Waterfowl Production Area · Wright County, Iowa

Big Wall Lake Waterfowl Production Area

Public land (fee title)Walk-in access

Covering about 218 acres, Big Wall Lake Waterfowl Production Area protects prairie wetlands and uplands in Wright County, Iowa. It is managed by the Iowa Wetland Management District as part of the Wright 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 →
218GIS acres
218deeded acres
Wright Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi

Big Wall 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 Wright County:KMLGPX

Hunting on Big Wall 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 Big Wall Lake WPA

Navigate

Destination: Big Wall Lake Waterfowl Production Area

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Decimal
42.63706, -93.64392
DMS
42°38′13.4″N 93°38′38.1″W

Nearest towns

  • Ames, IA42 mi N of town
  • Mason City, IA42 mi SW of town
  • Des Moines, IA72 mi N of town

Closest airports

  • DSM Des Moines Intl76 mi

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

Shooting hours at Big Wall Lake WPA

Today at Big Wall 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 AM7:51 PM13h 13m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:23 AM6:53 AM7:26 PM12h 34m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:40 AM7:10 AM6:58 PM11h 48m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:56 AM7:26 AM6:34 PM11h 08m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:17 AM6:47 AM5:09 PM10h 22m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:35 AM7:05 AM4:53 PM9h 48m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:54 AM7:24 AM4:43 PM9h 19m
Tue, Dec 15, 20267:07 AM7:37 AM4:41 PM9h 05m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:14 AM7:44 AM4:50 PM9h 06m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:12 AM7:42 AM5:04 PM9h 22m
Mon, Feb 1, 20276:59 AM7:29 AM5:25 PM9h 56m

Computed for 42.637, -93.644 (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
Lower Morse Lake WPA1,80412 mi NWright County
Olaf WPA3818 mi NWright County
Bailey Creek WPA15924 mi NECerro Gordo County
Beaver Dam WPA15228 mi NECerro Gordo County
Union Hills WPA2,13229 mi NCerro Gordo County
Prairie Smoke WPA31234 mi NWKossuth County
Eagle Lake WPA7435 mi NHancock County
Eagle Flats WPA17436 mi NHancock County

Closest refuges & districts

Union Slough NWR

Kossuth County, IA · 49 mi NW

3 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

2.8K huntable acres

Iowa WMD

Kossuth County, IA · 51 mi NW

1 open3 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

27.5K huntable acres

Neal Smith NWR

Jasper County, IA · 76 mi S

1 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

4.6K huntable acres

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