Rainwater Basin WMD
Phelps County, NE
✓1 open✕1 closed
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24.9K huntable acres
County guide · Nebraska · NE WPAs
Waterfowl Production Areas & Public Hunting Land in Hamilton County, NE
Hamilton County has 3 named Waterfowl Production Areas covering 1,207 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land. The largest is Springer WPA at 629 acres; the average tract is about 402 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 545 square miles and has roughly 9,429 residents. WPAs make up about 0.3% of its land area.
3named WPAs
1.2Kacres of WPA land
629largest WPA (ac)
1refuges & districts
Map of WPAs in Hamilton 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 Hamilton County
| WPA | Acres | Nearest town | GPS | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springer WPA 640 deeded ac |
629 | 12 mi SE of Grand Island | 40.84697, -98.13113 |
Map · Directions |
| Troester WPA | 417 | 24 mi SE of Grand Island | 40.79622, -97.92353 |
Map · Directions |
| Nelson WPA | 162 | 24 mi SE of Grand Island | 40.75994, -97.93533 |
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 Hamilton 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 Hamilton 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, NE17 mi — county center is E of town
- Kearney, NE57 mi — county center is E of town
- Lincoln, NE69 mi — county center is W of town
- Holdrege, NE78 mi — county center is NE of town
Shooting hours in Hamilton County
Today at Hamilton 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 | 6:27 AM | 6:57 AM | 8:06 PM | 13h 09m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:41 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:43 PM | 12h 32m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 6:57 AM | 7:27 AM | 7:16 PM | 11h 49m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:11 AM | 7:41 AM | 6:53 PM | 11h 11m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:31 AM | 7:01 AM | 5:29 PM | 10h 28m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:48 AM | 7:18 AM | 5:15 PM | 9h 56m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:07 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:05 PM | 9h 29m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:19 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:04 PM | 9h 16m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:26 AM | 7:56 AM | 5:13 PM | 9h 17m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:24 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:26 PM | 9h 32m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:13 AM | 7:43 AM | 5:47 PM | 10h 04m |
Computed for 40.915, -98.022 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day forecast for Hamilton 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 Hamilton County
Neighboring counties with WPAs
- Adams County, NE 2 WPAs · 394 ac
- Clay County, NE 19 WPAs · 7.1K ac
- Fillmore County, NE 10 WPAs · 3.5K ac
- Hall County, NE 1 WPAs · 969 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.