Rainwater Basin WMD
Phelps County, NE
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24.9K huntable acres
County guide · Nebraska · NE WPAs
Waterfowl Production Areas & Public Hunting Land in Fillmore County, NE
Fillmore County has 10 named Waterfowl Production Areas covering 3,491 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land. The largest is Mallard Haven WPA at 1,246 acres; the average tract is about 349 acres, and 1 are smaller than 80 acres.
WPAs here are managed by the Rainwater Basin Wetland Management District, which sets any district-specific rules (vehicle access, blinds, nontoxic shot, closed areas).
The county covers about 578 square miles and has roughly 5,551 residents. WPAs make up about 0.9% of its land area.
10named WPAs
3.5Kacres of WPA land
1,246largest WPA (ac)
1refuges & districts
Map of WPAs in Fillmore 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 Fillmore County
| WPA | Acres | Nearest town | GPS | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mallard Haven WPA | 1,246 | 46 mi SE of Grand Island | 40.44796, -97.73816 |
Map · Directions |
| Wilkins WPA | 581 | 41 mi SE of Grand Island | 40.60594, -97.68635 |
Map · Directions |
| Krause WPA | 533 | 43 mi SE of Grand Island | 40.47019, -97.79529 |
Map · Directions |
| Rauscher WPA | 252 | 38 mi SE of Grand Island | 40.58600, -97.76237 |
Map · Directions |
| Brauning WPA | 241 | 39 mi SE of Grand Island | 40.60045, -97.73139 |
Map · Directions |
| Real WPA | 231 | 44 mi SE of Grand Island | 40.67404, -97.57363 |
Map · Directions |
| County Line WPA | 165 | 45 mi E of Grand Island | 40.69485, -97.54514 |
Map · Directions |
| Miller's Pond WPA | 132 | 49 mi SE of Grand Island | 40.38674, -97.73319 |
Map · Directions |
| Morphy WPA | 90 | 39 mi SE of Grand Island | 40.61066, -97.73373 |
Map · Directions |
| Griess WPA | 21 | 38 mi SE of Grand Island | 40.58419, -97.77543 |
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 Fillmore County: rules & tips
Typically allowed
- Hunting waterfowl, upland birds, deer and other game in season under Nebraska 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 Fillmore 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.
- Grand Island, NE48 mi — county center is SE of town
- Lincoln, NE51 mi — county center is SW of town
- Kearney, NE79 mi — county center is E of town
- Holdrege, NE94 mi — county center is E of town
Shooting hours in Fillmore County
Today at Fillmore 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 | 6:26 AM | 6:56 AM | 8:04 PM | 13h 08m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:39 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:41 PM | 12h 32m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 6:55 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:14 PM | 11h 49m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:09 AM | 7:39 AM | 6:52 PM | 11h 12m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:29 AM | 6:59 AM | 5:28 PM | 10h 29m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:46 AM | 7:16 AM | 5:14 PM | 9h 58m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:04 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:05 PM | 9h 31m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:16 AM | 7:46 AM | 5:04 PM | 9h 18m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:23 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:13 PM | 9h 19m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:21 AM | 7:51 AM | 5:26 PM | 9h 34m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:10 AM | 7:40 AM | 5:46 PM | 10h 06m |
Computed for 40.522, -97.591 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day forecast for Fillmore 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 Fillmore County
Neighboring counties with WPAs
- Clay County, NE 19 WPAs · 7.1K ac
- Hamilton County, NE 3 WPAs · 1.2K ac
- Seward County, NE 1 WPAs · 286 ac
- York County, NE 5 WPAs · 1.3K ac
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest) and Esri county boundaries. Page updated October 28, 2026.