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 Sibley County, MN
Sibley County has 7 named Waterfowl Production Areas covering 1,722 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land. The largest is Mud Lake WPA at 603 acres; the average tract is about 246 acres, and 1 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 601 square miles and has roughly 14,836 residents. WPAs make up about 0.4% of its land area.
7named WPAs
1.7Kacres of WPA land
603largest WPA (ac)
2refuges & districts
Map of WPAs in Sibley 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 Sibley County
| WPA | Acres | Nearest town | GPS | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mud Lake WPA | 603 | 35 mi N of Mankato | 44.66344, -93.98541 |
Map · Directions |
| High Island WPA | 361 | 35 mi SE of Litchfield | 44.65753, -94.24886 |
Map · Directions |
| Hartung WPA | 186 | 33 mi N of Mankato | 44.64226, -94.03113 |
Map · Directions |
| Hahn Lake WPA | 183 | 35 mi N of Mankato | 44.63423, -94.23381 |
Map · Directions |
| Redhead WPA | 156 | 35 mi N of Mankato | 44.66873, -93.94802 |
Map · Directions |
| Dehning WPA | 155 | 31 mi N of Mankato | 44.60806, -93.98511 |
Map · Directions |
| Washington Lake WPA | 78 | 36 mi N of Mankato | 44.68425, -93.93723 |
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 Sibley 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 Sibley 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, MN31 mi — county center is NW of town
- Litchfield, MN41 mi — county center is S of town
- Willmar, MN54 mi — county center is SE of town
- Minneapolis, MN57 mi — county center is SW of town
Shooting hours in Sibley County
Today at Sibley 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 | 7:56 PM | 13h 18m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:24 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:30 PM | 12h 36m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 6:43 AM | 7:13 AM | 6:59 PM | 11h 47m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:00 AM | 7:30 AM | 6:34 PM | 11h 04m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:23 AM | 6:53 AM | 5:07 PM | 10h 15m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:42 AM | 7:12 AM | 4:51 PM | 9h 38m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:03 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:39 PM | 9h 06m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:16 AM | 7:46 AM | 4:37 PM | 8h 51m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:23 AM | 7:53 AM | 4:46 PM | 8h 53m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:20 AM | 7:50 AM | 5:00 PM | 9h 10m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:06 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:23 PM | 9h 47m |
Computed for 44.570, -94.267 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day forecast for Sibley 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 Sibley County
Refuge hunt units in Sibley County
| Unit | Refuge | Status | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jessenland | Minnesota Valley NWR | !Special regs | 1,121 |
| WPA Open | Minnesota Valley WMD | !Special regs | 8,581 |
Neighboring counties with WPAs
- Carver County, MN 3 WPAs · 523 ac
- Le Sueur County, MN 4 WPAs · 418 ac
- McLeod County, MN 10 WPAs · 2.1K ac
- Renville County, MN 7 WPAs · 1.9K ac
- Scott County, MN 1 WPAs · 40 ac
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest) and Esri county boundaries. Page updated October 28, 2026.