Rainwater Basin WMD
Phelps County, NE
✓1 open✕1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🎣
24.9K huntable acres
County guide · Nebraska · NE WPAs
Waterfowl Production Areas & Public Hunting Land in Franklin County, NE
Franklin County has 4 named Waterfowl Production Areas covering 2,148 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land. The largest is Macon Lakes WPA at 1,197 acres; the average tract is about 537 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 2,889 residents. WPAs make up about 0.6% of its land area.
4named WPAs
2.1Kacres of WPA land
1,197largest WPA (ac)
1refuges & districts
Map of WPAs in Franklin 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 Franklin County
| WPA | Acres | Nearest town | GPS | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macon Lakes WPA 1,188 deeded ac |
1,197 | 28 mi SE of Holdrege | 40.19228, -98.95510 |
Map · Directions |
| Quadhamer WPA | 598 | 17 mi SE of Holdrege | 40.31057, -99.10106 |
Map · Directions |
| Ritterbush WPA | 194 | 21 mi SE of Holdrege | 40.26154, -99.04275 |
Map · Directions |
| Spoonbill Flats WPA | 159 | 20 mi SE of Holdrege | 40.25969, -99.06170 |
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 Franklin 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 Franklin 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.
- Holdrege, NE29 mi — county center is SE of town
- Kearney, NE37 mi — county center is S of town
- Grand Island, NE61 mi — county center is SW of town
- Hays, KS91 mi — county center is N of town
Shooting hours in Franklin County
Today at Franklin 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 | 6:32 AM | 7:02 AM | 8:09 PM | 13h 07m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:45 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:46 PM | 12h 31m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 7:00 AM | 7:30 AM | 7:20 PM | 11h 49m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:14 AM | 7:44 AM | 6:57 PM | 11h 13m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:34 AM | 7:04 AM | 5:34 PM | 10h 31m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:50 AM | 7:20 AM | 5:20 PM | 9h 60m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:08 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:11 PM | 9h 33m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:20 AM | 7:50 AM | 5:11 PM | 9h 20m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:27 AM | 7:57 AM | 5:19 PM | 9h 22m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:26 AM | 7:56 AM | 5:32 PM | 9h 36m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:15 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:52 PM | 10h 07m |
Computed for 40.170, -98.949 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day forecast for Franklin 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 Franklin County
Refuge hunt units in Franklin County
| Unit | Refuge | Status | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| WPA Open | Rainwater Basin WMD | ✓Open | 24,936 |
Neighboring counties with WPAs
- Adams County, NE 2 WPAs · 394 ac
- Kearney County, NE 9 WPAs · 2.9K ac
- Phelps County, NE 6 WPAs · 4.7K ac
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest) and Esri county boundaries. Page updated October 28, 2026.