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 Scott County, MN
Scott County has 1 named Waterfowl Production Area covering 40 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land.
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 368 square miles and has roughly 150,928 residents. WPAs make up about 0.0% of its land area.
1named WPAs
40acres of WPA land
40largest WPA (ac)
1refuges & districts
Map of WPAs in Scott 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.
Loading interactive map…
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 Scott County
| WPA | Acres | Nearest town | GPS | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soberg WPA | 40 | 24 mi S of Minneapolis | 44.63238, -93.32131 |
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 Scott 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 Scott 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, MN23 mi — county center is SW of town
- St. Paul, MN27 mi — county center is SW of town
- Mankato, MN44 mi — county center is NE of town
- Litchfield, MN59 mi — county center is SE of town
Shooting hours in Scott County
Today at Scott 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 | 6:05 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:53 PM | 13h 18m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:21 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:27 PM | 12h 36m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 6:40 AM | 7:10 AM | 6:56 PM | 11h 47m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 6:57 AM | 7:27 AM | 6:31 PM | 11h 04m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:20 AM | 6:50 AM | 5:04 PM | 10h 14m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:40 AM | 7:10 AM | 4:47 PM | 9h 38m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:00 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:36 PM | 9h 06m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:13 AM | 7:43 AM | 4:34 PM | 8h 50m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:20 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:42 PM | 8h 52m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:17 AM | 7:47 AM | 4:57 PM | 9h 10m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:03 AM | 7:33 AM | 5:20 PM | 9h 46m |
Computed for 44.687, -93.505 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day forecast for Scott County
Loading National Weather Service forecast…
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Wind direction matters — plan your approach downwind of where game beds.
Refuges & districts with land in Scott County
Refuge hunt units in Scott County
| Unit | Refuge | Status | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomington Ferry | Minnesota Valley NWR | !Special regs | 356 |
| Louisville N | Minnesota Valley NWR | !Special regs | 1,390 |
| Louisville S | Minnesota Valley NWR | !Special regs | 1,235 |
| Saint Lawrence | Minnesota Valley NWR | !Special regs | 451 |
| Wilkie R | Minnesota Valley NWR | !Special regs | 607 |
| Wilkie W | Minnesota Valley NWR | !Special regs | 1,143 |
| San Francisco | Minnesota Valley NWR | ✕Closed | 52 |
| Wilkie E | Minnesota Valley NWR | ✕Closed | 258 |
Neighboring counties with WPAs
- Carver County, MN 3 WPAs · 523 ac
- Dakota County, MN 1 WPAs · 74 ac
- Le Sueur County, MN 4 WPAs · 418 ac
- Rice County, MN 3 WPAs · 489 ac
- Sibley County, MN 7 WPAs · 1.7K ac
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest) and Esri county boundaries. Page updated October 28, 2026.