Windom WMD
Cottonwood County, MN · 29 mi N
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17.8K huntable acres
Waterfowl Production Area · Dickinson County, Iowa
Swan Lake Waterfowl Production Area
✓Public land (fee title)🥾Walk-in access
Covering about 742 acres, Swan Lake Waterfowl Production Area protects prairie wetlands and uplands in Dickinson County, Iowa. It is managed by the Iowa Wetland Management District as part of the Dickinson 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.
742GIS acres
727deeded acres
Dickinson Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi
Swan 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 Swan 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 Swan Lake WPA
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Destination: Swan Lake Waterfowl Production Area
- Decimal
43.44743, -94.94678- DMS
43°26′50.7″N 94°56′48.4″W
Nearest towns
- Spencer, IA23 mi NE of town
- Windom, MN30 mi S of town
- Mankato, MN69 mi SW of town
Closest airports
- FSD Sioux Falls Regional90 mi
Straight-line distances. Driving routes are longer; many refuge roads are gravel and may close seasonally.
Shooting hours at Swan Lake WPA
Today at Swan 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 | 6:12 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:57 PM | 13h 15m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:27 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:32 PM | 12h 35m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 6:45 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:03 PM | 11h 47m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:02 AM | 7:32 AM | 6:38 PM | 11h 06m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:23 AM | 6:53 AM | 5:12 PM | 10h 19m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:42 AM | 7:12 AM | 4:56 PM | 9h 44m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:02 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:45 PM | 9h 14m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:15 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:44 PM | 8h 59m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:22 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:52 PM | 9h 01m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:19 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:07 PM | 9h 17m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:06 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:29 PM | 9h 52m |
Computed for 43.447, -94.947 (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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Four Mile WPA | 280 | 4.2 mi SE | Emmet County |
| Cheever Lake WPA | 134 | 5.4 mi SE | Emmet County |
| Wellnitz WPA | 120 | 6.0 mi NE | Emmet County |
| Iowa National Heritage Foundation WPA | 80 | 6.4 mi E | Emmet County |
| Eagle Lake WPA | 344 | 6.7 mi E | Emmet County |
| Moore Slough WPA | 195 | 7.8 mi NW | Jackson County |
| Spring Run WPA | 1,233 | 8.0 mi SW | Dickinson County |
| Jerry Schotzko WPA | 162 | 8.9 mi NW | Jackson County |
Closest refuges & districts
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest), Dickinson County Waterfowl Production Area. Acreage from GIS polygons; deeded acreage from realty records.