Northern Tallgrass Prairie NWR
Lincoln County, MN
✓1 open!3 special✕1 closed
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6.7K huntable acres
County guide · Minnesota · MN WPAs
Waterfowl Production Areas & Public Hunting Land in Martin County, MN
Martin County has 3 named Waterfowl Production Areas covering 544 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land. The largest is Pierce Lake WPA at 267 acres; the average tract is about 181 acres, and 1 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 731 square miles and has roughly 20,025 residents. WPAs make up about 0.1% of its land area.
3named WPAs
544acres of WPA land
267largest WPA (ac)
2refuges & districts
Map of WPAs in Martin 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 Martin County
| WPA | Acres | Nearest town | GPS | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pierce Lake WPA | 267 | 33 mi SE of Windom | 43.60926, -94.56680 |
Map · Directions |
| Holmes Lake WPA | 206 | 30 mi SE of Windom | 43.58959, -94.64932 |
Map · Directions |
| Primrose WPA | 71 | 27 mi E of Windom | 43.79195, -94.59404 |
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 Martin 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 Martin 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, MN31 mi — county center is SE of town
- Mankato, MN44 mi — county center is SW of town
- Spencer, IA47 mi — county center is NE of town
- Mason City, IA77 mi — county center is NW of town
Shooting hours in Martin County
Today at Martin 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 | 6:10 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:56 PM | 13h 16m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:26 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:30 PM | 12h 35m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 6:44 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:01 PM | 11h 47m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:00 AM | 7:30 AM | 6:36 PM | 11h 06m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:22 AM | 6:52 AM | 5:10 PM | 10h 18m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:41 AM | 7:11 AM | 4:54 PM | 9h 43m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:01 AM | 7:31 AM | 4:43 PM | 9h 12m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:14 AM | 7:44 AM | 4:42 PM | 8h 58m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:21 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:50 PM | 8h 59m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:18 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:04 PM | 9h 16m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:05 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:27 PM | 9h 51m |
Computed for 43.673, -94.553 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day forecast for Martin 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 Martin County
Neighboring counties with WPAs
- Blue Earth County, MN 17 WPAs · 4.2K ac
- Emmet County, IA 10 WPAs · 2.5K ac
- Faribault County, MN 7 WPAs · 1K ac
- Jackson County, MN 26 WPAs · 5.5K ac
- Kossuth County, IA 15 WPAs · 3.1K ac
- Watonwan County, MN 1 WPAs · 55 ac
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest) and Esri county boundaries. Page updated October 28, 2026.