Minnesota Valley NWR
Hennepin County, MN
!12 special✕5 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣
12.6K huntable acres
County guide · Minnesota · MN WPAs
Waterfowl Production Areas & Public Hunting Land in Carver County, MN
Carver County has 3 named Waterfowl Production Areas covering 523 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land. The largest is Carver County WPA at 304 acres; the average tract is about 174 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 376 square miles and has roughly 106,922 residents. WPAs make up about 0.2% of its land area.
3named WPAs
523acres of WPA land
304largest WPA (ac)
2refuges & districts
Map of WPAs in Carver 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 Carver County
| WPA | Acres | Nearest town | GPS | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carver County WPA | 304 | 36 mi W of Minneapolis | 44.78255, -93.95061 |
Map · Directions |
| Perbix WPA-West WPA | 118 | 38 mi SW of Minneapolis | 44.72055, -93.94515 |
Map · Directions |
| Perbix WPA-East WPA | 101 | 37 mi SW of Minneapolis | 44.72187, -93.93720 |
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 Carver 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 Carver 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.
- Minneapolis, MN26 mi — county center is W of town
- St. Paul, MN34 mi — county center is W of town
- Litchfield, MN42 mi — county center is SE of town
- Mankato, MN49 mi — county center is N of town
Shooting hours in Carver County
Today at Carver 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 | 6:06 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:54 PM | 13h 19m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:22 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:28 PM | 12h 36m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 6:41 AM | 7:11 AM | 6:57 PM | 11h 47m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 6:58 AM | 7:28 AM | 6:32 PM | 11h 04m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:21 AM | 6:51 AM | 5:05 PM | 10h 13m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:41 AM | 7:11 AM | 4:48 PM | 9h 37m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:02 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:36 PM | 9h 04m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:15 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:34 PM | 8h 49m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:22 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:43 PM | 8h 51m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:19 AM | 7:49 AM | 4:57 PM | 9h 09m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:05 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:21 PM | 9h 46m |
Computed for 44.851, -93.769 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day forecast for Carver 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 Carver County
Refuge hunt units in Carver County
| Unit | Refuge | Status | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chaska | Minnesota Valley NWR | !Special regs | 565 |
| Rapids Lake | Minnesota Valley NWR | !Special regs | 1,900 |
| Rapids Lake Closed | Minnesota Valley NWR | ✕Closed | 47 |
Neighboring counties with WPAs
- McLeod County, MN 10 WPAs · 2.1K ac
- Scott County, MN 1 WPAs · 40 ac
- Sibley County, MN 7 WPAs · 1.7K ac
- Wright County, MN 13 WPAs · 3.4K ac
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest) and Esri county boundaries. Page updated October 28, 2026.