Waterfowl Production Area · Winnebago County, Iowa

Pilot Knob Waterfowl Production Area

Public land (fee title)Walk-in access

Pilot Knob Waterfowl Production Area is a public parcel of roughly 196 acres located in Winnebago County, Iowa. It is managed by the Iowa Wetland Management District as part of the Winnebago 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.

Navigate here Satellite map Iowa WMD rules →
196GIS acres
196deeded acres
Winnebago Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi

Pilot Knob 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 Winnebago County:KMLGPX

Hunting on Pilot Knob 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 Pilot Knob WPA

Navigate

Destination: Pilot Knob Waterfowl Production Area

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Decimal
43.29926, -93.60140
DMS
43°17′57.3″N 93°36′05.0″W

Nearest towns

  • Mason City, IA23 mi NW of town
  • Mankato, MN63 mi S of town
  • Rochester, MN75 mi SW of town

Closest airports

  • MSP Minneapolis–St. Paul111 mi

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

Shooting hours at Pilot Knob WPA

Today at Pilot Knob 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, 20266:22 AM6:52 AM7:26 PM12h 34m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:40 AM7:10 AM6:57 PM11h 48m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:56 AM7:26 AM6:33 PM11h 07m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:18 AM6:48 AM5:07 PM10h 19m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:36 AM7:06 AM4:51 PM9h 45m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:56 AM7:26 AM4:40 PM9h 14m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:09 AM7:39 AM4:39 PM9h 00m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:16 AM7:46 AM4:48 PM9h 02m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:13 AM7:43 AM5:02 PM9h 18m
Mon, Feb 1, 20277:00 AM7:30 AM5:24 PM9h 53m

Computed for 43.299, -93.601 (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
Rice Lake WPA2964.4 mi NEWinnebago County
Meredith Marsh WPA1436.4 mi SWHancock County
Wood Duck Marsh WPA757.2 mi NEWinnebago County
Sandpiper WPA1247.3 mi SECerro Gordo County
Smith WPA3267.9 mi SWHancock County
Lake Edwards WPA928.1 mi SWHancock County
Myre Slough WPA1119.0 mi WWinnebago County
Teal Basins WPA1519.7 mi SECerro Gordo County

Closest refuges & districts

Iowa WMD

Kossuth County, IA · 26 mi W

1 open3 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

27.5K huntable acres

Union Slough NWR

Kossuth County, IA · 28 mi W

3 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

2.8K huntable acres

Minnesota Valley WMD

Le Sueur County, MN · 74 mi N

2 special
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

8.7K huntable acres

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