Waterfowl Production Area · Hancock County, Iowa

Meredith Marsh Waterfowl Production Area

Public land (fee title)Walk-in access

Meredith Marsh Waterfowl Production Area is a 143-acre tract of federally owned wetland and grassland habitat 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 →
143GIS acres
144deeded acres
Hancock Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi

Meredith Marsh 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 Meredith Marsh 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 Meredith Marsh WPA

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Destination: Meredith Marsh Waterfowl Production Area

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Decimal
43.25228, -93.71014
DMS
43°15′08.2″N 93°42′36.5″W

Nearest towns

  • Mason City, IA27 mi W of town
  • Mankato, MN64 mi S of town
  • Spencer, IA72 mi E of town

Closest airports

  • MSP Minneapolis–St. Paul115 mi

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

Shooting hours at Meredith Marsh WPA

Today at Meredith Marsh 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 AM7:52 PM13h 15m
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 AM6:33 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 00m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:16 AM7:46 AM4:48 PM9h 02m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:14 AM7:44 AM5:02 PM9h 19m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:01 AM7:31 AM5:24 PM9h 53m

Computed for 43.252, -93.710 (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
Lake Edwards WPA921.8 mi WHancock County
Smith WPA3262.0 mi SHancock County
Crystal Lake WPA434.7 mi SWHancock County
Myre Slough WPA1115.3 mi NWWinnebago County
Pilot Knob WPA1966.4 mi NEWinnebago County
Eagle Flats WPA1746.5 mi SHancock County
Eagle Lake WPA747.5 mi SHancock County
Rice Lake WPA29610 mi NEWinnebago County

Closest refuges & districts

Iowa WMD

Kossuth County, IA · 20 mi W

1 open3 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

27.5K huntable acres

Union Slough NWR

Kossuth County, IA · 22 mi W

3 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

2.8K huntable acres

Minnesota Valley WMD

Le Sueur County, MN · 77 mi N

2 special
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

8.7K huntable acres

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