Minnesota Valley WMD
Le Sueur County, MN · 53 mi NW
!2 special
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8.7K huntable acres
Waterfowl Production Area · Freeborn County, Minnesota
Turtle Creek Waterfowl Production Area
✓Public land (fee title)🥾Walk-in access
Covering about 155 acres, Turtle Creek Waterfowl Production Area protects prairie wetlands and uplands in Freeborn County, Minnesota. It is managed by the Windom Wetland Management District as part of the Freeborn 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.
155GIS acres
155deeded acres
Freeborn Countycounty
8WPAs within 40 mi
Turtle Creek 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
Hunting on Turtle Creek WPA
What you can typically do
- Hunt waterfowl, upland birds, deer and other game in season under Minnesota 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 Turtle Creek WPA
Navigate
Destination: Turtle Creek Waterfowl Production Area
- Decimal
43.70471, -93.05678- DMS
43°42′17.0″N 93°03′24.4″W
Nearest towns
- Rochester, MN36 mi SW of town
- Mason City, IA39 mi N of town
- Mankato, MN56 mi SE of town
Closest airports
- MSP Minneapolis–St. Paul82 mi
Straight-line distances. Driving routes are longer; many refuge roads are gravel and may close seasonally.
Shooting hours at Turtle Creek WPA
Today at Turtle Creek 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 | 6:04 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:50 PM | 13h 16m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:20 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:25 PM | 12h 35m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 6:38 AM | 7:08 AM | 6:55 PM | 11h 47m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 6:54 AM | 7:24 AM | 6:30 PM | 11h 06m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:16 AM | 6:46 AM | 5:04 PM | 10h 18m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:35 AM | 7:05 AM | 4:48 PM | 9h 43m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 6:55 AM | 7:25 AM | 4:37 PM | 9h 12m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:08 AM | 7:38 AM | 4:35 PM | 8h 57m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:15 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:44 PM | 8h 59m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:12 AM | 7:42 AM | 4:58 PM | 9h 16m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 6:59 AM | 7:29 AM | 5:21 PM | 9h 51m |
Computed for 43.705, -93.057 (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
| WPA | Acres | Distance | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lost Lake WPA | 100 | 1.1 mi E | Mower County |
| Arlen Schamber Legacy WPA | 43 | 1.8 mi NE | Mower County |
| Goose Lake WPA | 167 | 14 mi W | Freeborn County |
| Straight River Marsh WPA | 380 | 15 mi NW | Steele County |
| Straight Creek WPA | 346 | 15 mi N | Steele County |
| Straight River Marsh Wpa2 WPA | 17 | 15 mi NW | Steele County |
| Two Island WPA | 269 | 18 mi W | Freeborn County |
| Grass Lake WPA | 145 | 18 mi SW | Worth County |
Closest refuges & districts
Source: USFWS Realty Tracts (fee-title interest), Freeborn County Waterfowl Production Area. Acreage from GIS polygons; deeded acreage from realty records.