big Wall Lake WPA | 218 | 42 mi N of Ames | 42.63706, -93.64392 |
Map · Directions |
| Olaf WPA | 38 | 32 mi SW of Mason City | 42.88778, -93.72907 |
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 Wright 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 Wright 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, IA40 mi — county center is SW of town
- Ames, IA49 mi — county center is N of town
- Spencer, IA76 mi — county center is E of town
- Des Moines, IA79 mi — county center is N of town
Shooting hours in Wright County
Today at Wright 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 | 6:08 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:51 PM | 13h 13m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:23 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:27 PM | 12h 34m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 6:40 AM | 7:10 AM | 6:58 PM | 11h 48m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 6:56 AM | 7:26 AM | 6:34 PM | 11h 08m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:17 AM | 6:47 AM | 5:09 PM | 10h 22m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:35 AM | 7:05 AM | 4:53 PM | 9h 48m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 6:55 AM | 7:25 AM | 4:43 PM | 9h 18m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:08 AM | 7:38 AM | 4:41 PM | 9h 04m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:15 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:50 PM | 9h 05m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:12 AM | 7:42 AM | 5:04 PM | 9h 22m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:00 AM | 7:30 AM | 5:26 PM | 9h 56m |
Computed for 42.734, -93.739 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day forecast for Wright 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 Wright County
Neighboring counties with WPAs
- Cerro Gordo County, IA 5 WPAs · 2.7K ac
- Hancock County, IA 6 WPAs · 852 ac
- Kossuth County, IA 15 WPAs · 3.1K ac
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest) and Esri county boundaries. Page updated October 28, 2026.