Northern Tallgrass Prairie NWR
Lincoln County, MN
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6.7K huntable acres
County guide · Minnesota · MN WPAs
Waterfowl Production Areas & Public Hunting Land in Cottonwood County, MN
Cottonwood County has 14 named Waterfowl Production Areas covering 3,751 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land. The largest is Martin J. Baker WPA at 716 acres; the average tract is about 268 acres, and 3 are smaller than 80 acres.
WPAs here are managed by the Windom Wetland Management District, which sets any district-specific rules (vehicle access, blinds, nontoxic shot, closed areas).
The county covers about 647 square miles and has roughly 11,517 residents. WPAs make up about 0.9% of its land area.
14named WPAs
3.8Kacres of WPA land
716largest WPA (ac)
2refuges & districts
Map of WPAs in Cottonwood 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 Cottonwood County
| WPA | Acres | Nearest town | GPS | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martin J. Baker WPA | 716 | 11 mi NW of Windom | 44.00351, -95.25060 |
Map · Directions |
| Wolf Lake WPA 486 deeded ac |
494 | 1.5 mi SE of Windom | 43.85510, -95.09812 |
Map · Directions |
| Storden WPA | 442 | 13 mi NW of Windom | 44.02892, -95.26544 |
Map · Directions |
| Watonwan River WPA | 357 | 9.1 mi N of Windom | 44.00093, -95.13549 |
Map · Directions |
| Clear Lake WPA | 317 | 13 mi W of Windom | 43.85154, -95.37112 |
Map · Directions |
| Cottonwood Lake WPA 304 deeded ac |
310 | 1.7 mi NE of Windom | 43.88330, -95.09110 |
Map · Directions |
| Des Moines River WPA | 309 | 7.2 mi NW of Windom | 43.92596, -95.24314 |
Map · Directions |
| Long Lake WPA | 236 | 14 mi NW of Windom | 43.96672, -95.37565 |
Map · Directions |
| Blixseth WPA | 162 | 2.9 mi W of Windom | 43.85863, -95.17564 |
Map · Directions |
| Harder Lake WPA | 160 | 8.2 mi N of Windom | 43.98164, -95.17525 |
Map · Directions |
| Swan Lake WPA | 146 | 8.8 mi N of Windom | 43.99732, -95.11465 |
Map · Directions |
| Westbrook WPA | 68 | 21 mi NW of Windom | 44.06352, -95.45086 |
Map · Directions |
| Dutch Creek WPA | 19 | 21 mi NW of Windom | 44.05908, -95.45937 |
Map · Directions |
| Mountain Lake WPA | 16 | 12 mi NE of Windom | 43.94683, -94.91087 |
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 Cottonwood 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 Cottonwood 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.
- Windom, MN7.8 mi — county center is N of town
- Marshall, MN45 mi — county center is SE of town
- Spencer, IA58 mi — county center is N of town
- Mankato, MN60 mi — county center is W of town
Shooting hours in Cottonwood County
Today at Cottonwood 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 | 6:12 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:59 PM | 13h 16m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:28 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:33 PM | 12h 35m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 6:46 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:03 PM | 11h 47m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:03 AM | 7:33 AM | 6:38 PM | 11h 05m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:25 AM | 6:55 AM | 5:12 PM | 10h 17m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:44 AM | 7:14 AM | 4:56 PM | 9h 41m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:04 AM | 7:34 AM | 4:45 PM | 9h 10m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:18 AM | 7:48 AM | 4:43 PM | 8h 55m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:25 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:52 PM | 8h 57m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:22 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:06 PM | 9h 14m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:08 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:28 PM | 9h 50m |
Computed for 43.978, -95.166 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day forecast for Cottonwood 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 Cottonwood County
Refuge hunt units in Cottonwood County
| Unit | Refuge | Status | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worthington WPA | Windom WMD | ✕Closed | 78 |
Neighboring counties with WPAs
- Brown County, MN 2 WPAs · 190 ac
- Jackson County, MN 26 WPAs · 5.5K ac
- Murray County, MN 11 WPAs · 3.1K ac
- Nobles County, MN 5 WPAs · 744 ac
- Watonwan County, MN 1 WPAs · 55 ac
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest) and Esri county boundaries. Page updated October 28, 2026.