Union Slough NWR
Kossuth County, IA · 45 mi NE
!3 special✕1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣
2.8K huntable acres
Waterfowl Production Area · Buena Vista County, Iowa
Pickerel Lake Waterfowl Production Area
✓Public land (fee title)🥾Walk-in access
Pickerel Lake Waterfowl Production Area is a 69-acre tract of federally owned wetland and grassland habitat in Buena Vista County, Iowa. It is managed by the Iowa Wetland Management District as part of the Buena Vista County Waterfowl Production Area group of WPAs. Waterfowl Production Areas are purchased largely with Federal Duck Stamp dollars and are generally open to hunting, trapping and fishing under state regulations, with some federal restrictions.
69GIS acres
69deeded acres
Buena Vista Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi
Pickerel Lake WPA satellite map
Gold outlines are fee-title Waterfowl Production Areas — public land. Everything outside is typically private; always look for boundary signs.
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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
Hunting on Pickerel Lake WPA
What you can typically do
- Hunt waterfowl, upland birds, deer and other game in season under Iowa regulations
- Walk in from roads or designated parking areas — vehicles generally stay off the tract
- Fish and trap where state rules and district regulations allow
- Wildlife watching, photography and hiking
Common restrictions
- No camping, fires or overnight use on most WPAs
- Motorized vehicles only on designated roads/parking
- Temporary blinds and stands usually must be removed daily
- Non-toxic shot required for waterfowl — many districts require it for all shotgun hunting
- Some tracts have closed areas or special regulations — check signs
How to get to Pickerel Lake WPA
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Destination: Pickerel Lake Waterfowl Production Area
- Decimal
42.90795, -94.93053- DMS
42°54′28.6″N 94°55′49.9″W
Nearest towns
- Spencer, IA19 mi SE of town
- Windom, MN67 mi S of town
- Sioux City, IA80 mi E of town
Closest airports
- SUX Sioux Gateway82 mi
Straight-line distances. Driving routes are longer; many refuge roads are gravel and may close seasonally.
Shooting hours at Pickerel Lake WPA
Today at Pickerel Lake WPA
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 | 6:13 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:56 PM | 13h 14m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:28 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:32 PM | 12h 34m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 6:45 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:03 PM | 11h 48m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:01 AM | 7:31 AM | 6:39 PM | 11h 08m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:22 AM | 6:52 AM | 5:13 PM | 10h 21m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:41 AM | 7:11 AM | 4:57 PM | 9h 47m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:00 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:47 PM | 9h 17m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:13 AM | 7:43 AM | 4:46 PM | 9h 03m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:20 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:54 PM | 9h 04m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:18 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:08 PM | 9h 21m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:05 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:30 PM | 9h 55m |
Computed for 42.908, -94.931 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day forecast
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Forecast from the National Weather Service. Wind direction matters — plan your approach downwind of where game beds.
Nearby Waterfowl Production Areas
| WPA | Acres | Distance | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plover WPA | 159 | 11 mi E | Pocahontas County |
| Elk Lake WPA | 192 | 13 mi N | Palo Alto County |
| Ducks Unlimited Marsh WPA | 53 | 15 mi N | Clay County |
| Bluewing Marsh WPA | 392 | 17 mi N | Palo Alto County |
| Barringer Slough WPA | 273 | 17 mi N | Clay County |
| Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation WPA | 69 | 18 mi N | Clay County |
| Palo Alto WPA | 50 | 18 mi N | Palo Alto County |
| Shimon Marsh WPA | 491 | 20 mi S | Pocahontas County |
Closest refuges & districts
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest), Buena Vista County Waterfowl Production Area. Acreage from GIS polygons; deeded acreage from realty records.