Union Slough NWR
Kossuth County, IA · 40 mi E
!3 special✕1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣
2.8K huntable acres
Waterfowl Production Area · Palo Alto County, Iowa
Elk Lake Waterfowl Production Area
✓Public land (fee title)🥾Walk-in access
Elk Lake Waterfowl Production Area is a 192-acre tract of federally owned wetland and grassland habitat in Palo Alto County, Iowa. It is managed by the Iowa Wetland Management District as part of the Clay County Waterfowl Production Area of Ia 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.
192GIS acres
196deeded acres
Palo Alto Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi
Elk Lake WPA satellite map
Gold outlines are fee-title Waterfowl Production Areas — public land. Everything outside is typically private; always look for boundary signs.
Loading interactive map…
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 Elk 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 Elk Lake WPA
Navigate
Destination: Elk Lake Waterfowl Production Area
- Decimal
43.09092, -94.91677- DMS
43°05′27.3″N 94°55′00.4″W
Nearest towns
- Spencer, IA12 mi E of town
- Windom, MN55 mi S of town
- Sioux City, IA86 mi NE of town
Closest airports
- SUX Sioux Gateway88 mi
Straight-line distances. Driving routes are longer; many refuge roads are gravel and may close seasonally.
Shooting hours at Elk Lake WPA
Today at Elk 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 14m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:27 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:32 PM | 12h 34m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 6:45 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:03 PM | 11h 48m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:01 AM | 7:31 AM | 6:38 PM | 11h 07m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:23 AM | 6:53 AM | 5:13 PM | 10h 20m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:41 AM | 7:11 AM | 4:57 PM | 9h 46m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:01 AM | 7:31 AM | 4:46 PM | 9h 16m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:13 AM | 7:43 AM | 4:45 PM | 9h 01m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:21 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:54 PM | 9h 03m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:18 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:08 PM | 9h 20m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:05 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:29 PM | 9h 54m |
Computed for 43.091, -94.917 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day forecast
Loading National Weather Service forecast…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ducks Unlimited Marsh WPA | 53 | 2.9 mi NW | Clay County |
| Bluewing Marsh WPA | 392 | 5.0 mi NE | Palo Alto County |
| Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation WPA | 69 | 5.1 mi N | Clay County |
| Barringer Slough WPA | 273 | 5.1 mi NW | Clay County |
| Palo Alto WPA | 50 | 5.4 mi N | Palo Alto County |
| Dewey's Pasture WPA | 254 | 7.0 mi N | Palo Alto County |
| Dewey's Pasture WPA | 264 | 7.3 mi N | Clay County |
| Fallow Marsh WPA | 77 | 9.0 mi NE | Palo Alto County |
Closest refuges & districts
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest), Clay County Waterfowl Production Area of Ia. Acreage from GIS polygons; deeded acreage from realty records.