Leopold WMD
Columbia County, WI
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13.8K huntable acres
County guide · Wisconsin · WI WPAs
Waterfowl Production Areas & Public Hunting Land in Dane County, WI
Dane County has 10 named Waterfowl Production Areas covering 1,811 acres of federally owned, walk-in public land. The largest is Harvey's Marsh WPA at 681 acres; the average tract is about 181 acres, and 4 are smaller than 80 acres.
WPAs here are managed by the Leopold Wetland Management District, which sets any district-specific rules (vehicle access, blinds, nontoxic shot, closed areas).
The county covers about 1,238 square miles and has roughly 561,504 residents. WPAs make up about 0.2% of its land area.
10named WPAs
1.8Kacres of WPA land
681largest WPA (ac)
1refuges & districts
Map of WPAs in Dane 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 Dane County
| WPA | Acres | Nearest town | GPS | Go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey's Marsh WPA | 681 | 16 mi S of Madison | 42.85112, -89.33020 |
Map · Directions |
| Island Lake WPA | 245 | 11 mi SE of Madison | 42.92910, -89.29201 |
Map · Directions |
| Swan Pond WPA | 240 | 8.5 mi S of Madison | 42.94754, -89.41492 |
Map · Directions |
| Shovelers Sink WPA | 171 | 10 mi W of Madison | 43.06406, -89.60595 |
Map · Directions |
| Jackson WPA | 148 | 15 mi N of Madison | 43.28404, -89.42470 |
Map · Directions |
| Northrup King WPA | 85 | 7.3 mi S of Madison | 42.96663, -89.43162 |
Map · Directions |
| Sime WPA | 79 | 13 mi SE of Madison | 42.90575, -89.27031 |
Map · Directions |
| Gadwall Swamp WPA | 71 | 11 mi SE of Madison | 42.94144, -89.27721 |
Map · Directions |
| Grass Lake WPA | 53 | 15 mi SE of Madison | 42.89191, -89.24791 |
Map · Directions |
| Vienna WPA | 39 | 12 mi N of Madison | 43.24831, -89.42910 |
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 Dane County: rules & tips
Typically allowed
- Hunting waterfowl, upland birds, deer and other game in season under Wisconsin 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 Dane 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.
- Madison, WI2.9 mi — county center is SW of town
- Rockford, IL55 mi — county center is N of town
- Fond du Lac, WI71 mi — county center is SW of town
- Dubuque, IA73 mi — county center is NE of town
Shooting hours in Dane County
Today at Dane 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 | 5:51 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:35 PM | 13h 14m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:05 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:10 PM | 12h 34m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 6:23 AM | 6:53 AM | 6:41 PM | 11h 48m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 6:39 AM | 7:09 AM | 6:16 PM | 11h 07m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:01 AM | 6:31 AM | 4:51 PM | 10h 20m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:19 AM | 6:49 AM | 4:35 PM | 9h 46m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 6:38 AM | 7:08 AM | 4:25 PM | 9h 16m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 6:51 AM | 7:21 AM | 4:23 PM | 9h 02m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 6:58 AM | 7:28 AM | 4:32 PM | 9h 03m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 6:56 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:46 PM | 9h 20m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 6:43 AM | 7:13 AM | 5:08 PM | 9h 54m |
Computed for 43.032, -89.423 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day forecast for Dane 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 Dane County
Neighboring counties with WPAs
- Columbia County, WI 13 WPAs · 3.9K ac
- Dodge County, WI 4 WPAs · 812 ac
- Jefferson County, WI 3 WPAs · 239 ac
- Rock County, WI 3 WPAs · 326 ac
- Sauk County, WI 1 WPAs · 239 ac
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest) and Esri county boundaries. Page updated October 28, 2026.