Minnesota Valley WMD
Le Sueur County, MN
!2 special
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8.7K huntable acres
County guide · Minnesota · MN WPAs
Waterfowl Production Areas & Public Hunting Land in Steele County, MN
Steele County has 4 named Waterfowl Production Areas covering 881 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land. The largest is Straight River Marsh WPA at 380 acres; the average tract is about 220 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 432 square miles and has roughly 37,406 residents. WPAs make up about 0.3% of its land area.
4named WPAs
881acres of WPA land
380largest WPA (ac)
1refuges & districts
Map of WPAs in Steele 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 Steele County
| WPA | Acres | Nearest town | GPS | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Straight River Marsh WPA | 380 | 38 mi W of Rochester | 43.88296, -93.21350 |
Map · Directions |
| Straight Creek WPA | 346 | 36 mi W of Rochester | 43.90101, -93.16592 |
Map · Directions |
| Dodge Center Creek WPA | 138 | 30 mi W of Rochester | 43.97654, -93.06080 |
Map · Directions |
| Straight River Marsh Wpa2 WPA | 17 | 38 mi W of Rochester | 43.89056, -93.21752 |
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 Steele 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 Steele 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.
- Rochester, MN38 mi — county center is W of town
- Mankato, MN39 mi — county center is E of town
- Mason City, IA60 mi — county center is N of town
- St. Paul, MN64 mi — county center is S of town
Shooting hours in Steele County
Today at Steele 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 | 7:51 PM | 13h 16m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:20 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:25 PM | 12h 35m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 6:38 AM | 7:08 AM | 6:56 PM | 11h 47m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 6:55 AM | 7:25 AM | 6:31 PM | 11h 05m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:18 AM | 6:48 AM | 5:04 PM | 10h 17m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:37 AM | 7:07 AM | 4:48 PM | 9h 41m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 6:57 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:37 PM | 9h 10m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:10 AM | 7:40 AM | 4:35 PM | 8h 55m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:17 AM | 7:47 AM | 4:44 PM | 8h 57m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:14 AM | 7:44 AM | 4:58 PM | 9h 14m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:01 AM | 7:31 AM | 5:20 PM | 9h 50m |
Computed for 44.022, -93.231 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day forecast for Steele 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 Steele County
Neighboring counties with WPAs
- Freeborn County, MN 10 WPAs · 2.8K ac
- Mower County, MN 2 WPAs · 142 ac
- Rice County, MN 3 WPAs · 489 ac
- Waseca County, MN 3 WPAs · 302 ac
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest) and Esri county boundaries. Page updated October 28, 2026.