Waterfowl Production Area · Cerro Gordo County, Iowa

Union Hills Waterfowl Production Area

Public land (fee title)Walk-in access

Union Hills Waterfowl Production Area is a public parcel of roughly 2,132 acres located 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.

Navigate here Satellite map Iowa WMD rules →
2,132GIS acres
2,135deeded acres
Cerro Gordo Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi

Union Hills 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 Union Hills 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 Union Hills WPA

Navigate

Destination: Union Hills Waterfowl Production Area

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Decimal
43.02031, -93.43055
DMS
43°01′13.1″N 93°25′50.0″W

Nearest towns

  • Mason City, IA15 mi SW of town
  • Ames, IA69 mi N of town
  • Mankato, MN84 mi S of town

Closest airports

  • DSM Des Moines Intl104 mi

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

Shooting hours at Union Hills WPA

Today at Union Hills 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 14m
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, 20266:55 AM7:25 AM6:32 PM11h 07m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:17 AM6:47 AM5:07 PM10h 20m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:35 AM7:05 AM4:51 PM9h 46m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:54 AM7:24 AM4:41 PM9h 16m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:07 AM7:37 AM4:39 PM9h 02m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:14 AM7:44 AM4:48 PM9h 03m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:12 AM7:42 AM5:02 PM9h 20m
Mon, Feb 1, 20276:59 AM7:29 AM5:24 PM9h 54m

Computed for 43.020, -93.431 (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
Beaver Dam WPA1522.8 mi SECerro Gordo County
Bailey Creek WPA1594.5 mi SCerro Gordo County
Teal Basins WPA15114 mi NCerro Gordo County
Eagle Lake WPA7415 mi NWHancock County
Sandpiper WPA12415 mi NCerro Gordo County
Olaf WPA3818 mi SWWright County
Eagle Flats WPA17418 mi NWHancock County
Lower Morse Lake WPA1,80419 mi SWWright County

Closest refuges & districts

Iowa WMD

Kossuth County, IA · 39 mi NW

1 open3 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

27.5K huntable acres

Union Slough NWR

Kossuth County, IA · 39 mi NW

3 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

2.8K huntable acres

Minnesota Valley WMD

Le Sueur County, MN · 93 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.