Waterfowl Production Area · Hancock County, Iowa

Crystal Lake Waterfowl Production Area

Public land (fee title)Walk-in access

Crystal Lake Waterfowl Production Area is a public parcel of roughly 43 acres located in Hancock County, Iowa. It is managed by the Iowa Wetland Management District as part of the Hancock 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 →
43GIS acres
43deeded acres
Hancock Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi

Crystal 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
All WPAs in Hancock County:KMLGPX

Hunting on Crystal 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 Crystal Lake WPA

Navigate

Destination: Crystal Lake Waterfowl Production Area

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Decimal
43.19963, -93.77014
DMS
43°11′58.7″N 93°46′12.5″W

Nearest towns

  • Mason City, IA29 mi W of town
  • Mankato, MN67 mi S of town
  • Spencer, IA69 mi E of town

Closest airports

  • DSM Des Moines Intl115 mi

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

Shooting hours at Crystal Lake WPA

Today at Crystal 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

DateShooting lightSunriseSunsetDaylight
Tue, Sep 1, 20266:08 AM6:38 AM7:52 PM13h 14m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:23 AM6:53 AM7:27 PM12h 34m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:40 AM7:10 AM6:58 PM11h 48m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:57 AM7:27 AM6:34 PM11h 07m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:18 AM6:48 AM5:08 PM10h 20m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:37 AM7:07 AM4:52 PM9h 45m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:56 AM7:26 AM4:41 PM9h 15m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:09 AM7:39 AM4:40 PM9h 01m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:16 AM7:46 AM4:49 PM9h 02m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:14 AM7:44 AM5:03 PM9h 19m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:01 AM7:31 AM5:25 PM9h 54m

Computed for 43.200, -93.770 (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
Smith WPA3263.0 mi NEHancock County
Eagle Flats WPA1743.5 mi SEHancock County
Lake Edwards WPA923.5 mi NHancock County
Meredith Marsh WPA1434.7 mi NEHancock County
Eagle Lake WPA745.8 mi SEHancock County
Myre Slough WPA1117.6 mi NWinnebago County
Pilot Knob WPA19611 mi NEWinnebago County
Bison WPA23613 mi WKossuth County

Closest refuges & districts

Iowa WMD

Kossuth County, IA · 18 mi W

1 open3 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

27.5K huntable acres

Union Slough NWR

Kossuth County, IA · 19 mi W

3 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

2.8K huntable acres

Windom WMD

Cottonwood County, MN · 80 mi NW

1 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

17.8K huntable acres

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