Minnesota Valley WMD
Le Sueur County, MN
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8.7K huntable acres
County guide · Minnesota · MN WPAs
Waterfowl Production Areas & Public Hunting Land in Blue Earth County, MN
Blue Earth County has 17 named Waterfowl Production Areas covering 4,167 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land. The largest is Lincoln WPA at 881 acres; the average tract is about 245 acres, and 5 are smaller than 80 acres.
WPAs here are managed by the Minnesota Valley Wetland Management District, which sets any district-specific rules (vehicle access, blinds, nontoxic shot, closed areas).
The county covers about 765 square miles and has roughly 69,112 residents. WPAs make up about 0.9% of its land area.
17named WPAs
4.2Kacres of WPA land
881largest WPA (ac)
1refuges & districts
Map of WPAs in Blue Earth 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 Blue Earth County
| WPA | Acres | Nearest town | GPS | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln WPA | 881 | 17 mi SW of Mankato | 44.03074, -94.27906 |
Map · Directions |
| Pauley WPA | 663 | 19 mi SW of Mankato | 44.04348, -94.33184 |
Map · Directions |
| Howard Farm WPA | 502 | 11 mi SW of Mankato | 44.08599, -94.19358 |
Map · Directions |
| Cobb River WPA-Duncanson WPA | 398 | 13 mi S of Mankato | 43.97957, -93.93078 |
Map · Directions |
| Roberts WPA | 279 | 15 mi S of Mankato | 43.94037, -94.05106 |
Map · Directions |
| Watonwan WPA | 275 | 21 mi SW of Mankato | 44.01546, -94.36349 |
Map · Directions |
| Robert Kaul WPA | 195 | 18 mi SW of Mankato | 44.02288, -94.30424 |
Map · Directions |
| Perch Lake WPA - South WPA | 165 | 13 mi S of Mankato | 43.98086, -93.89997 |
Map · Directions |
| Perch Lake WPA - North WPA | 159 | 12 mi S of Mankato | 43.99026, -93.90295 |
Map · Directions |
| Shelby WPA | 156 | 22 mi S of Mankato | 43.85148, -94.13353 |
Map · Directions |
| Cobb River WPA-Ward WPA | 101 | 13 mi S of Mankato | 43.98007, -93.91653 |
Map · Directions |
| Cobb River WPA-Stradtman WPA | 89 | 13 mi S of Mankato | 43.97675, -93.91400 |
Map · Directions |
| Willow Creek WPA | 80 | 24 mi SW of Mankato | 43.90782, -94.32396 |
Map · Directions |
| Evans Slough Complex-Ikier WPA | 80 | 21 mi SW of Mankato | 43.95288, -94.30164 |
Map · Directions |
| Strom Lake WPA | 59 | 19 mi W of Mankato | 44.14618, -94.36529 |
Map · Directions |
| Evans Slough Complex-Marble WPA | 57 | 21 mi SW of Mankato | 43.94738, -94.29295 |
Map · Directions |
| Mn Pheasants WPA | 28 | 20 mi SW of Mankato | 43.95857, -94.28050 |
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 Blue Earth County: rules & tips
Typically allowed
- Hunting waterfowl, upland birds, deer and other game in season under Minnesota 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 Blue Earth 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.
- Mankato, MN13 mi — county center is S of town
- Windom, MN53 mi — county center is E of town
- Mason City, IA72 mi — county center is NW of town
- Spencer, IA79 mi — county center is NE of town
Shooting hours in Blue Earth County
Today at Blue Earth 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 | 7:54 PM | 13h 16m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:24 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:29 PM | 12h 35m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 6:42 AM | 7:12 AM | 6:59 PM | 11h 47m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 6:59 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:34 PM | 11h 05m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:21 AM | 6:51 AM | 5:08 PM | 10h 17m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:40 AM | 7:10 AM | 4:51 PM | 9h 41m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:00 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:40 PM | 9h 10m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:13 AM | 7:43 AM | 4:39 PM | 8h 55m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:20 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:47 PM | 8h 57m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:17 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:01 PM | 9h 14m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:04 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:24 PM | 9h 50m |
Computed for 43.979, -94.072 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day forecast for Blue Earth 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 Blue Earth County
Neighboring counties with WPAs
- Brown County, MN 2 WPAs · 190 ac
- Faribault County, MN 7 WPAs · 1K ac
- Le Sueur County, MN 4 WPAs · 418 ac
- Martin County, MN 3 WPAs · 544 ac
- Waseca County, MN 3 WPAs · 302 ac
- Watonwan County, MN 1 WPAs · 55 ac
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest) and Esri county boundaries. Page updated October 28, 2026.