Waterfowl Production Area · Cerro Gordo County, Iowa

Sandpiper Waterfowl Production Area

Public land (fee title)Walk-in access

Sandpiper Waterfowl Production Area is a 124-acre tract of federally owned wetland and grassland habitat in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa. It is managed by the Iowa Wetland Management District as part of the Cerro Gordo 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.

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124GIS acres
125deeded acres
Cerro Gordo Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi

Sandpiper 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
All WPAs in Cerro Gordo County:KMLGPX

Hunting on Sandpiper 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 Sandpiper WPA

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Destination: Sandpiper Waterfowl Production Area

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Decimal
43.23885, -93.48270
DMS
43°14′19.9″N 93°28′57.7″W

Nearest towns

  • Mason City, IA16 mi NW of town
  • Mankato, MN69 mi S of town
  • Rochester, MN74 mi SW of town

Closest airports

  • MSP Minneapolis–St. Paul114 mi

Straight-line distances. Driving routes are longer; many refuge roads are gravel and may close seasonally.

Shooting hours at Sandpiper WPA

Today at Sandpiper 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

DateShooting lightSunriseSunsetDaylight
Tue, Sep 1, 20266:07 AM6:37 AM7:51 PM13h 15m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:22 AM6:52 AM7:26 PM12h 34m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:39 AM7:09 AM6:57 PM11h 48m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:56 AM7:26 AM6:32 PM11h 07m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:17 AM6:47 AM5:07 PM10h 20m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:36 AM7:06 AM4:51 PM9h 45m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:55 AM7:25 AM4:40 PM9h 15m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:08 AM7:38 AM4:39 PM9h 00m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:15 AM7:45 AM4:47 PM9h 02m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:13 AM7:43 AM5:01 PM9h 19m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:00 AM7:30 AM5:23 PM9h 53m

Computed for 43.239, -93.483 (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

WPAAcresDistanceCounty
Teal Basins WPA1512.4 mi SECerro Gordo County
Pilot Knob WPA1967.3 mi NWWinnebago County
Harlontown Slough WPA9398.1 mi NEWorth County
Rice Lake WPA2969.3 mi NWWinnebago County
Wood Duck Marsh WPA7511 mi NWinnebago County
Meredith Marsh WPA14311 mi WHancock County
Elk Creek WPA54312 mi NEWorth County
Eagle Lake WPA7412 mi SWHancock County

Closest refuges & districts

Iowa WMD

Kossuth County, IA · 32 mi W

1 open3 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

27.5K huntable acres

Union Slough NWR

Kossuth County, IA · 34 mi W

3 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

2.8K huntable acres

Minnesota Valley WMD

Le Sueur County, MN · 78 mi N

2 special
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

8.7K huntable acres

Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest), Cerro Gordo County Waterfowl Production Area. Acreage from GIS polygons; deeded acreage from realty records.